Clinically diagnosed or SELF Diagnosed??
- Thread starter krs2snow
- Start date
EvilFlyingCow
Well-known member
About 9 years ago I had some strange phobias and I was sad all the time and someone told me I probably had OCD, so I went to the psychiatrist. He didn't diagnose me with OCD, but he did diagnose me with Social Phobia (I knew I was shy but I had never heard of Social Phobia before) and ADD (without hyperactivity). I was prescribed Paxil, Xanax, and Aderall. I ended up abusing Aderall and Xanax (mixing it with alcohol)which landed me in the hospital several times. Eventually, my depression seemed to fade away, especially after I found a girlfriend (whom I have been with for 7 years). I still struggle a lot with Social Phobia, but I really think having a partner helps the depression a lot.
billy
Well-known member
Self, attempted to go to 3 psychiatrists and each time i wouldn't talk due to my lack of conversation skills and get mini panic attacks so we would end up talking about nothing. I just couldn't open up i guess the psych said she thought i was deeply depressed and it my be further but without a evaluation they couldn't tell for sure(which i wasn't up for).17 now and life sucks having no friends-no life experiences
-cant even talk with my sister properly(13)
-cant even talk with my sister properly(13)
A-UK-Lovely
Active member
i find this quite interesting too.
have the people who are self diagnosed been to a doctor who has not diagnosed them, or have u not been to a doctor at all?
have the people who are self diagnosed been to a doctor who has not diagnosed them, or have u not been to a doctor at all?
DannieCleo
Active member
i self diagnosed SA then after a year "discovered" AvPD which was a 100 times better "fit". In fact AvPD describes my personality so well it makes me wonder who i would be without it sometimes.
But i know GPs (in the UK at least) have little respect for people who self diagnose based on what they read on the 'net, so would probably be more likely to dismiss what i have as "depression" (i have had treatment for depression in the past before i knew about SA/AvPD).
For my part, if i ever DO go to my GP about it, i will probably lie and say that someone at work with a background in psychology suspects i have AvPD and said i should check it out and see my doctor.
Its a shame i would have to lie as opposed to admit i am self diagnosed, but such is the ignorance of some GPs about mental "disorders". and their ability to take it seriously without fobbing you off with something else.
I know what i have dammit!!!
But i know GPs (in the UK at least) have little respect for people who self diagnose based on what they read on the 'net, so would probably be more likely to dismiss what i have as "depression" (i have had treatment for depression in the past before i knew about SA/AvPD).
For my part, if i ever DO go to my GP about it, i will probably lie and say that someone at work with a background in psychology suspects i have AvPD and said i should check it out and see my doctor.
Its a shame i would have to lie as opposed to admit i am self diagnosed, but such is the ignorance of some GPs about mental "disorders". and their ability to take it seriously without fobbing you off with something else.
I know what i have dammit!!!
sleepysparrow
Well-known member
I'm clinically diagnosed, but I diagnosed myself before my psychologist did.
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seekeroftruth
Well-known member
...
My OCD is self diagnosed but researched, I got rid of it long ago in high school and started to get symptoms of it again about a year ago...I looked online and seen information stating that it usually starts as a teenager and can disappear and reappear in the mid-twenties(never to go away again unless treated)...I fit that to a tee.
My social phobia is self diagnosed too, I don't need a doctor to tell me I am bollocksed up...I am honestly very curious if I would be clinically diagnosed but am afraid what either diagnosis would do to my mental state.
My OCD is self diagnosed but researched, I got rid of it long ago in high school and started to get symptoms of it again about a year ago...I looked online and seen information stating that it usually starts as a teenager and can disappear and reappear in the mid-twenties(never to go away again unless treated)...I fit that to a tee.
My social phobia is self diagnosed too, I don't need a doctor to tell me I am bollocksed up...I am honestly very curious if I would be clinically diagnosed but am afraid what either diagnosis would do to my mental state.
Slothrop
Well-known member
I don't think it's worth making the distinction.
The point of a diagnosis is to determine what to do about the problem. It can be comforting to have a name for your pain, but you mustn't let it define your life or discourage you. The main thing is that you are not alone in having that particular problem and that you can learn from how others have dealt with it to improve your own life.
There isn't much of a difference anyway. A clinical diagnosis is primarily based on what you tell the doctor, which will depend heavily on what you think your problem is, which is another way of saying self-diagnosis. A doctor's opinion is still useful, though, as they are generally more informed and experienced with the subject and can look at the situation more objectively than you can. It may also be important for legal or insurance reasons.
On the other hand, it's very easy for people to be exaggerate certain symptoms or be intentionally dishonest, and doctors are frequently under pressure to provide a diagnosis and medicate quickly. This goes tenfold for physicians with no particular understanding of mental illness. People end up with diagnoses of ADHD or bipolar disorder all the time because of this.
