Your experiences with mental illness

[magpie]

I wonder how common over-diagnosing mental illness is. After all, no one is going to feel good 100% of the time. I'll find that in some of the things I post online, laypeople tend to jump to a diagnosis like depression or whatever, but that isn't necessarily me. I don't really have problems functioning in society, so I don't see myself as having any sort of clinical disorder. Does it do more harm than good to over-diagnose? Is it better to over-diagnose than under-diagnose? Etc. I'm no psychologist, so I can't say much on the matter.

Either way, I don't want to say that I'm glad you have PTSD, but I'm glad that you eventually figured out what it is if that makes sense.

Thanks! It makes sense.

I can't speak for everyone, but for me overdiagnosing definitely did more harm than good. Probably because I felt like there was something severely wrong with me and I was confused about why, when I brought up past things, therapists didn't want to talk about it or would defend the things that happened. So eventually I just figured nothing worth conversation had happened and that the problem was me.

The hardest diagnosis to deal with was borderline personality disorder. My therapist thinks I was given that one because I self harmed and tried to kill myself a lot. But I was treated as a manipulator and a liar after I was given that diagnosis, so I think part of the issue was that mental health workers simply didn't believe me when I brought up past things (because of what they diagnosed me with).

 

[magpie]

Also, I forgot to write this, but the way you are medicated and even what type of treatment you get depends on a diagnosis, so overdiagnosing can cause people to receive the wrong type of meds and treatment. I should never have been put on antipsychotics or Lithium, among other things. It was also suggested I do ECT, but thankfully that never happened!

 

[Frosty]

I've had depressive episodes ever since I was a young child- anxiety as well. Was an obsessive little perfectionist, to the point where, when I was very young- I would wake up multiple times in the night to make sure my homework was still in my backpack- that I hadn't forgotten to answer any questions- that I didn't notice any answers that were obviously careless mistakes and or just wrong. Ect. I hated not being perfect- getting in trouble- getting yelled at. It made me feel 'bad'- always in the back of my mind has... And I did EVERYTHING to avoid it.

Then after a while I stopped caring completely. Completely. Stopped doing homework and started getting in trouble. Right around the time my grandmother died. It affected me tremendously- was really really close to her- lived with them actually for a few years- were like a second set of parents. And I didn't know she was going to die- I thought she was just sick and would get better. But then she died on christmas eve and my parents told me christmas day and after that it was like a switch was flipped. Started getting into trouble at school. Stopped doing homework. Woke up frequently in the middle of the night thinking I was dying- hyperventilating- crying. Remember praying every time- just let me live another month, another year, I don't want to die yet I don't want to die.

I was a fucked up little kid.

Anyways. I don't know if that was depression or anxiety or what- but I do know it was sort of when, in my mind, everything good just sort of- I stopped feeling like a kid. Maybe it doesnt sound too bad to anyone but it was the worst thing ever for me at the time- it felt like it.

Anyways. Thats when the panic attacks started- was 8 I believe. And then I remember first REALLY starting to think about death when I was 12. I actually had a plan back then. Had several depressive episodes since then- but this one right now... Its my first psychotic one. And I think its why... Im having such a hard time with it. I don't know. I don't really feel like going into that- too vulnerable a thing right now.

Anyways.

Depression. Reoccurant. Last episode(current) with psychotic features.

Dysthymic disorder

Social anxiety disorder/phobia.

Add Inattentive.

Then a bunch of NOS question marks.

It all keeps changing. Lost the panic disorder diagnosis though- now all thats just considered to be just overlap of all my other shit.

But I've really been doing so much better. I take my meds regularly and Ive been trying to find other strategies for when Im feeling my worst and I just feel like Im improving so much- just my overall outlook feels better- and yeah. Its just a good feeling.

 

[Betty Blue]

Also, I forgot to write this, but the way you are medicated and even what type of treatment you get depends on a diagnosis, so overdiagnosing can cause people to receive the wrong type of meds and treatment. I should never have been put on antipsychotics or Lithium, among other things. It was also suggested I do ECT, but thankfully that never happened!

ECT is torture, I'm amazed it is even practised anymore. Rarely do you find people willing to take part in that.

I imagine over diagnosis is more common in the states, there are swathes of it here... I think if you are from a poor socio economic background with little support you get diagnosed pretty easily as you are auto put into a high risk group.

I tried three or four different types of anti depressant when I was quite a bit younger plus whatever I was prescribed during an admission stint. Tbh nothing ever worked for me.

