I posit that most who suffer from certain mental health issues (development disorders, personality disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, etc), learning disabilities, the visual-spatial learner, gifted kids, the punks, the emos, the geeks, and more, are primarily due to a flaw in society. I will lump these individuals into the category of Divergent Thinkers. The process of human development is in reverse flow for this group of individuals, as compared to general society.
The divergent thinker moves against the flow of society in general. The reason that we get along with people for a time, then move on without them (or they move on without us) is due to the flow of their thought and understanding. They view the world from the bottom/up and we from the top/down. Our thought developments move in opposite directions. It is why a younger divergent thinker can seem to understand and get along with the older "normal" thinker, because they're thought process is at the similar stages of development.
Eg: As a youth, we may be more concerned with social injustice than our peers, but as our peers become aged, they then become more concerned with social injustice.
This is an example I've made in my Autism thread. Here is a reference for more in depth explanations of the terms (http://www.davisautism.com/how_does_itwork.html)
The majority develops in this order from birth to death-
1. Social Integration (Babies to maybe preteen?)
2. Identity development (Teen years to mid-twenties)
3. Individuation (Rest of life)
The divergent thinker often develops opposite to that:
1. Individuation
2. Identity development
3. Social integration
NOTE: I've attached no approximate ages, as the divergent thinker is left to discover these themselves and will move at their own pace.
Many fundamental challenges the myriad of individuals within the Divergent Thinker category face is that they are at different stages of development (and in a variety of different ways) than the average person. The sociological flaw is in the assumption that all humans can develop, not in the same way (because we all do develop in the same way to a degree), but in the same development order.
Thus I also posit that many developmental milestones are flawed when applied to all individuals.
Some divergent thinkers succeed, some exceedingly so, some go nowhere, many fall into drugs, most have varying degrees of "mental disorders". Some perform averagely as most do. The deviations are due to life events, thought patterns (yes believe it or not, mbti or jung's cognitive functions apply), even diet! And more.
Furthermore, it is not to say the majority of society do not also exhibit some of these same traits, I merely suggest that the divergent thinker is predisposed to it by in part genetic makeup, but also due to the myriad challenges that this group of individuals inevitably faces.
Theory on thinking flow:
The majority define by what 'it' is. The divergent define by what 'it' is not. Conversely, when the majority tells what is not, the divergent tells what is. Combining the two creates progressive harmony and harmonious progress.
Observation: This is where "reverse psychology" probably started. Although, once learned, the divergent become sensitive to it and recognize it easily as manipulation. Thus potentially starting a snowball effect for trust, authority, and anxiety issues.
Theory on the ineffectiveness of CBT in therapy of the divergent:
CBT focusses on removing negative thoughts. The divergent requires "negative" thoughts in order to understand what something is, by what it is not. Which is why "studies show CBT to be effective therapeutic method", but only for the majority, not the divergent. It creates more anxiety and anger in the divergent. It can still help the divergent, but will be a long painstaking process. Offshoot theory to CBT for all: Instead of learning how to say what I am or am not, learn that when I say it, it does not actually mean I am always or I am never.
The divergent thinker moves against the flow of society in general. The reason that we get along with people for a time, then move on without them (or they move on without us) is due to the flow of their thought and understanding. They view the world from the bottom/up and we from the top/down. Our thought developments move in opposite directions. It is why a younger divergent thinker can seem to understand and get along with the older "normal" thinker, because they're thought process is at the similar stages of development.
Eg: As a youth, we may be more concerned with social injustice than our peers, but as our peers become aged, they then become more concerned with social injustice.
This is an example I've made in my Autism thread. Here is a reference for more in depth explanations of the terms (http://www.davisautism.com/how_does_itwork.html)
The majority develops in this order from birth to death-
1. Social Integration (Babies to maybe preteen?)
2. Identity development (Teen years to mid-twenties)
3. Individuation (Rest of life)
The divergent thinker often develops opposite to that:
1. Individuation
2. Identity development
3. Social integration
NOTE: I've attached no approximate ages, as the divergent thinker is left to discover these themselves and will move at their own pace.
Many fundamental challenges the myriad of individuals within the Divergent Thinker category face is that they are at different stages of development (and in a variety of different ways) than the average person. The sociological flaw is in the assumption that all humans can develop, not in the same way (because we all do develop in the same way to a degree), but in the same development order.
Thus I also posit that many developmental milestones are flawed when applied to all individuals.
Some divergent thinkers succeed, some exceedingly so, some go nowhere, many fall into drugs, most have varying degrees of "mental disorders". Some perform averagely as most do. The deviations are due to life events, thought patterns (yes believe it or not, mbti or jung's cognitive functions apply), even diet! And more.
Furthermore, it is not to say the majority of society do not also exhibit some of these same traits, I merely suggest that the divergent thinker is predisposed to it by in part genetic makeup, but also due to the myriad challenges that this group of individuals inevitably faces.
Theory on thinking flow:
The majority define by what 'it' is. The divergent define by what 'it' is not. Conversely, when the majority tells what is not, the divergent tells what is. Combining the two creates progressive harmony and harmonious progress.
Observation: This is where "reverse psychology" probably started. Although, once learned, the divergent become sensitive to it and recognize it easily as manipulation. Thus potentially starting a snowball effect for trust, authority, and anxiety issues.
Theory on the ineffectiveness of CBT in therapy of the divergent:
CBT focusses on removing negative thoughts. The divergent requires "negative" thoughts in order to understand what something is, by what it is not. Which is why "studies show CBT to be effective therapeutic method", but only for the majority, not the divergent. It creates more anxiety and anger in the divergent. It can still help the divergent, but will be a long painstaking process. Offshoot theory to CBT for all: Instead of learning how to say what I am or am not, learn that when I say it, it does not actually mean I am always or I am never.
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