In
oppositional defiant disorder,
novalis speculated that (some of) the
diagnoses in the DSM might be
politically
motivated. Political, yes, but also
cultural. A history of what is/has been considered
mental illness would be a fantastic cultural
history of the
United States. Consider the
classification of
homosexuality (or any
alter sexuality) as a
disease (this has been removed from the book in recent versions), or the (relatively) recent
explosion of children's behaviors (such as
oppositional defiant disorder, but also certain cases of
ADD, childhood
depression, etc.) Culturally, children are a very
problematic group right now. Their
struggles to live in a world (or worlds) with
conflicting messages and
structures are
biologized and
pathologized because this moves it into the realm of
science and
experts, and out of the realm of
human interaction and
responsibility, which is
scanty.
This is my opinion, of course, and does not imply that the DSM does not hold valid or useful information. I just believe that there are certain things that would not be best treated as a disease, but as part of either a process toward identity, a struggle with a greater fucked-up society, or an identity in itself.