I honestly think a loving family and you basic needs being met in some kind of routine is so much more of a factor in recovery than meds. Of course I do know that some people find meds work and there are certain situations where it's really important to have them. I just don't buy into medicating everything.

 

[prplchknz]

ECT is torture, I'm amazed it is even practised anymore. Rarely do you find people willing to take part in that.

I imagine over diagnosis is more common in the states, there are swathes of it here... I think if you are from a poor socio economic background with little support you get diagnosed pretty easily as you are auto put into a high risk group.

I tried three or four different types of anti depressant when I was quite a bit younger plus whatever I was prescribed during an admission stint. Tbh nothing ever worked for me.

I honestly think a loving family and you basic needs being met in some kind of routine is so much more of a factor in recovery than meds. Of course I do know that some people find meds work and there are certain situations where it's really important to have them. I just don't buy into medicating everything.

I'm gonna play half the devils advocate here because i agree with you that most of the times meds aren't needed. I was one of those people who had their basic needs met and did not really start feeling relief until i was prescribed the rights med, and it wasn't over night that i magically got better from taking them. just they stablized me enough so that what you're talking about could help. I agree i do best if i eat regularly, sleep enough, stay hydrated, and socialize just normal socialization, then if i take my meds and do none of that. so that stuff is important, but sometimes meds are simply needed,i'm not proud to be on them, in fact i often feel shame for having to take them. but if i dont take my meds and keep doing that i might be ok for a little while but every time i do that something breaks and i have to go back on meds,

 

[á´…eparted]

I'm gonna play half the devils advocate here because i agree with you that most of the times meds aren't needed. I was one of those people who had their basic needs met and did not really start feeling relief until i was prescribed the rights med, and it wasn't over night that i magically got better from taking them. just they stablized me enough so that what you're talking about could help. I agree i do best if i eat regularly, sleep enough, stay hydrated, and socialize just normal socialization, then if i take my meds and do none of that. so that stuff is important, but sometimes meds are simply needed,i'm not proud to be on them, in fact i often feel shame for having to take them. but if i dont take my meds and keep doing that i might be ok for a little while but every time i do that something breaks and i have to go back on meds,

Basically this. Also from one pill popper to another, don't feel no shame .

@HelenOfTroy There are some individuals who truly need meds in order to move forward and get better. Does it solve everything? Nope, but for some without them you can do all the work in the world: sleeping right, exerscize, meditation, good diet, and ultimately it just won't be enough. In my experience these people aren't as common as the media makes it out to be. Depression is really common, but no all those with depression actually need meds.

Mental disorders are on a spectrum, and depending on where you lie on it dictates what you need. Biochemistry is also CRAZY complex, and we know very little at the end of the day. Psychiatry is still young and evolving. At current, we simply don't know how to expertly solve problems on the medication front, and we won't until we know the biological root of these disorders.

 

[magpie]

You admit to being a troll then. Explain? Your post was rooted in metaphysical bullshit and devoid of any facts whatsoever; you know this and post with the intent to antagonize and take advantage of the mentally ill who may be looking for advice in this thread. In sum, you are projecting. You are the one attempting 'sadistic funnyups'.

The post was in reply to me. I don't feel antagonized. I agree that the psychology profession is a march of idiocy and that I was actually the one being manipulated and lied to. But thanks for butting in.

 

[miss fortune]

moved some posts to off topic... I'm assuming that everyone can guess why... if not, go read off topic

 

[citizen cane]

The post was in reply to me. I don't feel antagonized. I agree that the psychology profession is a march of idiocy and that I was actually the one being manipulated and lied to. But thanks for butting in.

It's not that I take issue with it being a 'march of idiocy', so much as the poster's characterization of schizophrenia which is blatantly incorrect There is the expectation that someone offering advice in a mental illness thread knows better than to characterize schizophrenia as a spiritual issue. We don't live in the era of Sigmund Freud anymore.



That said, there are a lot of incompetent people in the field and there is SO much we still do not know.

 

[magpie]

It's not that I take issue with it being a 'march of idiocy', so much as the poster's characterization of schizophrenia which is blatantly incorrect...

How in the world would you know? What are you making this claim based off of? He just said it's a spiritual crisis. That's literally what schizophrenia is seen as in some cultures. And I don't understand why Legion's inital post was moved to off topic. It has everything to do with the topic at hand. Or are you not allowed to say negative things about the psychiatry profession on this site?

Sometimes negative things need to and should be said. Otherwise you're censoring reality.

 

[Lark]

It's not that I take issue with it being a 'march of idiocy', so much as the poster's characterization of schizophrenia which is blatantly incorrect...

