What Carl Trueman Can Teach Us About The Epidemic of Self-Diagnosis | The Log College

What Carl Trueman Can Teach Us About The Epidemic of Self-Diagnosis

by Matt McRaney; BIBLICAL COUNSELING COALITION

Over the years, self-diagnosis has become a persistent problem for counselors and caregivers. Someone will confidently explain their condition, but after a few probing questions and a basic familiarity with the diagnostic criteria, it becomes clear that they were not diagnosed by a professional. In many cases, this self-diagnosis becomes their identity, driving their actions and interpersonal relationships. It’s easy to see how this is possible, with social media influencers and internet articles that promote various conditions, and the incessant drug commercials on TV. However, in reading several of Carl Trueman’s recent works, I’m convinced there’s something deeper going on; something that cuts to the heart of our identity.

The Modern Self and a Redefinition of Personhood

Carl Trueman has written extensively over the last decade about the redefinition of personhood and the modern self. He contends the idea that someone could be a woman trapped in a man’s body does not just appear out of thin air. Instead, it results from a series of ideas and movements over several centuries that converge in this new understanding of what it is to be human. He makes the point in The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self that we live in a world that increasingly rejects the objective for the subjective, where reality can be conformed to our own imaginations.[1] He  observes, “Self-creation is a routine part of our modern social imaginary.”[2] For someone to be a man trapped in a woman’s body, society must prioritize one’s ideas about oneself over the physical reality.[3]

Much of the redefinition relies on critical theory. Critical theory is an umbrella term that, at its heart, deconstructs objective reality. Developed through various schools of thought and relayed downstream to culture through art, movies, and television, critical theory has shaped the way modern people see themselves and the world around them. It contends that human nature is not stable or rooted in the image of God, but instead is dependent on culture.[4] Critical theory doesn’t just reject the objective reality of God and religion. It also rejects the existence of objective observations and diagnoses of the scientific and medical communities.[5] It’s not uncommon to hear people today ask in protest, “Who is that doctor to say I don’t have …?!” Any semblance of authority or objective reality is rejected in favor of one’s self assertion.

Critical Theory and Self-Diagnosis

While Carl Trueman’s work seeks to explain the rise of sexual revolutionary ideas such as the transgender phenomenon, I believe it can also be helpful for counselors navigating the treacherous waters of self-diagnosis. If self-diagnosis were just the result of misinformation from pharmaceutical commercials (seriously, why do these people always look so happy?!) or television depictions, it would be relatively easy to correct someone’s understanding by presenting the facts. But when a self-diagnosed individual has constructed their identity around a condition, mere facts usually won’t break them loose. It is a critical theory assumption about the very nature of truth that has taken hold.

Self-diagnosis can cause serious harm. Take, for instance, the massive number of self-diagnosed autistic individuals driving the conversation on autism. A recent study of social media usage of the hashtag #autism revealed that only 27% of the observed videos contained accurate information.[6] Much of this inaccurate information is driven by people who claim to be autistic with no diagnosis of autism, who release cringeworthy TikTok videos claiming to speak for the autism community. This has led to significant turmoil among individuals with autism and caregivers about the best practices of care for those on the more severe end of the spectrum. It has also led to a massive misunderstanding of what autism actually is.[7] These self-diagnosed autistic individuals rely on critical theory arguments similar to those in the transgender debate to maintain their claims.

But arguing against critical theory can often be a fruitless endeavor due to the circular nature of the arguments. Trueman observes that the most powerful counter to critical theory is not an argument, but a way of life.[8] Christianity offers a better answer to the ills of this world than a deconstruction of objective truth. Indeed, truth is the basis of our understanding of the world. And that truth is a sure ground that will not slip under our feet, as critical theories and self-diagnoses surely will. In Exodus 4:10, Moses seeks to evade God’s calling by proclaiming his own inadequacies. But God rejects Moses’ self-diagnosis, insisting, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” (Exod. 4:11). God declares His own lordship over the human condition. This is a far cry from the spirit of the age, but it is a much more solid place to stand.

