Avoid the word "disorder"

[CeeJay1981]

I prefer to think of Social Anxiety and Social Confidence as a spectrum. The the lower extreme (where I once was) you are totally uncomfortable around people and avoid others at all costs. At the other end you are brimming with positive energy and can't get enough of yourself and other people.

Everyone is living somewhere in this spectrum and it goes up and down depending on the environments they put themselves in. Some people get stuck somewhere in this spectrum and would do well to find some outside help.

So, the reason I don't like the word disorder is because it tries to make bad a part of the whole. It would be like saying of the rainbow "Well, Red, Orange and Yellow are OK but if you get Violet then there is something wrong with you"

Just a thought

Take it easy guys

Chris

 

[danstelter]

There is some amount of credence to avoiding this word and the word "disability." People who have a disorder or disability seem to think that they are not able to have a normal life, no matter what, and therefore this may encourage them to not try and move forward in life and be all that they can be, which undermines their worth as a human. At some point, anxiety does become a disorder, and it seems to exist on a spectrum like you indicated. But, I think that it is possible to move out of the disorder end of the spectrum and into the healthy end of the spectrum. Good point that you raised.

 

[freestylemonster]

great post! I never thought of it that way. Calling it a disorder implies that there's something wrong with you that can't be fixed....But that's not true! It CAN be fixed you just gotta try harder!!

 

[toothpastekisses]

.......................

 

[SilentType]

Panic "disorder" is what my psychiatrist diagnosed me with, lol. Trying harder will do nothing to stop the constant panic attacks. They're just part of the life I have to live with. They happen for no apparent reason, and nothing in the form of therapy or medication has done anything to help this "disorder." I dunno what else to call it really. The grand majority of people don't seem to understand the severity how shitty a life with unprovoked, incurable panic attacks really is.


Peace

 

[sabbath9]

And I don't think we should say we want to be "cured", as in striving to be a completely different person because in reality, it's natural for everyone to experience anxiety and shyness from time to time, even the most loud and confident people. I'd just be nice to get rid of these horrible thought patterns and physical symptoms so I can feel comfortable around the people I should feel okay around!

Most people do experience anxiety and shyness from time to time, "disorder" is just a way to describe a disease that can incapacitate people. Once you know what disease you have then maybe you can treat it better. Labels are unavoidable, but the point is people can NOT be described by one or two labels.

 

[lyricalliaisons]

I don't mind the word "disorder" being used in my case because it's true. Because of SA my life is in complete disorder. I also don't mind the word "disability" because it has also inhibited my ability to such an extent that it's kept me from being able to do many things & to have a decent, productive life.

 

[mndigi]

The essence of life is to survive, and in the case of humans, to strive to be comfortable. If we aren't doing that, we do have a disorder. But it's not as if this disorder can't be finished or minimized. So there's nothing wrong in using it.