"Oppositional Defiant Disorder"

[Tim Liston]

It hasn’t been that long since “Oppositional Defiant Disorder” was added to the ever-longer list of psychological afflictions described in the American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM for short). The bible of all the stuff that’s wrong with us. According to the DSM, ODD is defined as an “ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile and defiant behavior. Symptoms of ODD include questioning authority, negativity, defiance, argumentativeness, and being easily annoyed.” Easily annoyed is now an affliction?

Apparently ODD is considered mostly a child’s issue and we grow out of it. But I wonder if there is such a thing as adult-onset ODD (AOODD?). As a child I was pretty much OK with everything. Not really defiant at all, or annoyed by much. But these days, I’m apparently afflicted with what I call IDBAFWTS, which is “I Don’t Believe A ****ing Word They Say.” I wonder whether I changed or whether the stuff around me changed….

(Quick mental disorder joke: Roses are red. Violets are blue. I’m a schizophrenic. And so am I. Haha.)

I hear them say that unemployment is as low as it’s been in about a decade. But then why is the labor participation rate the lowest it’s been in 40 years? I hear them say that our GDP is higher than ever. How can that be when we pretty much don’t make anything anymore and our former factories are being torn down? I hear them say that inflation is 2% or less. Have they recently bought food, water, health care, college tuition or a house? Or paid taxes? I don’t believe them, so I guess I am (adult-onset) ODD….

(I wonder, did our Founding Fathers have ODD? How about MLK, he was awfully darn defiant! How could all the beating and bombing piss him off so much? Is it perhaps the case that you are mentally deficient if you DON’T question authority? Maybe the APA is more akin to Scientology than science…)

Also, I get pretty annoyed at the thought that the NSA tracks my electronic goings-on. I get VERY annoyed that I work my ass off, save for retirement, then when I get close they knock interest rates down to 0% to save their own asses. I’m annoyed that nobody seems to care about monster fish, phosphorus and toxic sludge in Lake Erie. I’m annoyed that the property taxes I pay are worth more than the house that I pay the taxes on. I’m annoyed that we piss a lot of our wealth away meddling in the affairs of other countries by way of our military. I’m annoyed that I paid auto insurance for 30 years then they raise my rates after we finally made a claim. I’m annoyed that they printed money to bail out the banks. When a business I owned failed many years back, they didn’t print any money for me!

Now I know why I find these things annoying. I’m afflicted with (adult-onset) ODD! Whew. I thought there was something wrong with me. Now I know that my “negative” feelings, while normal, are still troubling and in need of treatment. It’s not just that the stuff that happens around me is just totally misguided. WHEW! I feel better already….

[ryan costa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2mAs5pnA34

the dream of the 1890s is alive in portland

[Phil Florian]

I think you were posting in jest? But in case you were not from what I understand what is considered ODD in children that doesn't resolve itself by adolescence and adulthood would usually be then diagnosed as a Personality Disorder (maybe the Anti-Social or Borderline variant of it, I should say).

For what its worth.