Episode 342: When Checklists Become Cages—Autism, ADHD, and the DSM's Blind Spots

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Recorded01 Sep 2025

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Today’s episode critically examines the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), particularly the current DSM-5-TR, arguing that its checklist-based approach to diagnosing ways of being like autism and ADHD leads to exclusion and erasure, especially for individuals who present with overlapping traits or don’t fit narrow diagnostic archetypes. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, asserts that the DSM’s criteria are not objective scientific truths but rather products of historical and systemic biases, including eugenics and colonial thinking, which prioritise control and classification over lived experience. Dr. Hoerricks advocates for a shift towards the Power, Threat, Meaning Framework (PTMF), which focuses on understanding an individual's experiences and survival strategies, and highlights the potential for harm and misdiagnosis within the current medical system for those whose ways of being don’t conform to the DSM’s rigid structure. Ultimately, she calls for community-led care and recognition that values individual stories and rejects the limitations imposed by diagnostic manuals.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/when-checklists-become-cages-autismLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe

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