We must help people to see a better alternative in the counseling room and the church than what they declare about themselves. God ultimately determines our abilities and our disabilities. He determines our afflictions and provides the grace to suffer well through them. We need to help people see no need for an identity other than that which can be found in Christ.

Questions for Reflection

1. How do I respond when someone is confident about their self-diagnosis?
2. What function is a self-diagnosis filling in this person’s life?
3. How can I gently present a better identity in Christ to a person who’s self-diagnosed?

[1] Carl R. Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020), 41.

[2] Ibid., 42.

[3] Ibid., 351.

[4] Carl R. Trueman, To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse(Brentwood, TN: B&H Academic, 2024), 5.

[5] Ibid., 62.

[6] Castle G Aragon-Guevara D, Sheridan E, Vivanti G., “The Reach and Accuracy of Information on Autism on Tiktok,” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders  (2023).

[7] For more on what is and is not autism, and what should be the church’s response, see Matthew McCraney, “Faith on the Spectrum: Reimagining Discipleship Expectations for Children with Autism,” D6 Family Ministry Journal 7 (2025), https://store.randallhouse.com/product/faith-on-the-spectrum-reimagining-discipleship-expectations-for-children-with-autism/.

[8] Trueman, 77.

About the Author

Matt McCraney

Matt McCraney is an Army Chaplain and father of a disabled child. He has a PhD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a DMin from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been married to Sarah for 21 years, and they have four children.

ABLECHILD: Britain’s ADHD Surge – Country Races to Keep Up—Should We Drug Everyone? | The Gateway Pundit

ABLECHILD: Britain’s ADHD Surge – Country Races to Keep Up—Should We Drug Everyone?

Britain’s ADHD Surge: Country Races to Keep Up—Should We Drug Everyone?

Republished with permission from AbleChild.

A recent report released by the National Health Service claims that an estimated 2.5 million people in England are living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The powers that be are calling it a “surge” in diagnoses for children and adults. A “surge?” Well, that is important.

According to the report, three and four percent of adults and five percent of children and young people have ADHD. And these data also include those who have the condition but have yet to be diagnosed. How exactly does that work? Haven’t been diagnosed but we’ll include them in the data because they may be diagnosed? Hmmm…

The deep thinkers at NHS estimated that 741,000 are children and young people between the ages of 5 and 24 suffer from ADHD symptoms, and 147,000 under the age of five may have ADHD and have been added to the data because those children will be included in future diagnostic rates. 

Apparently, the NHS is concerned that those who have ADHD both diagnosed and undiagnosed may not be getting the support they need. What this means is those diagnosed and undiagnosed may not be getting the drugs they need as “treatment.”

But the NHS data also reveals that one in 100 people in some areas are taking ADHD medications and some experts believe that there may be over-diagnosing and drugging, putting the public at risk. Professor Joanna Moncrieff, famous for her research in debunking the “chemical imbalance” theory said of the ADHD diagnosis that it is “incredibly subjective.” Truer words have never been spoken unless those words were “completely subjective.” Moncrieff argues that “we all have ADHD symptoms to some extent.” And what are some of those symptoms that Professor Moncrieff is referring to?

• Leaving their seat when expected to remain seated (e.g., during a meeting or lecture)
• Blurting out answers and completing other people’s sentences
• Interrupting other people or intruding on their activities
• Struggling to stay quiet during activities
• Fidgeting and tapping hands or feet
• Often on the go and unable to sit still
• Trouble waiting their turn
• Talking excessively
• Feeling restless

A person must meet five or more symptoms of Hyperactivity/impulsivity and last at least six months in or to be diagnosed with the alleged mental disorder. There are way too many questions that accompany this “diagnosis,” including who hasn’t had “trouble waiting their turn” or “feeling restless?” Unfortunately, it would appear that England is in a race with the United States to be the leaders in ADHD diagnosing and drugging.

In the United States, as of 2020, nine-and-a-half million Americans were being medicated for an ADHD diagnosis. While these data seem overwhelming, one must understand the fraud that accompanies all psychiatric drugging. ADHD is not based in science and there is no identifiable abnormality in the brain that is ADHD. So, what exactly is being “treated” with the prescribed psychiatric mind-altering drugs like Vyvanse or Adderall?

