Gen Z needs to stop competing over who has it worse, writes Freya India. "We talk endlessly about what diagnoses we have, what discrimination we face, the obstacles in our way."
Nobody wants to be a normie with "neurotypical privilege," she writes. “Hot Girls Have ADHD,” the young learn online. "We have fun flavours of autism!" Label yourself #neurospicy!
"Victimhood, weakness and suffering" are rewarded "with praise and attention," so naturally we get more of all three, Konstantin Kisin told her. What 14-year-old could resist?
One diagnosis is not enough these days.
Oh you struggle with your gender identity? Well try struggling with mental illness and gender identity issues, like those who are “autigender” or “neuroqueer”! You’re autistic and that’s hard? Have you tried being an autistic person of colour? Sure, you have ADHD, but have you considered how much worse it is to be neurodivergent without pretty privilege, or someone who isn’t “neurotypical passing”? And don’t you dare say you have Asperger’s and still succeed. Sounds like “aspie supremacy”.
The mental-health industry devises new diagnoses for negative emotions, writes India. Are you sensitive to criticism and worried you don't fit in? You may have Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria.
"The message Gen Z is receiving from every corner of culture is that we are not capable" and "that it’s okay not to be capable," India concludes. True "compassion is recognising that previous generations got through war and poverty and deprivation and came out stronger — and we are capable of the same."
The number of college students diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder doubled in five years. The prevalence of PTSD rose to 7.5 percent from 3.4 percent from 2017 to 2022.
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