Psychologists discover a brand new disorder...

[Brain Candy]

At least my lack of empathy was not unusual. Having practiced as a psychotherapist for 35 years, LaBier believes that what he calls empathy deficit disorder (EDD) is rampant among Americans.

LaBier says we unlearn whatever empathy skills we've picked up while coming of age in a culture that focuses on acquisition and status more than cooperation and values "moving on" over thoughtful reflection. LaBier is convinced that EDD is at the heart of modernity's most common problems, macro (war) and micro (divorce).

As LaBier explains, virtually everyone learns the basics of empathy in childhood (from our parents comforting us when we're in distress), but my father died when I was 4, and afterward my mother had to be very can-do, juggling three jobs, graduate school, and two kids. When I was upset, she never said, "Oh, I'm sorry. It must be hard to have me away so much after losing your dad."

Instead, on good days, she'd say, "Why are you crying? Nothing is wrong." And on bad days: "You'd better toughen up because life can get a lot worse." Looking back at my 20-something self, I realize that if, as LaBier says, empathy is "the ability or the willingness to experience the world from someone else's point of view," I wasn't brought up to be able to do that.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/06...athy/index.html

So being strict or assertive, instead of being a natural reaction among a great number of people in certain situations, could be a sign of a disorder? I confused.

[BC_chick]

In an ironic twist, the pharmaceutical companies jumped on the EDD bandwagon and decided to make a hefty profit from the country's collective lack of emapthy.

The miracle cure, which goes by the pharmaceutical name of T.H.E.M. is in its second trial phase and expected to be available for the public in late 2012.

The future of drug remains unclear however, as outgoing President GW Bush has banned any further studies on the effects of the drug, labelling it a threat to national security.

[bush_cheney2004]

....So being strict or assertive, instead of being a natural reaction among a great number of people in certain situations, could be a sign of a disorder? I confused.

I read this interesting piece yesterday, and came to the conclusion that the author was introspectively dealing with her own demons from past experiences, perhaps because she now desired the empathy of others while being unable to offer genuine empathy in return. Guilt spawned a phone call to a long-ago roommate that she didn't comfort "properly" after being fired.

Generalizing, I think women fall into this guilt trap more often, as society holds them to a different "nuturing" standard than men. Oprah Winfrey has successfully exploited this dynamic for years.

"How does that make you feel" is now the punchline for a joke.

Disorder? Not really....just an efficient way to short circuit the Seven Steps to get on with whatever is next. Each person has their own threshold....those who need it.....and those who give it.

Edited June 19, 2008 by bush_cheney2004

[M.Dancer]

I'm having a hard time relating to this thread...

[eyeball]

I'm having a hard time relating to this thread...

You seem to have issues with touchy feely subjects although I recall this was not always the case. Perhaps you're still in the transition between being a lefty and being a righty, as in if your still a lefty you still have a heart yadda yadda.

The fact you have to add the acerbic action instead of just letting it come naturally indicates it might not be too late for you.

[Pliny]

I'm having a hard time relating to this thread...

Good one. Eyeball lacks empathy, I think.

[eyeball]

Actually there's been a fair bit of empathy being felt around our place lately. Our cat Jupiter went missing last week, we figure an eagle or a cougar got him.

He was a really good cat and I sure miss the little bugger. His sister seems a little out of sorts too.

[Guest American Woman]

Actually there's been a fair bit of empathy being felt around our place lately. Our cat Jupiter went missing last week, we figure an eagle or a cougar got him.

He was a really good cat and I sure miss the little bugger. His sister seems a little out of sorts too.

I'm so sorry to hear that-- I know how hard it is to lose a pet. It's hard on their furry friends too, as you said. Maybe he'll turn up yet. I've had cats missing for weeks, then out of the blue, they show up again.

[eyeball]

I'm so sorry to hear that-- I know how hard it is to lose a pet. It's hard on their furry friends too, as you said. Maybe he'll turn up yet. I've had cats missing for weeks, then out of the blue, they show up again.

Thanks...we live in hope.

[M.Dancer]

Actually there's been a fair bit of empathy being felt around our place lately. Our cat Jupiter went missing last week, we figure an eagle or a cougar got him.

Cue Sir Elton John.....

