"Like ADHD, autism, PTSD, and bipolar disorder before them, some personality disorders have taken a seat at the table of pop culture's ongoing buffet of misrepresented mental illnesses. Relying only on a popularized representative symptom or two, like a perception of "no empathy" to justify the diagnostic application, illusory explanations for vexing behavior via casual personality disorder diagnoses sometimes permeate social airwaves, second only to cellphone tower transmissions."
"Truth be told, like how the bipolar buzz led to layperson suspicion that anyone exhibiting reactivity had a major mental illness, the majority of allegations of personality disorders by non-professionals are based on flimsy evidence at best. I've wondered, too, if there is an even more devil-may-care attitude about accuracy because it is no secret that the favored pop culture personality disorders mentioned above are the most damning. They double as handy insults disguised as a clinical explanation."
Personality disorder labels are frequently used casually in social settings to explain upsetting behavior, often based on one perceived symptom such as 'no empathy.' This trend mirrors earlier pop-culture misuses of ADHD, autism, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. Casual application of damning labels like narcissist, borderline, or antisocial often serves as an insult rather than a careful clinical judgment. Accurate diagnosis of personality disorders requires time, thorough assessment, and professional evaluation. The casual, arbitrary labeling by nonprofessionals risks spreading misinformation and amplifying stigma toward people with genuine mental health conditions.
Read at Psychology Today
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