The environment in which an individual lives and operates in can affect his or her behavior, perception, and even cognition. Westernized culture, which is what nearly 75% of Americans orient to when answering questions specifically aimed at determining one’s cultural aligning, is nearly parallel to that of Easternized culture. The two are so different and encompass so much of the world’s general population that some have even branded groups as either “East Brained” vs “West Brained” based on where they reside.

Because most people reading this would be determined “West Brained,” that is the audience to whom this article is directed. Specifically, I assume my audience to be autonomous. They place value on independence, self-reliability, individuality, and on the ability to be a uniquely exclusive representation of the human condition.

In the current year, with so much access into the lives of others, it can be hard to fulfill that last cultural desire. It seems everything has been done. There is nothing new to invent or discover, or even to think or to say. This can be easily cast aside as a “first-world problem,” but because the idea of individuality is so intricately weaved into being a successful human, it is my belief that when the need for individuality goes unfulfilled, that desire can manifest into something a bit more perilous. When the deficit in individuality is coupled with a sense of failing (another need within the West-Brained person is to be successful), the person begins to develop reasoning for their shortcomings while simultaneously searching for new ways to feel distinct.

Oh, the incredibly alluring human psyche. Enter, the uncommonly referenced Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

There are two things I would like to point out before continuing:

• I am aware that the DSM-5 is not a perfect manual in neither diagnosing or suggesting treatment for the entire spectrum of disorders considered psychological. However, it was scrutinized for 18 years prior to its publication, and that is very apparent in how disorders are carefully described for accurate diagnosis.
  
• There is a strange chicken-egg analogy when it comes to both medical and psychological disorders. When I say something to the effect of, “One cannot have PTSD without first being diagnosed,” there is the backlash of “In that case, does one have a broken bone before it is illustrated via diagnostic imaging?” To this I say, you can have the criteria for both a broken bone and PTSD before it is labeled, but the label itself is what dictates the treatment and the treatment cannot be performed without the condition first being diagnosed.

It is my opinion that the phenomenon of pseudo psychological illness that has spread amongst teenagers and young adults is due in part because of a need to be seen as undeniably unique, but yet, if it still seems the individual is not praised in that regard, then that can be blamed in part on a psychological inability to be so.

Specifically, I have seen more and more young adults refer to themselves and others as having personality disorders. I think these are so appealing because the DSM-5 describes them as lifetime disorders that can’t be easily remedied and that lead to markedly different cognition, affectivity, interpersonal functioning, and impulse control that deviate from one’s culture. In fact, before being diagnosed with a specific personality disorder from the ten currently recognized, the individual must first show an inappropriate pervasion in the aforementioned areas.

What many people don’t realize is that individuals who suffer from personality disorders very rarely seek treatment, because to them, their behaviors and perceptions are perfectly normal. They don’t see themselves as having a disorder, and therefore, they lack the ability to speak about it publicly.

Furthermore, it’s dangerous to have young people aspire toward personality disorders. Many of the behaviors seen in these disorders are self-harming, either physically, mentally, or both. When young people hear medical terms such as “bipolar,” loosely used, they develop an incorrect understanding of the disorder, and make it more difficult for those who actually have it to seek treatment and recovery.

It is important to use our language carefully and to do our research meticulously. You shouldn’t haphazardly describe people within the range of mental dysfunction. Don’t promote the normalizing of personality disorders by taking and sharing internet quizzes that diagnose you or support false accounts of people who claim to have these conditions. Our culture must actively strive to understand the human psyche as well as it does the physical condition.

As a footnote, if you are feeling depressed, anxious, moody, etc., please seek the proper care in terms of counseling or medical treatment. Do not consult the internet and do not self-diagnose. Remember that your uniqueness does not determine your greatness, and that there is always at least one person who benefits from your existence.