Have you been diagnosed?

April72

Well-known member
Avoidants use to avoid looking for help and seek any kind of therapy or going to the psychiatrists bc they find very hard to trust someone enough to open them up to another person and tell about the most prívate stuff.

I went to a therapist for the first time when I was in a desperate situation. I couldn't cope with my issues on my own.
It wasn't up to I was 34 that I was dignosed with AvPD and strong traits of perfectionism.
My diagnosed made the difference for me bc I knew what I have to face to.
I wonder how many of you having been diagnosed or seek for help.
 

Sacrament

Well-known member
I was self-diagnosed after my first bad breakup, which ruined all notions of self-confidence/esteem that I had, etc. I wasn't even able to face my friends anymore, which broke my heart since they clearly cared for me and wanted to see how I was doing, etc.

It does help knowing what's up, because all that chaos stops being so, well, chaotic, and brings some order into your mind (knowing what you have = knowing where you stand, and therefore where you have to go next in order to improve).
 

MotherWolff

Banned
Avoidants use to avoid looking for help and seek any kind of therapy or going to the psychiatrists bc they find very hard to trust someone enough to open them up to another person and tell about the most prívate stuff.

I went to a therapist for the first time when I was in a desperate situation. I couldn't cope with my issues on my own.
It wasn't up to I was 34 that I was dignosed with AvPD and strong traits of perfectionism.
My diagnosed made the difference for me bc I knew what I have to face to.
I wonder how many of you having been diagnosed or seek for help.

Honestly, I do not seek out reasons on why I must be diagnosed(labeled) by some balding psychiatrist because they have flaws just like everyone else. I only stick to therapy now. Those pharmaceuticals are nothing but pure poison, anyways.:thumbdown:
 

Deco

Well-known member
I avoid Psychiatrists too. I won't take antidepressants for a long time. Many people even from the medical community are going against them.
Some people feel better and actually improve a lot. But from my experience I had some
effects from medication that started affecting my work. Like feeling sleepy for a long time and feeling a weird pressure/headache in my forehead. Then they will give you another medication to balance this, and another to compensate some new effect from the second medication, and it goes on and on... until you feel like some Guinea Pig for these doctors.

Some people feel better by going to regular psychologists. Finding the right one can take time. I'd rather take this approach than going through medication.
 

MotherWolff

Banned
I avoid Psychiatrists too. I won't take antidepressants for a long time. Many people even from the medical community are going against them.
Some people feel better and actually improve a lot. But from my experience I had some
effects from medication that started affecting my work. Like feeling sleepy for a long time and feeling a weird pressure/headache in my forehead. Then they will give you another medication to balance this, and another to compensate some new effect from the second medication, and it goes on and on... until you feel like some Guinea Pig for these doctors.

Some people feel better by going to regular psychologists. Finding the right one can take time. I'd rather take this approach than going through medication.

Awesome!:)
 

StandingJelly

Well-known member
no actually, as much as every characteristics of avpd match, i really just dont want to … scared i guess, but more like lost

but im interested on how things turn out for you, other than diagnosis did it help much? …like What are you doing different ly to before
 
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DekKO

Well-known member
I've never been officially diagnosed. My mom always asks if I need to see a psychiatrist, but I say "No, I'm fine." I'm too ashamed and embarrassed to talk to a professional. I know if I went to someone like a therapist and they diagnosed me then everyone would know there's something wrong with me. I know people know there is obviously something wrong with me :bigsmile: but most people can only chalk it up as shyness.
 

jellzzz

Well-known member
i have been diagnosed with AvPD, yes. It was in a center for personality problems, and i was going to do terapy there. They were not sure i could handle it, so they gave me a very, very detailed examination. They really took the time to get to the bottom of things. They knew that i wasn't good in talking, they knew that i wouldn't open up in just one conversation. In the end, they said i couldn't handle the terapy, but they did give me the diagnoses, and i am really happy with that.

Altough it isn't necessary to get a diagnoses, it did help me to except my own problems.
 

April72

Well-known member
Jellzzz, I can't believe they didn't give you any hope with the therapy.
In my country, there is, up to I know, only a place where they provide you with a specialized therapy for AvPD with both individual and group therapy. Unfortunatelly, they are far away from my city.
 

Steiner

Well-known member
I've been diagnosed with schizoid PD and schizoaffective disorder.

I tend to think I am avoidant as well but it gets overshadowed by the above so.
 
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Golden Beam

Active member
Is there a difference between extreme shyness and AvPD? I have been really shy for most of my life and I would avoid any unnessary social interaction. I would dread doing new things where I had to talk to people.
 

AtTheGates

Banned
i was diagnosed with adhd, then depression and then anxiety...all from ages 9-18....my mom took me to the doctor alot as a child and young adult and the thing is SHE did most of the talking..I never even wanted to go at all...I think she MEANT well but really her being melodramatic just kind of rubbed off on me over the years and im still trying to shake it off...
 
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April72

Well-known member
Is there a difference between extreme shyness and AvPD? I have been really shy for most of my life and I would avoid any unnessary social interaction. I would dread doing new things where I had to talk to people.

There are many discussions about the differences between Social Phobia and AvPD. It seems that the prognosis is better in the first case and that AvPD is moré ingrain in the personality.
Having a personality disorder can guide you to develop illness on Axis I, that is: Social anxiety, social Phobia, depressions...

I'm also confused. That's why I have an appointment with my Psychiatrist for a revaluation.
 

akala

Well-known member
I wasn't really diagnosed, but a therapist once asked me "have you heard of agoraphobia"
then he never really brought it up, but I already knew I had it before he mentioned it so it didn't really come as a surprise... it was like if he had told me "You have brown eyes".
 

PugofCrydee

You want to know how I got these scars?
I've been diagnosed with AvPD and have been lucky enough to find a very good psychiatrist. While I don't think I'll ever be free from the clutches of AvPD, I have made some progress.
Why did I choose to go to a psych? Because I want to feel some happiness from time to time. If I can manage that I'll be ok with that.
I would feel regret if I was on my deathbed knowing I spent my life not trying to help myself.
I feel the psych I'm seeing is genuine in trying to help me, he's a nice bloke. So I'm happy to try and keep making tiny little baby steps of improvement. Even if it adds up to no more than a 5% improvement overall, well I'll take that.
 
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