From the day we arrive on the planet

And blinking, step into the sun

There's more to be seen than can ever be seen

More to do than can ever be done

Some say eat or be eaten

Some say live and let live

But all are agreed as they join the stampede

You should never take more than you give

In the circle of life

It's the wheel of fortune

It's the leap of faith

It's the band of hope

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the circle, the circle of life

[bush_cheney2004]

Cue Sir Elton John.....

OK...but the lyrics were written by Tim Rice. I hope Bernie is still getting paid too.

[Rue]

Yet another psychologist trying to give himself a shtik so he can sell his professional services.

All he is done is put a new word to a very simple phenomena. It seems if you give call a common behaviour phenomena a name that has disorder or syndrome in it, people suddenly perk up and say yah that describes me.

Its a gimmick. Come up with gross generalizations that could apply to anyone so that anyone can see themselves in it, and then call it a disorder or syndrome. Problem is this is precisely the kind of pop psychology that does well on television with Oprah or Dr. Phil where people want things explained in simplistic sound bites in between frequent commercial breaks and basically if you note, these syndromes are used in a way to help people rationalize negative behaviour. Suddenly they are not a cold selfish prick, they have emotional deficit disorder. Suddenly they are not a self-centered, self-obsessed, shallow, phony, they have this disorder.

Bottom line-you either can give people the time of day or you can't. If you give people the time of day, you learn after a while, you only have so much energy and yes you pick and choose who you can give that time of day too because you only have so much time for such things and most importantly you really should only do it with people that ain't gonna drag you down into the mud with them.

This same pop psychology twit who would tell you that you have emotional deficit disorder on today's disorder of the month list, next month will tell you that you are co-dependent because you are too willing to help and care about other people and you are being used.

Trust me if you show empathy, you are a self-destructive, easily manipulated, needy, co-dependent. If you don't show empathy you are have this alleged deficit.

So I say, oh horse shit. We all know which people we can care about and which ones we can't.

If I were to pay every pandhandler on the streets of Toronto a dollar I would soon be one of them myself.

Doesn't mean I have emotional deficit disorder. Likewise when I do spend some time with someone I care about or think I should care about, doesn't make me some needy, neurotic wreck seeing to make myself feel good because I hate myself.

Enough with this pop psychology fizz. Its just fizz. Oprah culture is all about self-indulgence and pop psychology-it reflects her own narcissism and the fact that every show comes down to one of Oprah's anxieties and in this case the fact she is a cold sob and does not have the time of day for people and wants to now add that to her list of disorders next to her eating disorder, gay denial and Tom Cruise shtick which excuse me she ripped off from Rosie O'Donnell. By the way, someone tell Oprah Ellen is stealing her audience away because she talks less about herself.

All these Oprah articles always are about someone talking about their own feelings. Even that article where the women is allegedly feeling guilty for not having empathy is simply a self-indulgent exercise of talking about herself.

Go stuff your face with that twinkie dear and stop whining about your pouch. Either that or shut up and eat salad. Bah.

[GostHacked]

Half these so called disorders don't really exist at all.

ADHD - those are just kids with more energy than others. Also kids are kids and don't have a large attention span to begin with, this developes over time. When I was in high schoo, there were none of these so called social desieses we hear about these days. ADHD being one of them.

Depression is iffy for me. It is a chemical imbalance, but what really causes depression is that the person is simply not happy with their life, even if they cannot see it or notice it at all. That was my case. Once I changed my situation, my depression went away. I had to retool my brain in a sense. My destructive thought patterns/process got me into the depression, I did not know how to break the brain loop. But I eventually did, and without drugs.

Today my mental health is the best it has been in 15 years. Once you recognize what triggers your depression, it is a hard long process to fix, but the depression did not happen over night, so don't expect a cure overnight.

Almost half the commercials I see these days are for some type of drug to fight some deficiency.

[M.Dancer]

I used to suffer from extreme apathy but I have to live and let live

[Pliny]

I used to suffer from extreme apathy but I have to live and let live

I don't know if anyone appreciates your sense of humour much But I do.

Does anyone get it?

[Pliny]

Thanks...we live in hope.

I'm close to Hope, I live in Surrey, only about an hours drive.