I think they're paraphrasing Jung, or perhaps AA, or maybe RD Laying (spelling), but they've not understood it or they dont care because if they did they'd have known that for psychologists the word spiritual is used, usually, in a sense that doesnt accept the whole materialist vs. idealist/meta-physicist dichotomy.

Fromm, Horney, Sullivan, ie the neo-Freudians, and Adler if you could consider him a neo-Freudian, to my knowledge, all believed that talking about psychological causes, conflicts, psychodynamics was generally in contrast to psychiatric "organicism", ie body chemistry, brain chemistry, brain lesions or abnormal neurology etc. as the explanations for behaviour.

Anyway, I think that's all a digression, you were right with the suspicion that it was trolling. Maybe they realised their mistake and arent fit to backpeddle and retract at this stage but I doubt that.

 

[magpie]

I always regret getting involved in these threads because people don't want to acknowledge anything outside their own entirely limited worldview.

 

[Lark]

How in the world would you know? What are you making this claim based off of? He just said it's a spiritual crisis. That's literally what schizophrenia is seen as in some cultures. And I don't understand why Legion's inital post was moved to off topic. It has everything to do with the topic at hand. Or are you not allowed to say negative things about the psychiatry profession on this site?

Sometimes negative things need to and should be said. Otherwise you're censoring reality.

This sites had it with adolescents spamming their authority issues with their therapists I'd say.

No matter how many accounts they create in the search for props from like minded kids.

 

[citizen cane]

How in the world would you know? What are you making this claim based off of? He just said it's a spiritual crisis. That's literally what schizophrenia is seen as in some cultures.

Your argument here is essentially 'research and evidence be damned, if some culture sees it this way it's a valid outlook'. Is that really the precedent and level of expectations you wish to set for the mental health profession? Not that it matters, because both of our posts will be put in the off topic thread because apparently accuracy is less important than being nice. Of course, that takes us right back to your worldview of 'if some people see it that way, it's perfectly valid'. And that takes us to why many people think this forum is slowly going downhill...



But hey, I'm just a guy using research and formal education to help others. I don't actually know anything.

 

[magpie]

This sites had it with adolescents spamming their authority issues with their therapists I'd say.

No matter how many accounts they create in the search for props from like minded kids.

Are you a therapist? I hope not. You seem paranoid. And you see any type of disagreement as an "authority issue."

 

[magpie]

Your argument here is essentially 'research and evidence be damned, if some culture sees it this way it's a valid outlook'. Is that really the precedent and level of expectations you wish to set for the mental health profession? Not that it matters, because both of our posts will be put in the off topic thread because apparently accuracy is less important than being nice. Of course, that takes us right back to your worldview of 'if some people see it that way, it's perfectly valid'.

What you view as accuracy isn't accurate. We all know that no one knews how mental illness works biologically, nor do we ever know if meds are going to work. Because we just don't know when it comes to mental illness. There's a ton of mystery. And I'm not being nice, I'm saying that the post that was made in reply to me was a post I agree with and find useful.

Also, I expect a lot more from the mental health profession than it's ever given. Improve first and then talk to me about my expectations.

 

[citizen cane]

Sometimes negative things need to and should be said. Otherwise you're censoring reality.

If categorizing schizophrenia as a spiritual crisis isn't censoring reality, I don't know what is.

 

[miss fortune]

it was moved because it was off topic, not because of some sinister motives... and it started an even more off topic spat

this spat has been revived apparently

thanks guys

 

[magpie]

If categorizing schizophrenia as a spiritual crisis isn't censoring reality, I don't know what is.

The part that acknowledged I was manipulated and lied to shouldn't have been moved. I don't give a shit about opinions on schizophrenia.

 

[á´…eparted]

What you view as accuracy isn't accurate. We all know that no one knews how mental illness works biologically, nor do we ever know if meds are going to work. Because we just don't know when it comes to mental illness. There's a ton of mystery. And I'm not being nice, I'm saying that the post that was made in reply to me was a post I agree with and find useful.

Also, I expect a lot more from the mental health profession than it's ever given. Improve first and then talk to me about my expectations.

I'm going to get involved here for a moment and make a distinction. This is just as unfairly painting things in a negative light as would an unfairly positive light.

Yes, we do not know fully how mental illness works on a biological level, and yes we don't know fully if medication will work. However, we do know enough to make useful diganosis in a number of individuals, and solve problems with medications. Medications wouldn't be used if they didn't solve problems.

You're not wrong, but you're not fully right here.