Your focus should be more on the help than the name. When I was in therapy, I don't recall ever discussing a precise diagnosis. I explained what things were causing problems in my life and that's mostly what we talked about. It was great.
The point of a diagnosis is to determine what to do about the problem. It can be comforting to have a name for your pain, but you mustn't let it define your life or discourage you. The main thing is that you are not alone in having that particular problem and that you can learn from how others have dealt with it to improve your own life.
There isn't much of a difference anyway. A clinical diagnosis is primarily based on what you tell the doctor, which will depend heavily on what you think your problem is, which is another way of saying self-diagnosis. A doctor's opinion is still useful, though, as they are generally more informed and experienced with the subject and can look at the situation more objectively than you can. It may also be important for legal or insurance reasons.
On the other hand, it's very easy for people to be exaggerate certain symptoms or be intentionally dishonest, and doctors are frequently under pressure to provide a diagnosis and medicate quickly. This goes tenfold for physicians with no particular understanding of mental illness. People end up with diagnoses of ADHD or bipolar disorder all the time because of this.
Your focus should be more on the help than the name. When I was in therapy, I don't recall ever discussing a precise diagnosis. I explained what things were causing problems in my life and that's mostly what we talked about. It was great.
ChrisAtHome
Active member
New member
It doesnt take a doctor or psychiatrist to tell me I am scared of interaction with other people. The psych is trying to convince me it easy to go out and start doing it. The anxiety medication I just started on makes more trouble for me when I home by myself, so that may need to go.
Well, I should get going now the grocery store almost closed and that is when I can go shopping (less ppl).
It doesnt take a doctor or psychiatrist to tell me I am scared of interaction with other people. The psych is trying to convince me it easy to go out and start doing it. The anxiety medication I just started on makes more trouble for me when I home by myself, so that may need to go.
Well, I should get going now the grocery store almost closed and that is when I can go shopping (less ppl).
littl3misstrange
Well-known member
I diagnosed myself before my psychologist did.
DannieCleo
Active member
krs2snow said:Hey all, thanx again for ur replies!
This isn't what originally interested me in this topic but, I do find it really interesting how most of us seem to feel towards Drs! What I mean is, ideally, they're here to help us. I say ideally b-cuz they're people too & they have their faults. But, essentially, they work For us. W/out us- ie. the patient- they'd have no work. But, we tend to look at them w/suspicion. As if we can't trust what they say or don't Need them to tell us what WE're going thru. That's partly why this is so interesting! But, along those lines, if ur thinking of seeing a GP for anxiety or depression or any other reason, you should consider very seriously being honest w/them. Lying to your GP is, pretty much, counterproductive. You're paying the practitioner to diagnose a problem ur having. Does it make sense then to 'steer' the diagnosis in one particular direction or another? This is not to say u shouldn't be informed. Definitely do ur research! & ask questions! & if ur in doubt of what u've been told or 'diagnosed' with, seek alternate counsel. But, be honest. It's for ur own benefit!
I understand what you're saying, but the reason i would feel the need to lie is that, knowing my doctor, they would probably listen to my "symptoms" and diagnose depression - easy to do seeing as i had had counselling for it before. Since i pretty much fit the definition of AvPD to a tee, i would rather steer them that way so that they would at least look into it.
If not, they probably would not bother and just give me the lazy catch all diagnosis of depression.
Maybe i am under estimating them, but i seriously doubt any of my Gps have heard of SA/SP much less AvPD.
Slothrop
Well-known member
DannieCleo said:
While studies have varied greatly, social phobia is generally regarded as one of the most common psychiatric disorders. Even if they know nothing about it specifically, few doctors wouldn't grasp what you mean by "anxiety" or "phobia" or "panic attack".
In any event, a psychiatric problem should probably involve a referral to a mental health specialist (a psychiatrist or therapist), who will know more about your specific issues.
Even if you were dismissed as simply "depressed", medicinal treatment for social phobia is not significantly different; usually an SSRI or other antidepressant. Likewise, anxiety and phobias of all kinds are usually treated with short-term prescriptions of benzodiazepines. The avoidant aspects will most certainly benefit more from therapy than medication.
Personally, I recommend you not worry about how much the GP knows and press for a referral: the value of seeing a specialist is certain to outweigh any trouble it takes to have it arranged. Also, therapy is much more important in the long run than medication.
Argamemnon
Well-known member
depression clinically.. SA and avoidant personality self.
strawberrybrunette
Well-known member
I was clinically diagnosed with social anxiety about four years ago. I think i might be bipolar, too - because a lot of what i experience sounds like bipolar-disorder type stuff. But that's a self diagnosis.
NothingElseMatters
Well-known member
self.i know myself better that anyone.Plus doctors make mistakes or don't have experience sometimes