It Doesn’t Explain Anything

O.D.D. (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) is a surface-level explanation of what actually an arbitrary set of distress behaviors.

Treatment of O.D.D. focuses on the visible, volatile behaviors and then prescribes ways to stop them… regardless of whether or not those signals of distress are actually trying to indicate that something actually is distressing the child.

It Doesn’t Support Anything

My experience working with families (as well as healing myself) is that you find a number of causes to any unwanted behavior: unresolved trauma, unsupported needs due to differences in brain wiring, exhaustion from not enough time to rest and retreat, complex medical conditions/food allergies/inadequate nutrition.

Incorrect interventions, like those recommended for O.D.D., are too often more harmful than no interventio

It Doesn’t Affirm Anyone

Mental health labels are only as good as the help they offer. Unfortunately, our diagnostic manuals have a history of viewing behavior through an unaffirming lens.

The outcome of this is increased pressure on individuals who already are struggling. Treatments center on the assumption that children need more structure and consequences to comply

A diagnosis should only exist to offer lasting support

O.D.D. does not assume valid reasons for behaviors, and therefore leaves behind gaps in support for children and families to fall into, especially those who are autistic, ADHD, PDA, traumatized, or racially marginalized.

O.D.D. is a garbage diagnosis.

For further reading

Dr.  Mona Delahooke: Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Faulty Neuroception?