The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
A lot of people struggle with mental disorders, but the numbers are often inflated. There is no doubting the realness of these diseases, and we can only teach more as time goes on. Even though we are still learning, we still have room to improve. Almost every single disorder has an overdiagnosis problem; however, some illnesses experience this worse than others. While studies claim that every disorder is underdiagnosed, the lazy and forced methods often used by a doctor lead to misdiagnosis. There are too many ways to screw up a mental disorder, and the alternatives do not necessarily lead to a clinical problem. We will focus on the popular disorders here, but the most affirmed disorders are often the ones most diagnosed. These are the 10 most misdiagnosed mental disorders.
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If doctors and the general consensus agree that it is okay to make up numbers, then it is fine. It is their duty to justify their methodology, but some people are inclined to disagree. For certain practitioners, this is a serious crime and should be punished. It not only means that people are being taken advantage of, because it also means that we should take mental illness less seriously. The pretense is to make it important under the guise of ubiquity, and it only hurts the cause. Even with all of the mental diagnoses that seem to be comorbid with other illnesses, the numbers still do not add up. The pool of mental disability is much smaller, and it only makes sense in spite of multiple diagnoses. If I can then at least prove my numbers based on their duplicity alone, then I have done my job right.
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Are we to believe that everyone who happens to be sick is stuck in their house? Are we also to believe that every “mentally ill” individual is on medication and functioning well with their placebos? If so, this means that many of them are out in society and keeping their cool only because of a pill. If not, then the ones stuck at home truly suffering are only there because they can get away with it. In all, those who are mentally ill are often suffering enough where they will stay at home, disability or not. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people who abuse the system or are just looking to mooch. An ability to get away with pretending to be sick has only become more commonplace at times goes on. This is not always true, as many of those truly struggling will have a much easier time getting disability.
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Is everyone capable of getting a medication? If they are, then there is reason to believe my point. Although not everyone taking medications is doing so for no good reason, the majority of of them are. Some people who are ill end up without the “necessary” medication; however, those who are truly sick end up with what is needed more often. This does not mean that more people are not going to doctors and not getting what they do not need. Afterall, where are all of these incapacitated sufferers? Do they truly need help, or are they simply exaggerating their problems?
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The first thing to understand is that mental disorders statistics are often exaggerated online. It depends on the source, but the consensus is ultimately the same: Some doctors can agree, but others cannot. Their methodology is flawed, regardless of comorbidity rates, but the desire to exacerbate remains intentional. When looking at this objectively, are we also to believe that every so-called disordered person in the workplace is on a prescription drug? Otherwise, are they truly sick and capable of working through it anyway?
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If a person is struggling with a mental disorder, at least severely, they are very unlikely to maintain work. It’s not that they cannot, but where are all of those storybook cases? Lowering the threshold in regards to diagnosis is dangerous, and the problems we have are often exaggerated. While the logic seems flawed without misguided statistics, the point remains true. In many cases, a medication will only do more harm than good, making the average person more reliant on preconceived notions. This makes it all worth looking into when considering the subject of mental health.
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Although therapy can help with our day-to-day issues, it’s barely an end-all-be-all. Even if we visit a shrink every single day, it does not mean that we have a mental disorder. It’s nothing against the homeless, but their dreaded situation does not indicate an episodic disease. Some people may even struggle with suicidal thoughts; however, this does not necessarily mean that they have anxiety or depression. Most people think that the average daily struggles make a difference in the normal perturbed mind. While not everyone with a traumatic past develops PTSD, the trauma we experience is often exemplified. There are plenty of people who are ill, but not there are not enough sensitive people to make up for it. Although our senses may deceive us, it still remains difficult to believe that who we see on the outside as sick.
