
Those encumbered by the disorder eschew carcinogenic chemicals of any kind—particularly for their babies, fearing (in no particular order) vinyl, pthalate-emitting plastics, masstige rugs from Pottery Barn, and fume-laden Opi nail polish. But, says STATs, that doesn't always stop them from indulging in a few vices—either smoking, downing pinot grigio by the magnum, or snorting coke cut with talcum powder. Tragically, UMC Syndrome is only the latest in a rash of class-specific malaises. After the jump, some of our fav superfluous psychological disorders ...
CHAOS: Can't Have Anybody Over Syndrome: Prompted by excessive use of eBay and an extreme need to buy more crap, CHAOS has turned otherwise tidy suburban homes into pigsties and fueled a multi-billion dollar "organizing industry," countless Oprah specials, and hours of programming on HGTV.
Affluenza: It's not just the title of a new book by British psychologist Oliver James, who insists the middle class is overtaken by a strong desire to "keep up with the Beckhams" by spending unconscionable amounts of money on age-defying products, bloated McMansions, and gas-guzzling super cars. It's a serious affliction that TheraFlu won't help.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: So what if you only barely fill out those size-six Banana Republic jeans? You feel like a whale, godammit. You can't pose on your MySpace page in a bikini because you're JUST SO GROSS!
Acquired Situational Narcissism: A disorder afflicting celebrities in which said celebrities, once ensnared in the well-manicured claws of their personal assistants, trainers, publicists, and fluffers suffer from an endlessly inflating sense of their own self-worth. Under the glare of the kleig lights, the embattled narcissists then become vulnerable to the great demons of sex, drugs, and tabloids.
Attributed Identity Disorder: A psychological worry for children of the uber-wealthy or over-accomplished, AID results in extremely low self-esteem, lack of ambition and empathy, and a tendency toward underachievement. Thus the daughter of a major CEO might while away her time working as a video-store clerk or the Greek son of a shipping magnate might languish in a professional kiteboarding career.
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