Although it is painful to lose a pet, I understand it is even more painful to not know the circumstance of loss, Let us know if kitty shows up.

[jbg]

I suspect this new "disorder" is fueled and worsened by "multitasking" enforced by cell phones and blackberries. My experience with people in conversations is that they are, at most, paying 50% attention to the conversation and are distracted by the prospect of an e-mail or cell call coming in. This dissolves all ability to care about the person in front of them.

[Pliny]

I find it curious the term "discover" is used. "Invented" would be a better term.

[eyeball]

Let us know if kitty shows up.

Well, we thought he was a goner...BUT THE CAT CAME BACK!

Actually, he showed up in town which is about a 20 minute drive from home. Its possible he could have wandered there on his own but I'm thinking he might have jumped into the back of my truck and unbeknownst to me hitched a ride into town. He went missing on the 10th of June and he showed up at a friend of mine's yesterday. They posted a found sign at the grocery store this morning and now he's fast asleep in my lap looking a little skinny and exhausted but otherwise fine.

I'm close to Hope, I live in Surrey, only about an hours drive.

I'm in Ucluelet. I meant I live in hope not in Hope.

In the circle of life

It's the wheel of fortune

It's the leap of faith

It's the band of hope

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the circle, the circle of life

My wife burst into tears when I walked into her store with Jupiter and half her customers quickly followed suit. Their husbands and I, with much empathy I should add, collectively rolled our eyes at the spectacle (alright...I admit I got a little misty too).

Cheers everyone. Our day has been made and I hope your's was too.

Edited June 23, 2008 by eyeball

[Guest American Woman]

Well, we thought he was a goner...BUT THE CAT CAME BACK!

That's such good news! Thanks for letting us know.

Actually, he showed up in town which is about a 20 minute drive from home. Its possible he could have wandered there on his own but I'm thinking he might have jumped into the back of my truck and unbeknownst to me hitched a ride into town.

I think something like that happened with one of my cats, too. She would jump in the open window of our car and sleep on the front seat, and I think one time she may have jumped into a car that wasn't ours and ended up who knows where. She did manage to eventually find her way home, though.

Cheers everyone. Our day has been made and I hope your's was too.

Sure was. I had the feeling he'd show up.

Edited June 23, 2008 by American Woman

[Pliny]

I just read the news. Kitty showed up! That's just excellent!

Were most people being empathetic or sympathetic?

[eyeball]

I just read the news. Kitty showed up! That's just excellent!

Were most people being empathetic or sympathetic?

Both. By the way you were spot on about not knowing the circumstance of loss.

I've had or lived with at least a dozen pets over the years and its kind of startling how much feeling one silly little cat can still evoke.

[Rue]

Hey Ghost here is some feedback for you. I agree with you and BC Chick that some illnesses are hyped to sell drugs. However I do need to clarify my belief about mental illnesses and certain disorders as well.

ADHD is an organic disease. Its measurable on mri's and cat scans and there are both neurological and psychiatric conditions that result from it. Its a lot more then added energy. There is a neuro-chemical imbalance caused by disturbances in the frontal lobe probably as a result of an inability to maintain or process certain chemicals and there is actually a wide range of neurological and physical things that go out of whack and no it can not be controlled just by diet or discipline alone.

One chemical seratonin which we now know when depleted causes clinical depression a disease that has specific tests to measure it, seems to also amplify negative adhd symptoms and inter-related to them and when seratonin levels are kept at a certain level, i.e., medication is administered to block them from being passed out by the body, it not only relieves depression but many adhd symptoms. This is why for example anti-depressants do work with some adhd patients particularly adults with adhd. Drugs that prevent seratonin depletion seem to help alleviate adhd symptoms as well as Wellbutrin which works on dopamine levels.

We also know depressive mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, adhd and anxiety disorders are both neurological and psychiatric in manifestation and most often inter-connected and studies are now showing the brain can be mapped to show how the brain malfunctions suggesting these are not imagined illnesses but actual physical disturbances to the brain caused by certain chemical imbalances or damage to certain parts of the brain or genetic predisposition, i.e., people born with neurotransmitters that are too thin to conduct transmission which in turn can cause these illnesses or others such as epilepsy or schitzophrenia once blamed on bad mothers. Slight lesions to the brain can cause these. Allergies can cause these. Aquired brain injuries can cause these. Exposure to toxic chemicals can cause these.