Vyvanse and Adderall are at the top of the list of “treatments” for ADHD. Adderall is amphetamine…a stimulant and is a Schedule II drug, a controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and falls within the same category as cocaine, heroin, and meth. Why is this drug controlled by the DEA? Because it is highly addictive and can lead to abuse and overdose. Adderall is similar to cocaine and can have serious side effects including insomnia, nervousness, agitation, anxiety, psychotic episodes, irritability, aggression, anger, overstimulation, hallucinations, emotional liability, and possible death.

On top of that seriously depressing information, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which approves the drugs, is completely clueless about how the drugs “work” in the brain as a “treatment” for ADHD. And, beyond the fact that millions around the world are being diagnosed and drugged for a mental disorder that is not based in science, one cannot help but wonder where all this diagnosing is happening?

In the US schools may conduct screenings for ADHD but are not allowed (yet) to make a diagnosis. Usually, the school will refer the child and parents for further screening with a medical doctor. Which is odd because there is no abnormality for a physician to diagnose.

And, because so much of the screening occurs in schools, maybe Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy would find it appropriate to investigate how many ADHD screenings are carried out in schools throughout the US on a yearly basis. There currently is no data that reveals those numbers.

The Secretary may also find it of interest that there is no reading test given to children as part of ADHD screening. Apparently, it never occurred to the deep thinkers in Mental Health either here in the US or across the pond in England that a child’s behavior may reflect the child’s inability to keep up in school, or maybe even a child’s boredom with the curriculum.

What is clear. What is certain. No child or adult is suffering from the alleged mental disorder ADHD because their bodies are short on stimulants.

AbleChild is a 501(3) C nonprofit organization and has recently co-written landmark legislation in Tennessee, setting a national precedent for transparency and accountability in the intersection of mental health, pharmaceutical practices, and public safety.

What you can do.  Sign the Petition calling for federal hearings!

Donate! Every dollar you give is a powerful statement, a resounding declaration that the struggles of these families will no longer be ignored. Your generosity today will echo through generations, ensuring that the rights and well-being of children are fiercely guarded. Don’t let another family navigate this journey alone. Donate now and join us in creating a world where every child’s mind is nurtured, respected, and given the opportunity to thrive.  As a 501(c)3 organization, your donation to AbleChild is not only an investment in the well-being of vulnerable children but also a tax-deductible contribution to a cause that transcends individual lives.

The post ABLECHILD: Britain’s ADHD Surge – Country Races to Keep Up—Should We Drug Everyone? first appeared on Joe Hoft.

The post ABLECHILD: Britain’s ADHD Surge – Country Races to Keep Up—Should We Drug Everyone? appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

10 Signs That A Significant Portion Of Our Population Has Gone Nuts | End Of The American Dream

Have you noticed that people around you are behaving more erratically?  These days, you just never know what is going to set someone off.  A person may seem relatively normal, but then the moment you express an opinion that they don’t like they totally lose it.  It is almost as if the majority of the population is constantly “on edge” emotionally.  If you are one of those people, you need to understand that nobody is going to agree with you 100 percent of the time.  If I write something that you don’t agree with, that is okay.  And if you say something to me that I don’t agree with, that is okay too.  A free exchange of ideas is so important in our society, but a lot of people don’t seem to understand this.

Can you remember when it seemed like most of the people living in this country were relatively normal?  I realize that this may be hard to believe, but there was a time when our streets were not filled with nuts and you didn’t have to worry that the next person you run into might flip out for no reason at all.

One of the big reasons why everything has gone so haywire is because we simply stopped developing deep relationships with those around us.

Today, our relationships are with our screens.  According to the American Psychological Association, U.S. teens spend an average of 4.8 hours a day using social media…

4.8 hours

Average number of hours a day that U.S. teens spend using seven popular social media apps, with YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram accounting for 87% of their social media time. Specifically, 37% of teens say they spend 5 or more hours a day, 14% spend 4 to less than 5 hours a day, 26% spend 2 to less than 4 hours a day, and 23% spend less than 2 hours a day on these three apps.

