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My first experience with psychiatry was awful because I was misdiagnosed. I endured it for about 5 years until it got really bad and I just couldn't cope with all the medication, suicidal urges and impulsivity it was causing. Shortly after a serious suicide attempt I decided to go solo. I quit all the medications and therapy. I felt so much better since all the (drug induced) psychiatric symptoms I had disappeared. My life returned to normal but I was lift emotionally scarred.
The professionals at one place were really rude and withheld my diagnosis. Out of all my hospitalizations the worst treatment I ever had was at the local children's hospital. Their mental health program was a cesspool.
The second time I dealt with psychiatry was about 5 years after I walked away from them and reclaimed my life. This time I developed a completely different problem that required treatment. I was taken seriously this time. The medication I was given actually helped. It cleared up my disordered thinking and hallucinations. After I recovered I went back to living. My family doctor give me medications whenever my symptoms flared up. I requested this since my previous experience with psychiatry was terrible.
About 8 years after I went through psychosis I started seeing a psychiatrist again. This experience was a lot different because she treated me with respect and did a thorough psychiatric assessment. She identified the disorder that was missed during my first experience. The right diagnosis has made a huge difference in my treatment. People have noticed a profound change in me and my attitude. Therapy is actually helping because my problems are seen for what they really are. All the assumptions that came with my misdiagnosis interfered with therapy because they were wrong. At one point I was told I had a history of sexual abuse which never ever happened. All this really confused me, because I had no explanation for my way of being that made sense. Now, I can just be me. What a relief!
I get my care in the community. It is far more superior than what the hospital offered me. All my care is coordinated so all my providers know what is going on including my family doctor who is very involved in my care. It is also a very relaxed and more respectful environment. My psychiatrist and I address each other by our first names. I even feel a part of the team. It wasn't like that at all in the hospital. It was me vs. the staff.
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Dx: Didgee Disorder
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