What I was challenging was the use of the word disorder for a condition defined in such a general nature it could apply to anyone. Illnesses such as depressive illness, attention deficit hyper activity disoder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder, are very real. They are not automatically diagnosed. Psychiatrists are careful to rule out other things first and they have very specific and particular symptoms and physical origins and manigestations that can be measured and are not subjective but objective in definitive content. Now mind you they can be misdiagnosed of course. Sometimes it can take years to render a proper diagnosis.

Also medication for general anxiety disorders may make a person with clinical depression sicker and vice versa. Brain tumours can cause many of the same symptoms as can other diseases and dementia and simply aging or vitamin defficiencies because of poor diet.

Are some people simply depressed as opposed to clinically depressed? Yes. I think though there is a danger in misdiagnosing something as trivial when it might not be just as much as I think there is a danger in diagnosing something as serious when it may be trivial. That is what I meant.

Genuinely depressed individuals, people with adhd, ocd, anciety disorder, believe me don't choose it, it chooses them at birth or through other illnesses.

They can try learn behaviour to control it, they certainly can engage in a healthy lifestyle, diet, and exercise, etc., but there is a limit. All that stuff is important but the anology is no different then someone with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or say diabetes or epilepsy. These are conditions that require medical prescription assistance and it would be crazy for someone do endanger their life or live their life full of pain and suffering when they do not have to because they blame themselves for being morally weak.

A genuine case of adhd or depression or anxiety disorder or ocd is no different then diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

That said why I get annoyed is because simplistic pop psychology clouds the issue and focuses our attention on what I personally believe are free choice issues and lead people to mix those with serious psychiatric and neurological disorders that are best treated with a combination of treatment approaches including medication.

Do psychiatrists over-diagnose depression, adhd, etc.? Well studies have shown they are more likely to diagnose women then men as depressed and boys more then girls as having adhd suggesting some of that could have come about from gender biases and children with discipline problems who are not adhd can be misdiagnosed by it, particularly by their parents insisting its adhd and not poor diet and lack of supervision, which brings us back to your comments and why to an extent I concede them, but I think its a bit of both know what I mean?

Edited July 4, 2008 by Rue

[HisSelf]

At least my lack of empathy was not unusual. Having practiced as a psychotherapist for 35 years, LaBier believes that what he calls empathy deficit disorder (EDD) is rampant among Americans.

Have you ever been to Toronto?

[Pliny]

ADHD is an organic disease. Its measurable on mri's and cat scans and there are both neurological and psychiatric conditions that result from it. Its a lot more then added energy. There is a neuro-chemical imbalance caused by disturbances in the frontal lobe probably as a result of an inability to maintain or process certain chemicals and there is actually a wide range of neurological and physical things that go out of whack and no it can not be controlled just by diet or discipline alone.

It is not an organic disease. No test for organic abnormalities is administered in the diagnosis.

It is not measurable on MRI's and Cat Scans. So they are not administered in the diagnosis.

There is no neuro-chemical imbalance. No test for a neuro-chemical imbalance is administered in the diagnosis as none are ever detected.

The diagnoses of mental illnesses is almost entirely subjective. The absence of any test to determine ADHD is what betrays the claim. There is no physiological marker for the disease so it not a disease.

It is only after the introduction of brain damaging drugs that any physiological abnormalities can be detected at all.

One chemical seratonin which we now know when depleted causes clinical depression a disease that has specific tests to measure it, seems to also amplify negative adhd symptoms and inter-related to them and when seratonin levels are kept at a certain level, i.e., medication is administered to block them from being passed out by the body, it not only relieves depression but many adhd symptoms. This is why for example anti-depressants do work with some adhd patients particularly adults with adhd. Drugs that prevent seratonin depletion seem to help alleviate adhd symptoms as well as Wellbutrin which works on dopamine levels.

Balderdash!

Read the truth about ADHD!

http://www.adhdfraud.org/index.htm

You can ask any psychiatrist or psychologist to give you the test for a chemical imbalance and they will tell you there isn't one.

Just read some of the e-mails this Doctor gets regarding damaging drugs. It's heartbreaking and entirely unnecessary.