Taking 'Selfies' Classified as a Mental Disorder by American Psychiatric Association: Facts

Story:

The American Psychiatric Association classifies taking of ‘selfies’ as a mental disorder.

Other Versions

1. American Psychiatric Association makes it official: ‘Selfie’ a Mental Disorder.

2. Obsessive selfie-taking classified as a mental disorder by APA.

Picture about Taking 'Selfies' Classified as a Mental Disorder by American Psychiatric Association — Taking ‘Selfies’ Classified as a Mental Disorder by American Psychiatric Association

Analysis:

These messages spreading heavily via social media sites claim that obsessive selfie-taking had been classified as a mental order by the American Psychiatric Association. Yes, there are some concerns about obsessive selfie taking, but no, the claim, as such, is not a fact.

Origin of Message

The claim originated from an article published in AdoboChronicles.com on 31 March 2014 that said the obsessive compulsive desire to take photos of one’s self (selfies) and post them on social media is classified by American Psychiatric Association as a mental disorder called “selfitis”. The article also defined three stages of ‘selfitis’: ‘borderline’, ‘acute’ and ‘chronic’. The story became popular after some media outlets took it as a serious report. However, the article is not a genuine news report. As suggested in their ‘About‘ information, the nature of their content is creative writing, not news:

THE ADOBO CHRONICLES is your source of up-to-date, unbelievable news. Everything you read on this site is based on fact, except for the lies.

We abide by the highest standards of creative writing and intend to make this site as respectable as possible to the extent allowed by our fertile mind.

Screenshot of the article on The Adobo Chronicles website

To add more spice to the content, the author of the fabricated news reported that there is no cure for the selfie-taking disorder, and that temporary treatment is available through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), covered under Obamacare. So the claim that American Psychiatric Association classified obsessive selfie-taking as a mental order is a hoax. Nonetheless, there are certain concerns about the selfie-taking obsession.

Some Concerns

In April 2014, mail Online (dailymail.co.uk) reported that as many as two thirds of patients with body-image disorders obsessively take selfies. It’s also said that the people with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) are usually preoccupied with one or more perceived flaws in their appearance, and tend to be excessively self-conscious. Moreover, a paper published by Birmingham Business School concluded that excessive sharing of photos online can lead to a decrease in intimacy and damaged personal relationships. Like they say, too much of anything is not so good!