LogFAQs > #903724260

adjl posted...

In all seriousness, I would expect the DSM to reflect this in subsequent versions.

I would too. But less because it's been "proved" to be objective fact in any way, and more because the social sciences in general and psychology in particular have always been strongly influenced by public opinion and political pressure.

Generally speaking, there's always a pressure from the masses to define things we don't like as being disorders and things we approve of (or at least tolerate) as being "normal". And for those definitions to change radically the next time public opinion shifts.

(see also, homosexuality defined as mental illness)



adjl posted...

Calling gender dysphoria a mental disorder has always been a bit of a grey area, given that it's so often treated physically.

Arguably, the exact same same thing can be said of all body dysphoria disorders, yet very few people would argue that anorexia is a "lifestyle choice" or a "natural" mindset as opposed to implicitly accepting that anorexia is very much a disorder, and needs to be treated rather than tolerated or ignored.

The problem is that there are no hard and fast lines in psychology, and even when studies are done, it's difficult to extend the results of those studies to definitive statements about human nature (even ignoring the fact that many of those studies are themselves biased by public opinion and what politicians are willing to fund).


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