Study after study has shown that heavy use of social media can lead to depression and a whole host of other emotional issues.

So it should come as no surprise that over one-fifth of all adolescents living in America “had a current, diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition in 2023”…

More than 1 in 5 adolescents in the U.S. (5.3 million) had a current, diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition in 2023, according to a new data brief from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Among those 5.3 million adolescents, defined as children ages 12-17, anxiety was the most common condition (16.1%), followed by depression (8.4%) and behavior/conduct problems (6.3%). Female adolescents were more likely than male adolescents to be diagnosed with anxiety (20.1% of females compared to 12.3% of males) and were more likely to be diagnosed with depression (10.9% of females compared to 6% of males). However, behavior and conduct problems were nearly twice as likely to occur among male adolescents compared to female adolescents (8.2% of males compared to 4.3% of females).

Wow.

And how many more have undiagnosed conditions?

Many social media communities are breeding grounds for hate.  For example, an interactive map that shows the “locations of every Tesla showroom, charging station and the known residences of Department of Government Efficiency employees” is going viral on social media right now…

Elon Musk-hating hackers have doxxed Tesla owners in the United States, releasing an interactive map showing their names, addresses, phone numbers and emails.

The disturbing website, called DOGEQUEST, also provides the locations of every Tesla showroom, charging station and the known residences of Department of Government Efficiency employees.

It even lists FBI Director Kash Patel’s home and uses a symbol of a Molotov cocktail as its cursor.

Needless to say, this map has been put out there in order to get people to take action.

And after they have been fed endless hours of hate-filled propaganda, many of our young people have been perfectly primed to do just that.

Earlier this week, several vehicles were viciously set on fire at a Tesla service center in Las Vegas…

Multiple cars were set on fire at a Tesla service center in Las Vegas Tuesday morning in what authorities described as a targeted attack, and the person responsible is still at large.

A vehicle fire was first reported around 2:45 a.m. at the Tesla Collision Center in the 6000 block of Badura Avenue, near Jones Boulevard and the 215 Beltway, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said in an email.

“LVMPD Communications received information that an individual had set several vehicles on fire in the parking lot and caused damage to the property,” police wrote.

What you feed into your mind on a regular basis is going to determine how you view the world.

It really is that simple.

Let me give you another example.

At some hospitals in New Jersey, parents are asked to provide “preferred pronouns and sexual orientation” for their newborn infants…

As if coming up with a great baby name wasn’t hard enough.

Newborns can’t even control their own movements, but that isn’t stopping New Jersey hospitals from asking parents for their baby’s preferred pronouns and sexual orientation.

Inspira Health’s “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Questionnaire” requires new parents to “identify” their babies as either “Male, Female, Transgender, Gender Queer,” or “Additional gender category.”

It further asks parents to select the word that best describes their infant: “Lesbian or gay, Straight or heterosexual, Self-described, Questioning/Unsure.”

Needless to say, infants have no idea what pronouns are, and it will be years before they understand anything about “sexual orientation”.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where many feel a need to inject such cultural issues into everything, because those that are on the cutting edge of cultural change are often held up as heroes…

CNN has honored trans-identified influencer Dylan Mulvaney as its “game changer” of the week, with the social media influencer saying he told his mom as a small child that he thought “God made a mistake.”

Video footage shared by the left-leaning media watchdog Media Matters of America shows that CNN recognized Mulvaney as its “game changer” Friday.

No, God does not make any mistakes.

And God is not a pop star either.

If you can believe it, Democrats in California recently began a meeting “by reciting a prayer to Beyonce using Beyonce’s lyrics”…

California Democrats opened an assembly meeting by reciting a prayer to Beyonce using Beyonce’s lyrics and asking her for strength.

Democrats are making a mockery of God. Sickening.

Are you kidding me?

It is a very dangerous thing to mock God.

Sadly, many of our top scientists are now trying to play God.  One company in Texas has announced that it actually plans to bring back the wooly mammoth by 2028…

A biotechnology company whose goal is to bring back the wooly mammoth says its recent small step is big news.

