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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Shy_Girl on April 2, 2005, at 22:17:58
Hi all :)
I was just wondering whether or not pdocs are required to diagnose their patients. If so, why was I never given/told a diagnosis? Is this because there isn't really anything the matter with me? Is everything just in my head? Am I making up symptoms unconciously because I've been reading too much about mental illnesses?? For example: Yesterday and most of today I spent sleeping or lying down on the sofa because I felt like I didn't have energy or the will to move/live. Then, a few hours ago my mom came home and I was forced to get up. Now I'm full of energy and want to study and think that anything is possible. Am I just lazy? But why would I choose to be so depressed when I'm alone and no one can see me?
This is too confusing...it is difficult to diagnose oneself when one doesn't have experience in terms of observing symptoms in other people. How the heck did any of you get a clear diagnosis? My pdoc refuses to label me, but does she really do this? Maybe she already has labelled me in her notes?? Can I ask to see her notes?
Arrgh, just want to get a clear idea of my situation.
Shy_Girl
Posted by sunny10 on April 2, 2005, at 22:30:03
In reply to Where's my diagnosis?, posted by Shy_Girl on April 2, 2005, at 22:17:58
I've only gotten diagnoses either reading their notes upside down and thereafter, when I demanded to know...but then again, almost none can agree...
Posted by Shy_Girl on April 2, 2005, at 23:09:47
In reply to Re: Where's my diagnosis?, posted by sunny10 on April 2, 2005, at 22:30:03
> I've only gotten diagnoses either reading their notes upside down and thereafter, when I demanded to know...but then again, almost none can agree...
Did you feel better after knowing? Do you think it was helpful?
How varied can diagnoses be? Kind of scary to think they can vary so much.I'm thinking that the reason why pdocs refuse to tell patients their diagnoses is because they think it can harm us more than help us. I know that diagnoses are very tricky, but I would still like to know if my own suspicions are on the target or totally off base. Perhaps I think I am more disordered than I really am.
Shy_Girl
Posted by Dinah on April 2, 2005, at 23:16:15
In reply to Re: Where's my diagnosis? » sunny10, posted by Shy_Girl on April 2, 2005, at 23:09:47
If you get an insurance receipt it's on that. My therapist doesn't believe in diagnosis, so he doesn't give one unless he has to for insurance purposes. My psychiatrist feels the same way, but has to give one for insurance purposes. However, I think he uses a pretty standard diagnosis code.
I've gotten them from old pdocs though. One of them really hurt my feelings, especially since the psychiatrist could have only gotten the information from my therapist.
I think I prefer having them because I hate not knowing what's being said about me, but you have to be prepared, and it probably is wise to find out in the presence of a trusted mental health professional. It can hurt.
Posted by Shy_Girl on April 2, 2005, at 23:34:38
In reply to Re: Where's my diagnosis?, posted by Dinah on April 2, 2005, at 23:16:15
> If you get an insurance receipt it's on that.
After my involuntary stay in the psychward for my overdose, I barely made out the words "adjustment" on the form that was to be given to my GP. I assume my diagnosis was "adjustment disorder," at least for the purposes of insurance. I have no idea however, what my regular pdoc labels me as for even insurance purposes. I'm sure she doesn't believe in labels though, she doesn't attempt to medicate me with anything other than an SSRI, and mostly concentrates on problem solving and working on coping skills, so I'm assuming she doesn't think there is anything seriously wrong with me...unless I'm wrong. eeekk...
> I think I prefer having them because I hate not knowing what's being said about me, but you have to be prepared, and it probably is wise to find out in the presence of a trusted mental health professional. It can hurt.
I think I would prefer to know as well. I don't think I will be hurt by it, because I've thought I've had everything under the sun. Nothing will be a suprise for me. It will hurt me however, if I find out that my pdoc really hates me for some reason, or finds me really difficult...that is my no. 1 fear.
Posted by PM80 on April 4, 2005, at 11:56:53
In reply to Re: Where's my diagnosis?, posted by Shy_Girl on April 2, 2005, at 23:34:38
> I think I would prefer to know as well. I don't think I will be hurt by it, because I've thought I've had everything under the sun. Nothing will be a suprise for me. It will hurt me however, if I find out that my pdoc really hates me for some reason, or finds me really difficult...that is my no. 1 fear.
This brought something to mind. Today, many dpocs/therapists are getting away from the inflexible labeling that used to occur, because everyone is unique. For example, manic-depressive as it used to be called would only include fairly severe BP-I patients today, and only lithium was prescribed. In fact, lithium was once a litmus test of sorts. If lithium worked, you were Manic-Depressive; otherwise you were not. Today, hopefully, you are not just your diagnostic label, you are an individual.
Also, if you feel that your pdoc secretly hates you, maybe you should ask him/her, indirectly if you want. That person is ultimately supposed to HELP you. If you cannot forge a bond with him/her, then you should definitely find another.
