In the ideal scenario, mental health diagnoses are as helpful for practitioners as they are for the people they serve. Sometimes, it’s helpful to know that there’s a name for what you’ve been experiencing. For example, when I was diagnosed with PTSD it was really helpful to know, 1) this wasn’t my imagination or a failure on my part, 2) it’s an actual thing, 3) if there’s is diagnostic criteria, then there must also be plenty of someones who know a lot about it, and how to help. I was both relieved and thankfully, right.

A few years ago, on a grey November day, I was thinking about how often I worried about how peculiar I would seem to people outside my little bubble of safety if they knew just how weird I am. I brought it up to my therapist after daring to reveal some of my close-kept peculiarities to her. To my surprise, she remained patently unfazed. I mean, I pulled out my absolute weirdest habits, unveiling my most peculiar creative processes and sources of inspiration. 

She just shrugged her shoulders a little and glanced to the side, then back at me and said, “Is that all?” 
I said, “No, there’s MORE!” So, I told her the weirdest of weird I had going on in my operating system and near the end of our hour, I landed on this:

“So, what if I’m just weird?”
She said, “Yeah? So what if you are? It’s better than the alternative, don’t you think?”
Later that week, the idea that the DSM-6 could add just being weird as a diagnosis meant to relieve people of the worry that their “differentness” was anything but normal. It would be, in fact, the best diagnosis in the book.

“They could call it WENOS: Weird Not Otherwise Specified.” I said, mid-mascara application. I laughed at myself loud enough to concern my cat. The very next week, my therapist and I laughed together,  just as loud.

Has it ever occurred to you that you also might just be weird? And, when I said weird I’m talking about the benign oddness, the colorfulness, the out-of-the-ordinary design that is you . . . the stuff that makes up the very best of us.

The quirks, idiosyncrasies, peccadilloes–that’s the good stuff.

I invite you to enjoy with me, the serious but satirical diagnostic criteria of WENOS–and if you feel like you need a permission slip to be your weird self, I encourage you to write your own.  

Weird-Not Otherwise Specified (WENOS)*

Section: Personality and Eccentricity                                                                        

Code: 777.11

Criteria: A pervasive pattern of eccentric behaviors, thoughts, or creativity that significantly deviates from the norms of the individual’s predominant cultural context, as indicated by the presence of three (or more) of the following:

Nonconformist Fashion Choices: A distinct preference for clothing and accessories that are either from the future or the distant past, or a mix of both. May include but is not limited to time-traveler chic, intergalactic casual, or renaissance fair perpetual.

Inventive Linguistics: The individual consistently coins new words or phrases that friends and family adopt, despite initial confusion or resistance. They also have the uncanny ability to synthesize and communicate complex ideas through interpretive dance or mime on occasion.

Eclectic Interests: Exhibits interests that span across multiple, seemingly unrelated domains, such as quantum mechanics, ancient Sumerian pottery, and the strategic cultivation of bonsai trees.

Visionary Propensities: Regularly engages in discussions about their latest ideas for inventions or societal improvements that may include, but not limited to developing a comprehensive plan to implement siestas globally, or community initiatives like rooftop gardens on buses to promote green spaces, or an annual festival celebrating obscure historical figures.

Unconventional Problem Solving: Approaches everyday problems with solutions that are highly creative or unnecessarily complex, such as designing a Rube Goldberg machine to automate the turning of a page.

Idiosyncratic Collection: Maintains a personal collection of objects that others might find perplexing or oddly specific, like rubber ducks from various countries or a vast array of novelty teapots.

Abstract Humor: Possesses a unique sense of humor that may manifest in telling jokes that only make sense with a detailed subject matter or context explanation, necessitates a sidebar of historical footnotes or a quick tutorial in astrophysics, like quipping about the social lives of quarks or the irony of black holes’ lack of appetite control.

Diagnostic Features:

The WENOS individual is a delightful enigma. They bring a splash of color and a spark of innovation to a sometimes-monochrome world. They are the archetype of the eccentric genius, the quirky neighbor, or the avant-garde artist. Their mind is a playground of possibilities, and their spirit is an unbound atlas of the creative cosmos.

Prevalence: Common among innovators, artists, thinkers, and anyone who has ever had a “Eureka!” moment in the shower.

Development and Course: WENOS may manifest early in life, often when the individual first realizes that fairytales might be at least partially true, or those who consider costumes as occasional fashion choices. The condition is chronic but delightful and is often associated with periods of intense creative activity and visionary brainstorming.

Differential Diagnosis: Not to be confused with eccentricity associated with high intelligence, artistic temperament, or the possession of a particularly quirky family tree. Should be distinguished from the average person’s occasional odd behavior, such as talking to houseplants or naming one’s Roomba.

Comorbidity: May be associated with high levels of creativity, problem-solving abilities, and a propensity for innovation. Can often lead to success in fields such as science, art, and technology, or at the very least, to being a highly entertaining dinner party guest.

Treatment: Treatment is not typically necessary, unless the individual’s eccentricity causes significant distress or impairment, in which case, a referral to a specialist in quirkiness may be beneficial. Encouragement to embrace one’s unique traits and contributions to the diverse tapestry of human expression is recommended.

Prognosis: Excellent. Individuals with WENOS are often highly valued in societies for their fresh perspectives and ability to think outside the proverbial box. They are the unsung heroes behind many of history’s great leaps forward and are to be celebrated, not normalized. 

* WENOS Criteria Co-authored by: Donna Syed + AI GPT4-0 | Generated November 8, 2023 | Category: Therapeutic Satire

Truthfairy Field Guide: No Guru Required is the grown-up’s guide to untangling yourself and becoming the best friend you’ve ever had. In just seven little missions, you are going to get clear about how you see the world, and how to harness your own brand of magic, one little truth at a time.