By: Kayla Hunt, Columnist

“Transabled” is a new term that has been coined to describe people who have a strong desire to be disabled. These are able-bodied people who wish to have a physical impairment. In the article, “Becoming disabled by choice, not chance,” Sarah Boesveld explains how the main goal of those who label themselves as “transabled,” is to become disabled because they feel like imposters in their own body.

When reading this article, it made me think of the wave of people self-diagnosing themselves with mood or personality disorders — such as depression and antisocial personality disorder. Most people are quick to diagnose themselves as depressed whenever they experience sadness for an unusual amount of time, or to label themselves as antisocial when they may just be introverts.

There are more characteristics behind depression than feeling sad, and more characteristics behind antisocial disorder than feeling disconnected from others. People who have depression may also face sleep paralysis, drastic changes in appetite, loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy, and much more. People who have antisocial personality disorder are not just viewed as introverts, but they may experience lack of remorse for the safety of themselves and others, aggressive and callous behavior, manipulation and irresponsibility.

There are people who face physical disabilities and must overcome obstacles to perform certain activities. There are people who face mental illnesses — such as depression and antisocial personality disorder — that cause them to interact with the world in way that may not be seen as socially “normal” or “acceptable.” Impersonating a disability is a disability within itself.