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While some of these people may be sick, we know that not all of them are. Even if someone lands themselves in an institution, it does not mean they are diseased. It truly depends on the diagnosis and circumstance, as many of these situations are rare. It’s not to say that who is actually ill is not truly disordered, but even the sufferers question it as well. Having some kind of willingness to succeed also does not negate mental illness, but it begs the question of lazy irresponsibility. There is also reason to believe that every psychiatrist out there has a quota to inflate for the sake of the status quo. In spite of these fine, needless arguments that only make my case stronger, there are other reasons to discuss that are listed down below. Just understand that the average mentally ill person is not dealing with a disorder.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
1. Major Depressive Disorder
Major Depressive Disorder is a mood disorder characterized by a long-lasting low mood and lack of motivation. People can even struggle with a mild depression or experience a full-blown episode. Although depression is one of the most common disorders, there’s more to this story than its ubiquity. The diagnosis of low moods if often overemphasized; however, it does not end there. How frequent something is boils down to relative comparisons amongst the overall population. Major depression is also one of the most commonly misdiagnosed disorders because of its accessibility to mood (and its similarity to bipolar disorder). Everyone struggles with a mood problem from time to time, but this only makes it easier to exaggerate. The real percentage of people struggling with actual depression (even at the low-end) exists at under one percent.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive fear and worry that persists all of the time. This mental illness is another so-called “common” disorder, but the numbers are often exaggerated. While it is fairly common compared to other severe mental disorders, it’s still fairly unique. This unfortunately does little to discourage psychologists or studies from exacerbating the numbers (five percent), and it only becomes worse with time. Although the methods used my doctors are fairly reasonable, there’s still a tendency to get it wrong. People often struggle with some kind of anxiety every day, but this does little to stop a psychiatrist from making a diagnosis. Although there are some physical ailments like hypertension that it can be confused with, a doctor will persist anyway. The actual frequency of generalized anxiety floats in at around one percent.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
3. Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder is a personality disorder that is characterized by a long-term pattern of unstable relationships and intense emotions. While this may seem fairly common, the average person dealing with mood swings can easily and apparently flabbergast a psychiatrist. If every person dealing with an intense emotion walks in to a doctor’s office, there would be no end to it. Almost every single one of them can be labeled a borderline or narcissist, and this is where the true problem lies. The mental disorder is said to affect up to six percent of the population, but it almost seems to good to be true. Although it is still very uncommon, this does not stop “professionals” from taking advantage of it — making us all believe that it may not be real. In fact, the real illness happens to affect far less than one percent of the population.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
4. Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that involves episodes of delusion, thought distortion, and hallucination. There is nothing fun about suffering from this disorder, but it does not stop others from pretending to have it. The story becomes even worse when we are discussing how most doctors are making their diagnoses. Not every mental health professional is responsible, but most are when it comes to making that overall difference. Although some people are left undiagnosed, even more people are left thinking that they are sick when they are not. While it is a very well known disorder, it often gets overstated just how common the mental illness is. The most common percentage studies claim to have is 1-2 percent of the overall population. If we are being honest, the real number of people with this disorder exists at well under half a percent.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
5. Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is a mental disorder characterized by at least two separate and distinct personalities. Although the mental disorder is exaggerated in media, much of what is displayed is factual. While there are memory gaps involved, the extent at which they are emphasized leaves much to be desired. If psychiatrists are often confusing DID with BPD or C-PTSD, there has to be some level of bewilderment. While it seems easy to assume, the degree of variability when making a diagnosis has only increased. The ranges doctors give are a testament to their lack of knowledge and honesty pertaining to patients and the general population. Instead of thinking that one percent of the population struggles with DID to some degree, we should try to maintain accuracy. The real percentage of those struggling with DID stand in at about .01 percent.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
6. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is characterized by extreme fluctuations in mood, i.e., depression and mania. Those struggling with this illness will go through periods called episodes that can last for weeks or months. The main perplexity with this disorder revolves around people with typical mood swings or mild depression. Some patients will even lie or a doctor may decide to diagnose prematurely. This issue remains persistent, and the disorder is often conflated with average tendencies. The intensity of the problem truly matters, but most doctors tend to ignore this for the sake of prescription costs. Fewer and fewer symptoms are needed for a diagnostic criteria to be met, and manic depression is no better. While we are busying being fooled by a prevalence of 5 percent, the truth speaks to a rate of far less than one percent.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
7. Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic personality disorder is a personality disorder involving exaggerated feelings of self-aggrandizement and rage. The problem with NPD are its similarities to BPD (and other personality disorders), which often get oversold or distorted. The likenesses begin and end with the presence of unmistakable personality traits. As we can see, the most common mental disorders are the ones you have heard of the most. This number continues to rise, and the best excuse we have is exposure to knowledge. The only thing we are seeking is how to manipulate the system even more by unlearning the truth. Even if six percent of people are struggling with it, most people would deridingly ignore the rising number. The doctors even have to be sure, and they do so to fill their own pockets. In the end, the actual number of people struggling with NPD sits at around .1 percent.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
8. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions that lead to irrational anxiety and paranoia. The amount of pain it can cause is intense, but this does little to stop the overdiagnosis of it. Everything from hypochondriasis to OCPD and GAD are to blame; however, most of the time, the clients do not have these other illnesses. If you’ve never been at risk of going to a mental institution, you should not be considered. No matter what the problem happens to be, OCD is one of the most misdiagnosed mental disorders. Even if it is one of the most distinct disorders, doctors come to the consensus of a common struggle. Although the claims happen to float around 3-5 percent, the real percentage is much lower. If we are looking at things more realistically, the real rate actually shows a prevalence of less than .5 percent.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
9. Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that involves excessive starvation and fear of gaining weight. The problem with tracking this disorder has little to do with the percentages, which is saying something. If anything, it has more to do with the methods of diagnosis because of its extremely low prevalence rate. Every mental disorder has its numbers, but even the lowest numbers seem unbelievable. Out of everything on this list, eating disorders are probably the least diagnosed of all coming in at about .1 percent of the general population. The symptoms are hard to fake, but people still do so with success for the sake of obtaining disability payments. If we are looking at the truth, anorexia has a prevalence of about .01 percent. This only goes to show that every disorder is displayed with ubiquity and the problems that go along with it.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
10. Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a distorted perception of one’s own physical appearance. This often leads to intense distress, social withdrawal, and feelings that one is ugly and should hide it. It is often confused with eating disorders, but the two are completely different. Eating disorders are more related to eating habits, and BDD is related to perception response. Some disorders are exaggerated more than the rest, and BDD is near the top of this list. Even if you ask a doctor, they may display a struggle with diagnosing the disorder. It even goes to show that people throw around the mental disorder like it means nothing. If we are looking at basic descriptions of this disorder, then just about anyone would qualify. While the numbers say that 3 to 5 percent of people have BDD, the true number is only about a tenth of that.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
11. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (also C-PTSD)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental/anxiety disorders involving an excessive fight-or-flight response and triggering flashbacks caused by a traumatic event. Like every other mental disorder, PTSD and C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder [due to prolonged abused and causing shame]) are misdiagnosed. It could be their similarities to anxiety disorders, i.e., GAD and panic disorder, or other hypervigilant responses. Although the disorders may tend to be slightly higher in war-torn countries, the numbers here are still exaggerated. The typical estimate for PTSD stands in at around 10 percent, but this number seems absurd. Even though mental disorders are subjective understandings, they are still objective facts that describe a syndrome of tendency. In spite of the higher pre-estimate, the real number of people who struggle with PTSD and C-PTSD is far lower than one percent.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
12. Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by persistent panic attacks in response to triggers. This kind of anxiety is highly misdiagnosed with PTSD or GAD (often comorbid), and the prevalence is through the roof. Panic disorder, along with others on this list, are more than minor insecurities to be treated with a permanent band-aid. Although the rate at which panic attacks occur can be questioned, the pattern of diagnosis for a disorder is worse. The doctors will claim that nearly three percent of people deal with this disorder, but this is verifiably untrue. If facts have anything to do with it, then the charts would show something along the lines of .1 percent. Unfortunately, we cannot rely on our medical “professionals” to do the job right. If this makes you uncomfortable, then I would recommend to avoid them at all costs.
The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Mental Disorders
Ending
The underlying problem of overdiagnosis occurs for multiple reasons, but doctors are responsible the most. They are the reason why so many people think of themselves as sick and why others enable this behavior. Most people care little about fixing the problems, and the solutions are short of true prevention. Just about every disorder problem mentioned is culpable, but who is to stop this mad machine. Everyone is on board, mentally ill, and ready to take the latest and greatest pill. There are medications to prescribe, but this only serves as a pretentious ploy. Anytime you go to a therapist or psychologist, understand that the problem you never had can become even worse. The only excuse anyone truly exerts is that we all have problems and are allowed to think what we want.
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The United States is often used as a prime example, as developed countries have the means to diagnose these disorders. Every mental disorder involves a certain set of traits, but their degree and specificity is unreasonably ignored. Just because there are so many variables of misuse and corruption, coming to a viable conclusion seems hard. The numbers listed on statistical graphs are disproportionate to the truth, but the proportions of exaggeration are similar. There are often degrees of mental illness, but even the bottom threshold for the illness is subdued and overblown. The rule of thumb is to reduce the prevalence to one-tenth of the “official” numbers. Even if it feel like we’re undermining these mental health problems, the only way to get better is to understand the truth.
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Medicinal failure rates are high, but who’s to say that medication cannot help everyone. Anyone can just walk into a hospital and doctor shop to their heart’s content. At this point, the stress we have before going into a facility can even land us with a diagnosis or anger management classes. It almost seems too comical to be real, but it goes as good as it does in the movies The world is not getting more cruel, but people are looking for an excuse to be more screwed up. Even if more people are becoming disabled, it does not lend credence to more people having mental disorders. Autism is on the rise, but even this number covers up for the average intelligence going down. We tend to ignore this, but we also want to claim an underdiagnosis. Regardless, we know the problems that exist, and they do make a difference.
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All disorders lead the sufferer to desire normalcy, but a mental tick can create confusion in how to respond to it. If it is already this bad here, then how bad could it be elsewhere. Culture and habit also play a role, but the disorders exist the same and at similar rates everywhere nonetheless. As common as certain mental disorders may seem, it is only because we are continuing to feign ignorance. Their causes and effects are easily understood, but their diagnostic epidemiology is still ripe for abuse. While we may feel as though we are ignoring these disorders, we are in fact undermining them with juvenile absurdity. Although you should still go to the doctor if you need it, it’s always important to be wary. These medications often make the problem worse, even if the use of them seemed necessary.
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Mental disorders are supposed to be extreme and non-variable, but they are not anymore. They are creating new disorders left and right, and the lower limits are softening. We are all capable of being sick, even if this leads to more dead ends. Everyone obviously needs attention, and this reaction to stress or guilt is alright. Even if it leads everyone to therapy, there is still no shame. Just understand that you probably do not have anything serious enough to warrant a real diagnosis. It obviously depends, but even considering the PTSD rates among fighters, there is still little room to believe. Most of the people you have come to see are only screwed up because of daily stressors or drugs. This is why it is important to know if you need one before you take one.
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In the end, regardless of detail, all mental disorders are over-diagnosed to some and the same degree, comorbidity or not.
The Truth
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