77% of the population have symptoms of personality disorder?

Re:77% of the population have symptoms of personality disorder? by Charuru on Wednesday September 01, 2010 @06:12PM (#1654491)

I applaud mission creep. When most problems are labeled mental illnesses, we can unstigmatized psychiatry and easily get everyone the help they need.

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Re:77% of the population have symptoms of personality disorder? by angusgr on Wednesday September 01, 2010 @07:42PM (#1654721)

I think I see what you're getting at here, and I agree that unstigmatizing mental illness is important. But does "everyone" really need "help" from the psychiatric profession?

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Re:77% of the population have symptoms of personality disorder? by smeatish on Wednesday September 01, 2010 @08:01PM (#1654763)

If "help" came to mean applying tenets from Positive Psychology, then I'm all for it. If "help" means drugs as so often is the case, then I hope not.

You can spend a lifetime "fixing" all your problems, or you can get on with your life and focus on your positive strengths and learn to manage the negative. http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/

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Re:77% of the population have symptoms of personality disorder? by 1053r on Wednesday September 01, 2010 @09:41PM (#1654962)

Does "everyone" really need "help" from the medical profession? The dental profession? I think you may be showing signs of stigmatizing mental illness yourself a bit, there.

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Re:77% of the population have symptoms of personality disorder? by angusgr on Wednesday September 01, 2010 @11:56PM (#1655243)

I'm not the one who downvoted you, so I thought I'd reply. Cos you kind of have a point.

But I'd argue that a psychiatrist is a medical specialist in the same way that a cardiologist or a urologist is. Everyone needs to be aware of their cardiac health and see their General Practitioner if they have concerns. Not everyone needs to be diagnosed with a disease by a cardiologist. Ditto mental health.

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