Colossal Biosciences of Texas has said it aims to restore extinct species to the planet. The company made the woolly mammoth one of its first missions, setting a goal of having a mammoth walk the earth in 2028.

Haven’t these people seen the Jurassic Park movies?

Bringing extinct species back from the dead is never a good idea.

Of course it isn’t a good idea to create super-intelligent AI entities that can think for themselves either.

In Sweden, one company has successfully developed an AI dog “that has a functional digital nervous system capable of learning and adapting like humans”…

A Swedish AI startup company has created a robot dog named Luna that has a functional digital nervous system capable of learning and adapting like humans and many animals, the company, IntuiCell, said on Wednesday.

In one of the first-use cases of physical agentic AI, which can make decisions and take actions towards specific goals rather than just perform narrow tasks or generate content, the robot dog would be able to learn like a real dog.

Does anyone out there believe that it is a good idea to create ultra-powerful, ultra-intelligent entities that can think millions of times faster than us?

To me, that is one of the most insane things that we could do.

But we are doing it anyway.

Despite all of our advanced technology, it appears that humanity is more unhappy than ever.

Americans fill approximately 6 billion prescriptions each year.

That breaks down to about 19 prescriptions per person.

Just think about that.

And a very large percentage of the pills that we take are for mental or emotional reasons.

Earlier today, I was stunned to learn that use of ADHD medications is rising the fastest among “middle-aged and older women”…

Prescriptions for ADHD medications have been spiking in recent years, with the sharpest increase among middle-aged and older women. They’re also the least likely to misuse the prescription stimulants, a new study finds.

The rise among women ages 35 to 64 has been substantial. At the end of 2022, 1.7 million women in this age group were prescribed stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin for ADHD, compared to 1.2 million prescriptions in 2019.

We take billions of pills, but has that made our population more stable or less stable?

Needless to say, the answer is obvious.

We are in the midst of the worst mental health crisis that our nation has ever seen, and that is just one element of “the perfect storm” that is now upon us.

Our society really is coming apart at the seams right in front of our eyes.

Unfortunately, most of us still do not want to admit how far we have fallen, and that is not good at all.

Michael’s new book entitled “Why” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

About the Author: Michael Snyder’s new book entitled “Why” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. He has also written eight other books that are available on Amazon.com including “Chaos”, “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”.  When you purchase any of Michael’s  books you help to support the work that he is doing.  You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter.  Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

The post 10 Signs That A Significant Portion Of Our Population Has Gone Nuts appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

Every Single Human Behavior Now Classified As Autism Or ADHD | Babylon Bee

U.S. — Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra announced in a press conference Thursday that, going forward, every single human behavior would now be classified as either Autism Spectrum Disorder or ADHD.

“You name it, you got it,” said Becerra. “Laziness? That’s autism. Playing Pickleball? That’s ADHD. Watching people play Pickleball? That’s autism again.”

“Okay but what about cuddling up on the couch with a good book on a rainy day?” asked MSNBC reporter Bob Daniels.

“Are you deaf? That’s autism,” Becerra answered. “Sounds like you might have ADHD if you can’t figure this out.”

A reporter from Fox News then asked about narcissism, but the HHS Secretary confirmed that narcissism is also caused by autism.

The American Psychological Association (APA) issued a statement clarifying how all human behaviors should be classified and then added there was little hope for correcting them.

“We can prescribe amphetamines for anyone suffering from such symptoms of ADHD as playing sports, being late for work, or shooting heroin but, honestly, it’s all kind of hit or miss,” said ADHD expert Dr. Anton Gorley. “We’re really not sure what we’re doing. We probably have ADHD.”

Meanwhile, the leading expert on Autism Spectrum Disorder sort of shrugged. “I can’t do anything about your obsession with Lord of the Rings,” said Dr. Sarah Stephens, herself diagnosed with ADHD for being unable to cure autism.

At publishing time, the APA released information that anyone reading this article had both ADHD and autism, a rare combination.

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Check out the new, improved, more inclusive D&D.

Enjoy this inclusive playthrough session!

https://babylonbee.com/news/every-single-human-behavior-now-classified-as-autism-or-adhd/