I think your use of language here is a little deceiving. It is not the job of psychiatry to determine an objective reality, and then "fix" those who do not not conform to it;
This isn't what I said at all. Counseling is a dialogue, meaning the involvement of 2 people (at least). The counselor isn't the one determining reality, it's the client. Also, there's a difference between a psychiatrist, and a clinician. Counseling is often done by the clinician. Read back on my posts to get a better understanding of what I said about counseling and exhaustive testing.
rather, those who perceive reality in such a way that it is hindering their functionality in society may seek treatment. On a more complex level, you could also say that society has such a level of conformity that it is the rest of us who fail this minority, as opposed to accusing the minority of being delusional. That is to say, just like many societies have integrated many cultural, gender, and sexual identities into one place peacefully, perhaps it could also be useful to integrate the disabled and those who perceived reality differently as well.
Counseling in my mind isn't a determination of reality. Counseling is what clinicians use to help their clients. It's a reflective process, and based upon those reflections, the clinician can determine whether or not they have a disorder depending upon if their reflections matches the symptoms of the disorder.
Counseling isn't a way of determining reality, it's more like reflecting upon reality. Therefore, the "objective reality" depends upon the client.
Disorders are generally diagnosed when a person cannot function in their community; perhaps the community is equally responsible for this lack of functionality?
Well, technically, people get diagnosed even when they don't have any lack of functions. For instance, Restless Legs Syndrome. That's a bull**** disorder. As is the medication for the disorder.
With the same type of logic that you're using, I can say that it's the communities fault for believing in this "lack of functionality" as the cause of the disorder.
So I do agree with you, that the community does play a role in deciding the functionality of a disorder.
How do you create a picture of what reality is? What is reality?
I think I answered this already in the above section. It isn't that the psychologist is determining reality for the client, the psychologist is helping the client reflect, and therefore helping them create a better understanding of who they are.
That reality is dependent upon the individual.
This is what I was pointing to earlier. Identity is not necessarily determined by the body, however if the body does not conform with the needs of the mind then there may be a serious psychological disharmony.
:2wave:
That's what I've been trying to say in the last 50 pages. That the problem lies with the body, not the mind.