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Psychiatric Diagnoses
They don’t explain ‘why’ – only ‘how’
Key points:
- Psychiatric diagnoses, like major depressive disorder and ADHD, are not explanatory.
- They simply describe the symptoms that most commonly occur.
- However, even these symptoms can vary enormously between people.
- Why these have occurred now is what needs to be addressed in good therapy.
My neighbour glared at me when, recently, I suggested that she might like to join me in a litter pick being organised to help clear up our local park.
“I have depression,” she said icily, fixing me with a narrow-eyed stare.
I could have pointed out that it would do her a lot of good to be out and active in the open air, connecting with other people, doing something helpful for those in the neighbourhood – all these known to be factors associated with helping to lift mood. However, Marion already spends a lot of time being sociable when she wants to, engaging in activities she likes, such as shopping and painting, and going for coffee with friends.
This article was first published on Psychology Today, and was written by Denise Winn.
