The Damage of Labels: DSM-IV

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I'm not gonna argue about the DSM. I like the DSM. It's my favorite paperback book on my shelf.

However, I will ask how you go from calling medical labels "damaging" to making a thread asking if anyone's a hypochondriac. Doesn't seem right to me.

There is way too much labeling going on. If the label is wrong, it does a lot of damage to the person. Even if it is correct, it limits people to a rigid category and can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. People can change over time and with the right kind of help.

Yes, I agree. If the diagnosis/es or labels are wrong, then it can be a lot more damaging than nothing at all.

However, if I hadn't learned about autism I would still be wondering why I couldn't be friends with anyone, study without help, etc, and everyone else around me could. I have been depressed for many years before because of this, and now I'm so happy I've found a reason for my "shortcomings" as my mother used to call them. I have only told those I am close to, and so if I ever have a meltdown in front of them, they wont run away or think me weird and never speak to me again - they know how to sort it out and help.

My stepson is autistic, and he has a badge with "I am autistic, please be patient" or something like that, and one time we took him to a playground without the badge. He was having so much fun, and playing with the other children. However, after a while things turned a little sour. He got overexcited and wouldn't leave this girl alone in the playground. He was pretending to be a dinosaur and roaring at her, and snapping. She got scared, and ran to her dad (who wasn't actually paying attention to anything but a cute lady next to him which is AWESOME parenting skills I should point out..) and told him he was being mean and chasing her. He came up to us and shouted at us for letting him get out of control. When we explained that he was autistic, and he didn't know what he was doing was wrong, the father calmed down. Maybe if he had the badge on his jumper, the father would've understood without shouting at us.

Sometimes an explanation/label is needed for someone to understand.