Posted by Shy_Girl on April 4, 2005, at 20:38:06
In reply to Re: Where's my diagnosis?, posted by PM80 on April 4, 2005, at 11:56:53
Today, hopefully, you are not just your diagnostic label, you are an individual.
Yes, I know. I mostly just want to know if I should be concerned about the possiblity of something biologically wrong with me. Sometimes I think I must have some type of atypical depression that comes and goes very quickly and social anxiety that comes and goes. Other times I think it must be poor coping.
>
> Also, if you feel that your pdoc secretly hates you, maybe you should ask him/her, indirectly if you want. That person is ultimately supposed to HELP you. If you cannot forge a bond with him/her, then you should definitely find another.I don't think my pdoc hates me, I just think that way sometimes...that everyone must hate me. I'm actually not a difficult patient...always on time etc. The truth is, I cannot form bonds with most people.
Thanks for the input
Posted by alexandra_k on April 5, 2005, at 4:14:10
In reply to Re: Where's my diagnosis? » PM80, posted by Shy_Girl on April 4, 2005, at 20:38:06
Knowing your diagnosis can be a mixed blessing...
On the upside it gives you a name to put to your symptoms.
That can be useful to quickly contact other people with the same diagnosis, who may well have the same symptoms.
It can sometimes help people feel less alone and less crazy to think that enough other people get that for there to be a name especially for what is 'wrong' with them.
It can sometimes help people feel that their difficulties are legitimate somehow. That there is a 'disease process' or recognised disorder that they have.
On the downside:
It can be hard not to read about 'typical people' with certain disorders. It can be really very hard to sort out what applies to you and what doesn't.
It can lead to other people (including clinicians) assuming the presence of certain symptoms on the basis of your diagnosis rather than assessing which particular symptoms you exhibit.
It can help you or harm you depending on what the typical prognosis is for people with that diagnosis. If you are diagnosed with something that is 'chronic' or tends to get progressively worse then that can become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. As a positive, some diagnoses have good prognoses, though.
But the point is that a diagnosis lumps you in with a general group at the expense of seeing you as an individual.
A mixed blessing, indeed.
But sometimes it is better to know...
And othertimes it is better not to...
Posted by sunny10 on April 5, 2005, at 8:57:39
In reply to Re: Where's my diagnosis? » Shy_Girl, posted by alexandra_k on April 5, 2005, at 4:14:10
all I can say is that after reading the DSM-IV for various "disorders", I find that I see myself in about half of them!!!
However, I know I don't have half of them- a little knowledge (bookreading)can sometimes be a bad thing...
Posted by Shy_Girl on April 5, 2005, at 18:26:16
In reply to Re: Where's my diagnosis?, posted by sunny10 on April 5, 2005, at 8:57:39
> all I can say is that after reading the DSM-IV for various "disorders", I find that I see myself in about half of them!!!
>
> However, I know I don't have half of them- a little knowledge (bookreading)can sometimes be a bad thing...I totally agree! I imagine that most psychology students start to see symptoms of most disorders in themselves when they first learn the basics of abnormal psychology. I think a lot of that is happening with me, but the rational part of me knows very well that most similarities are harmless because they don't interfere significantly with life.
Posted by alexandra_k on April 5, 2005, at 19:45:56
In reply to Re: seeing self almost everywhere in DSM :-P, posted by Shy_Girl on April 5, 2005, at 18:26:16
There is a name for first year psychology students seeing themselves in most of the diagnoses they learn about.
I can't remember it - but I was warned about it specifically. The whole class was.
It is that the symptoms aren't so very radically different from 'normal' life problems. It isn't typically a difference in kind - but rather a matter of degree. So it is possible to see oneself in a great number of diagnoses. But it is the DEGREE to which the symptoms cause problems in ones social and occupational functioning that result in one having a mental 'disorder'.
Thats why you need somebody objective and trained to make a diagnosis.
Posted by sunny10 on April 6, 2005, at 11:47:14
In reply to Re: seeing self almost everywhere in DSM :-P » Shy_Girl, posted by alexandra_k on April 5, 2005, at 19:45:56
and as we all seem to be our own worst critics, we should talk about ALL of it, and let the third party bystander figure it out.
That's my take on it...
Posted by AuntieMel on April 7, 2005, at 11:20:41
In reply to Where's my diagnosis?, posted by Shy_Girl on April 2, 2005, at 22:17:58
"But why would I choose to be so depressed when I'm alone and no one can see me?"
Habit.
I got so used to putting on a happy face that no one - even most of my family - had a clue I was depressed. Hubby was the only one that wasn't completely shocked.
The rest of the world saw the smiling, laughing bubbly me that I let them see. I'd done it for 30 years and was quite good at it. Even my therapist has a hard time getting past it - still.
This is the end of the thread.
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