F: Fact – On diagnoses in modern psychiatry
Diagnostic manuals for mental disorders like DSM or ICD are descriptive catalogs of symptoms. They don’t work with a person’s story. They don’t link diagnosis to causes, only to manifestations. They don’t take into account life context, environment, personality development, or coping strategies. And too often they lead to a “label” without deeper exploration. They are also still not sufficiently integrated with neuroscience or psychosomatics — even though this is improving.
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U: Unseen angle – A diagnosis can bring relief, but also closure
Getting a name for your condition can be a relief: “Ah, I’m not weird. I have depression.” Or: “Now I get why I can’t endure anything — I’m burned out.”
But this is often where the trap begins.
The diagnosis starts to live its own life:
- You begin to read about it a lot: suddenly you see symptoms everywhere.
- You filter everything through the label: “I can’t handle this because I have depression.”
- You stop exploring causes: instead, you accept “that’s just who I am.”
- You become the diagnosis: instead of being “a person with depression,” you start to live as “a depressed person.”
Depression: Instead of asking “What in my life makes me feel like this?” you start thinking: “This is my depression. That’s just how I am.”
And then:
- You stop examining relationships, daily rhythm, the meaning of your work.
- You stop noticing the moments when you actually feel good.
- You stop believing things could be different.
Burnout: People get used to saying: “That’s just how it is. After what happened, I have less capacity.”
- Burnout becomes a permanent identity, not a passing phase.
- They adopt the role of a “fragile person” who can never go all in again.
- Instead of a gradual return to themselves, a permanent closure to life sets in.
A diagnosis should be a signpost, not a new planet you move to.
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E: Extension – What often goes wrong?
| Situation | Wrong conclusion |
|---|---|
| I don’t feel meaning or joy, I have no motivation | “I have depression.” |
| Pressure, fatigue, irritability, cynicism, helplessness | “I’m burned out. I just have to get used to it.” |
| I’m in a relationship but I feel alone | “I must be too demanding.” |
| I have anxiety or sleep badly, but otherwise “everything’s fine” | “It’s just chemistry. I’ll go get meds.” |
The better question often is: “What in my life makes sense only on paper — but not inside me?”
- Of course, there is depression that arises or persists independently of external circumstances. And many people really have it. But ignoring the weight of external circumstances, not considering how to change them, and just telling yourself “it’s all about me and my depression” — that’s a mistake.
- The same with relationships. Maybe it’s not about high demands, but about a real lack of connection. Love isn’t just calm and the absence of fights — it’s the presence of warmth, safety, interest.
- Anxiety and insomnia are signals of a psyche at the limit. “Everything’s fine” doesn’t apply here. They are symptoms of a mismatch between how you live outwardly and what you experience inside.
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L: Link – Gabor Maté:The Myth of Normal
📖 A deep look into how modern society produces psychological difficulties. It shows why so many people end up with a diagnosis — and how to move beyond it.
→ Book: The Myth of Normal – Gabor Maté
Maté’s book is powerful and inspiring — but not everyone will read it the same way. Some may see it as blaming society, others as reassurance that they’re not alone. It’s good to read it with a healthy dose of perspective. It helps in seeing the bigger picture, but it doesn’t solve everything. It’s not a manual. It’s a wake-up call.
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Disclaimer
Chronic overload is not a diagnosis. It’s a framework for talking about the pressures of modern life — before collapse arrives. Don’t underestimate the signals. And if you’re already on a slippery slope and your state is worsening, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. Diagnosis is not stigma. The right help is not weakness. And change can begin with something as simple as finally deciding: you don’t have to try to do this alone.