Is There a Difference Between Normal and Developmentally Disabled?

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Psychologist stephen pinker calls this the euphemism treadmill. And we just keep changing the labels because the words become pajorative. People's desperate search for s makes us more likely to over diagnose, he says. The consequence is that we are increasingly sort of drawing people into medical labels.

Michael Shermer speaks with award-winning Irish neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan about her work exploring the complexity of psychogenic illness affecting people all around the world. Her book The Sleeping Beauties, documents her investigation of psychosomatic disorders as she traveled the world visiting communities suffering from these so-called mystery illnesses. O’Sullivan records the remarkable stories of syndromes related to her by people from all walks of life. Riveting and often distressing, these case studies — both fascinating and of serious concern — are recounted with compassion and humanity as these syndromes continue to proliferate around the globe.