I think there are both good and bad effects of these things becoming a more commonplace part of the current public conversation and lexicon. We certainly need improvements in our society, to become more accepting and mindful of these concerns in ourselves and others; but our general lack of awareness really slows down the process of advancement. For instance, in the same way that many people will say "I'm depressed today" to express simply feeling down "in the moment" and nothing to do with clinical depression, I can picture people coming to say "I've got a little PTSD today" when they're feeling a bit shook up about something (and maybe this is already happening).

It would be great if the public conversation on mental health was a more integrated one, for everyone. So that the existence of various "disorders" (I'd prefer something like "differing perception sets" as a term, but we're probably many decades away from that) were not isolated in their recognition and in our understanding. So that more people could better understand the differences of human perception along the array, and the various validities and reasons for those perception sets. As many people as embody the effects of at least one or another "disorder", it just doesn't make sense to think of them or of their conditions as abnormal, and to consider a normal even to exist; it doesn't make sense, doesn't make comprehensive our love of humanity.

This isn't anti-psychiatry I'm talking, just a wish for a heckuva a lot more support and view towards improving the science, and the intersection at which it exists in society. If more people had wider understanding, who knows what total positive effects could be realized. Less isolating of people, from the workforce, from society, from positive understanding. We need to be kindly embracing and fostering good health along the entire spectrum, if we're to stop demonizing people and further injuring them in the process.

There are things I don't talk about with anyone (like SI), because I know that the time and society I happen to live in will respond in what will ultimately be an unhelpful manner. But because I don't talk about it, it does take on a certain life of its own, and I think this happens with many stigmatized effects. Diminishing returns negatively rule our behaviors.

It really makes me wonder what it is the APA and organizations like it are there for sometimes. Not what they should be. Who speaks for advancing the science at large? Its purpose in society?

Hope this is not too terribly derailing of this thread's original intent; please kindly inform me if it is.