Social Question

MakeItSo1701's avatar

Do you view people with certain mental health disorders differently?

Asked by MakeItSo1701 (13456points) 18 hours ago

Borderline Personality Disorder is probably one of the most stigmatized disorders. Lots of people assume everyone with BPD is abusive, and manipulative.

Narcissistic personality disorder is another extremely stigmatized one, some of same stereotypes as BPD.

Basically any personality disorder is very stigmatized.

Some Insurance companies even refuse to cover treatment for these personality disorders.

Schizophrenia is another one people are very judgemental on.

optional side question:
Have you heard of BPD? I am always willing to discuss it and help break some of that stigma. It is very important to me and I am very open about how I have acted in the past, and how I am working towards getting better. I am diagnosed with BPD, so I am no stranger to the way people view us

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20 Answers

Dutchess_III's avatar

No.
But if they manage to refer to it in every conversation I wonder what they want me to do about it.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I wonder how who decides that a person’s personality is “disordered”. What standard are they holding someone’s personality to? Like if you don’t act like Joe Blow over there, there is something wrong with you.

MakeItSo1701's avatar

I agree, every conversation would be annoying.

At least for BPD, it is characterised by unstable relationships, fear of abandonment, it usually stems from trauma. I am being kind of basic (too much to list) but I don’t believe it is the “personality” you are thinking of. My personality isn’t defined by my mental disorder, however it is influenced by my disorder if that makes sense? My fear of abandonment causes me to have a more clingy personality, for example.

As for the others, not sure. I know Dissociative identity/multiple personality disorder, is legit two different personalities.

I guess the “standard” is why they are the way they are. Some people are just naturally clingy, others are clingy because they’ve been hurt before. Something like that. Is this who you really are, or is this the result of trauma?

MakeItSo1701's avatar

^ Trying to explain something I am still learning myself is a bit hard.

Dutchess_III's avatar

We are who we develop inb to. What makes some of it “wrong?”

MakeItSo1701's avatar

Once it becomes something that severely impairs you, it becomes a disorder. For example, BPD causes people to feel emotions very intensely. A situation you may be depressed about, I might be suicidal over. That is where it becomes a disorder.

It is not “wrong” in the sense that, this is just how my brain is wired. It is not a negative to be diagnosed, which seems to be what you are getting at? It doesn’t mean anything bad really.

So it is not “oh I act differently than the average person, so I must have a disorder” it is more “My brain works in a way that severely affects my day to day life, and also affects the people around me, in a negative way” It isn’t an excuse for bad behavior, I just don’t know how else to word it.

Blackwater_Park's avatar

Psychopathy, you bet I view them differently.

Dutchess_III's avatar

So if something happens that severely depresses you, but doesn’t affected me in the least…who’s wrong?

MakeItSo1701's avatar

Nobody is wrong^

You cannot look at most mental disorders like that. Neither of us our wrong, our brains are different.

@Blackwater_Park Antisocial personality disorder is another good example. That one is controversial for sure.

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Blackwater_Park's avatar

@MakeItSo1701 I view other mental illness for what it is and I don’t think poorly of someone because of it. BPD is on the opposite end of the spectrum from psychopathy. Psychopaths are different, and should be treated differently. I’m going to discriminate against them and I’ll openly admit it.

MakeItSo1701's avatar

@Blackwater_Park totally understandable. I won’t try and change your mind. I used to feel the same about a lot of disorders, and there are obviously still some I have issues with. But we will keep this simple.

Edit: “simple” As in, there are some things classified as psychiatric disorders that are beyond the scope of the question. Pedophillia would be one, and everyone is going to view them differently. ASPD is within the scope if that makes sense

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cookieman's avatar

My mother has Narcissistic Personality Disorder and she was abusive and manipulative…so I’m a bit biased. Of course, she completely refused treatment.

That said, I do understand it affects everyone differently. I’m sure some folks with NPD are far less horrible than my mother was.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Less horrible than his.mother.

snowberry's avatar

I will help if I can, but only if they want it of course. Many of these folks are dangerous. I refuse to become their next victim. It requires firm boundaries!

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

I used to be attracted to those with obvious mental illnesses.
Now after being burned a couple of times I keep to myself, for now. After my financial debts are paid, and money saved, I will play it by ear.

I joined an online dating site, and was swamped with so many likes that I had to take a step back. Im not ready to date yet.

Friends first until I’m ready.

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