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Will Your Therapist Even Notice If You Drink the Kool Aid?
The Case For Diagnosing CRUDD
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In any era of destabilization, people have shown a troubling tendency to embrace absolute certainties despite contradictory evidence. Passionate believers on every side hold their views with unshakeable conviction. Therapists like me could have insight into this phenomenon and may be able to help, if only we’d allow ourselves to do so.
I saw a man for an evaluation several years ago, sent by a judge after he applied for a pistol permit. The judge wanted to know if he was mentally stable after having had a DWI ten years before. I sometimes do these evaluations because the people of New York State don’t want handguns in the possession of individuals who may pose a risk to public safety. Our tools for assessment, however, remain troublingly inadequate.
After talking with him and checking with people who knew him, I found he had quit drinking shortly after his DWI. He had a family, friends, and a stable job. He had never been admitted to a psych ward or had reason to see a counselor. We went through an extensive list of symptoms and did not check off a single one. Then I asked him why he wanted a pistol permit.
His response revealed deeply held beliefs about government conspiracies and impending threats to personal freedoms…