Temporal Dysphoria

 

Delusion

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) defines delusions as fixed beliefs that are not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence.

Four types of delusions outlined in the DSM-5 include:1

• Bizarre delusions are implausible or impossible, such as being abducted by aliens.

• Non-bizarre delusions could actually occur in reality, such as being cheated on, poisoned, or stalked by an ex.

• Mood-congruent delusions are consistent with a depressive or manic state, such as delusions of abandonment or persecution when depressed, and delusions of superiority or fame when manic. 

• Mood-incongruent delusions are not affected by the particular mood state. They may include delusions of nihilism (e.g., the world is ending) and delusions of control (e.g., an external force controls your thoughts or movements).

People with delusions may also exhibit confusion, agitation, irritability, aggressiveness, depression, and self-referential thinking. 

A bizarre delusion that has been noticed for centuries but is no longer regarded as delusional is what is called gender dysphoria.

Gender dysphoria is the feeling of discomfort or distress that might occur in people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics.

Transgender and gender-diverse people might experience gender dysphoria at some point in their lives. However, some transgender and gender-diverse people feel at ease with their bodies, with or without medical intervention.

 

A diagnosis for gender dysphoria is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The diagnosis was created to help people with gender dysphoria get access to necessary health care and effective treatment. The term focuses on discomfort as the problem, rather than identity.

There are many possible delusions that could have a significant effect on an individual’s life. While gender dysphoria has been in the news lately there are others. Temporal Dysphoria is when someone suffers from a profound state of unease and dissatisfaction because they're not comfortable in their current era and identifies with another in the past. Most often accompanied by depression, anxiety and agitation. Or perhaps it’s possible that they identify with an era in the future. Why not? It’s all imaginary.

 

The point is that temporal dysphoria has the same aspect of reality as gender dysphoria. It’s certainly possible that a person who feels that they are living in the 19^th century, for instance, has as much validity as a man that feels that he is actually a woman. This person might dress in Victorian clothing, read and enjoy the books of William Makepeace Thackeray and Thomas Hardy, and prefer working with horses to being around automobiles. They may well feel lost and frustrated living and working in a confusing and frantic world. There are perhaps thousands afflicted with this mental issue without even realizing it.

The culture and society with which they are familiar is a bygone one and even more important the government that they currently live under is far, far different than the one of their delusion.

People are willing to humor someone that displays this sort of temporal dysphoria. A farmer that works his land with horses, doesn’t use credit cards and doesn’t own a car won’t necessarily be a social outcast. In a way, the Amish have community temporal dysphoria. 

 

But the state doesn’t recognize this particular variety of temporal dysphoria. Individuals with gender dysphoria are the recipients of favorable legislation meant to both protect and validate their bizarre delusion. It seems only right that those with temporal dysphoria receive similar consideration. The state should establish relations with them that are recognizable as normal by these people. In the case of those with 19^th century bizarre delusions they shouldn’t be obliged to pay income taxes, for instance, and not be part of the social security system.

As the psychiatric community examines temporal dysphoria more closely, those suffering from the anxiety and fear can look forward to treatment not to cure their delusion but to enable it.