Maybe our generation has just been over-diagnosed

Anna Gleason

ADD, ADHD, OCD, any of these sound familiar? It seems that in our generation, more than likely we have at least one of these, plus some other lesser-known psychological disorders. I can’t help but wonder why that is. Why is our generation so screwed up? Could it be the years and years of wars that came before us? No, that can’t be it, our parents went through Vietnam and Korea. At least mine did, and they seem all right for the most part. Is it the increase in technology that makes us all act so crazy and unable to concentrate? No, I don’t think it’s that either because our parents likewise lived through those technological achievements. So why are we so spastic?

It could be that in this day and age we no longer believe in being eccentric: instead, we need to label ourselves as having a problem. Look at me, I’m 22 years old and I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which is really just a fancy way of saying that I like to put my books in a certain order and I have to take an even number of steps when I walk. For the longest time, I was told that I might need to take medication to “help me function more normally,” but I think I function just fine. So what if I need to have the volume on my stereo set at 35 and not 34. Is it really that big of a deal?

Maybe all those kids out there who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder are really just bored. Have we not all had one of those moments where we just can’t concentrate for another second because if we do we’ll end up wanting to kill ourselves out of boredom?

These days we feel more inclined to put a label on the small things that make us different, rather than to actually embrace these qualities. We should realize that those small quirks don’t make us crazy or in need of medication, but make us unique and happy individuals, perfect just the way we are.Now please, if you are one of those people that really does need something to help balance you, don’t read this and go tell your doctor he or she is full of psychological mumbo-jumbo. Just take some time out and enjoy yourself. Go out, be happy, and embrace your uniqueness because that is what makes you who you are.

Comments

comments