Healing Trauma: Perspectives And Attitudes, 58

First, I am going to call the writer of the article in Psychology Today on their own words: "The word personality describes deeply ingrained patterns of behavior and the manner in which individuals think about themselves and their world. Personality traits are conspicuous features of behavior and are not necessarily pathological, although certain ones may encourage social problems. Personality disorders are enduring, persistent behavior patterns severe enough to cause significant impairment in functioning as well as internal distress." If these traits "are not necessarily pathological" then why is so-called schizotypal personality called a disorder? Isn't this simply pathologizing? I just read another article about schizotypal. Here is the quote: " A personality disorder is an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates from the norm of the individual’s culture." It is boldly declared here that if it does not conform to the current social and cultural norms, even if those norms are in themselves toxic or lead to harmful behaviour such as addiction, competitiveness, narcissism, selfishness, social inequality, fear of others, and a huge deficit of compassion and empathy (all clear calling cards of contemporary North American and European society and culture), then it is a personality disorder. This becomes a mental health diagnosis, and even if you are not exactly ill, you are going to be stained and tarnished for life by social stigma, thanks to this so-called diagnosis. All because you are not considered a good fit. I took an online test the other day and it turns out that of five traits, I show perhaps one and a half, and according to this quiz you have to demonstrate all five traits in order to qualify as schizotypal. Which leaves me to wonder what my shrink, an old school Neo-Freudian with Adlerian tendencies must have been thinking when he diagnosed me. And the last couple of days, what was he thinking when he decided not to reveal to me, his patient, this, MY diagnosis? What was he thinking? Or, What! Was he thinking? I already know what led him to this diagnosis. I revealed to him some secrets of my heart, about my experience of spirituality. I believe that I have a living relationship with God, with the Divine. I do not believe that I have exclusive rights to my maker. I believe that we all have this access. Some are particularly aware and responsive to having this divine connection. Many are not. This does not make me an elite, nor anyone special. It makes me feel particularly fortunate. My life, my vision of life seems often illuminated and luminous with a sense of beauty, and connectedness to nature and to others. This is the reality that I live. I am not a creep about it. Even though I often feel as though I know others even if they are complete strangers, I take care not to cross normal boundaries. I do greet strangers on the sidewalk, in a friendly way, and this is because of this sense of connection. And people often respond very positively. I am not going to presume that we are sudden best friends or anything like that. This kind of perception is often considered suspect. It doesn't go with the norm. It doesn't generate competitiveness, and it has nothing to do with personal ambition or bucket lists. It is decidedly anti-capitalism. If you have this experience of spiritual beauty, love, and oneness with the universe and with other persons, then you are not going to help grow the economy. You must be sick. Especially living in a society and a psychiatric and mental health profession that is so decidedly atheist, and often way more concerned with imposing social conformity and social control instead of helping the individual to grow and heal and develop as a whole being.