Spectrums Theory
Some of the more interesting moments in my work as a therapist arise when mental health professionals disagree over the diagnosis for a given client. Due to the subjectivity and frequent overlap in mental health diagnoses, many professionals feel pressure to demonstrate certainty in their assessments to legitimize their position. In these moments, it feels to me as though individuals are pushing their own religions based on the sacred DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
Disclaimer: I’m not a neuroscientist. I’m mostly parroting the work of Robert Sapolsky here…
The human brain is a delicate ecosystem that contains a lot of diversity. Genetic differences and biological changes create a seemingly infinite spectrum of mental experiences. A gene expressed here, a neural connection there, a trauma or injury way back then.
It’s like we’re all at a school dance and the DJ puts on the “Cotton-Eye Joe.” Many kids will do the dance moves similarly with only slight differences. Other kids might just sway side to side. Still others will dance as if there weren’t any prescribed moves at all. Given the same external stimuli, each of use will feel and behave differently. But we’re all dancing in the same room.
I’m looking at the DSM as I write this. Who among us isn’t forgetful or inattentive from time to time? You might not have ADHD, but given the right conditions, your brain might function similarly to someone who qualifies for an ADHD diagnosis. Likewise, you might not have OCD, but you’ve probably had a repetitive verbal or behavioral habit (think whistling, nail biting, stepping over cracks, etc.) and you probably experience repetitive (maybe even intrusive) thoughts now and again. Ultimately, the difference between you and someone who has been diagnosed with OCD is only the severity and duration of your symptoms, as well as the degree to which those symptoms affect your life.
The capacity for mental health disorder is rooted in our shared biology, and everyone of us can sense when our minds feel “off” or different from time to time. So we can all imagine what it’s like to live in that state of mind regularly and more extremely. Many of us do. And in many different ways. It can be painful, it can be confusing, and it can be debilitating.
Definitions in the DSM are valuable in describing the various spectrums of mental health disorder that humans experience, but we rarely find someone who perfectly fits within one category alone. Personally, I’m on a few spectrums and I’ve abandoned my search for a unifying diagnosis. I just call it my funny mind.
