[still_crazy]

The psychiatrist treating me calls my problems Bipolar I. People in my small town have voted me 'Schizophrenic.'

I'm now a "mental patient" in the community, "in recovery" at the clinic. On the plus side, I have my family solidly behind me, and they see real, genuine healing and progress. Awesome.

Point is, though, that diagnoses aren't just about symptoms and treatment. These labels carry weight and power, and I get the sense a lot of "professionals" abuse their power to label and stigmatize and control.

What do you think?

[Wild Coyote]

I definitely feel many professionals are not careful enough with "labels."
Some are more careful than others.


WC

[luvyrself]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

The psychiatrist treating me calls my problems Bipolar I. People in my small town have voted me 'Schizophrenic.'

I'm now a "mental patient" in the community, "in recovery" at the clinic. On the plus side, I have my family solidly behind me, and they see real, genuine healing and progress. Awesome.

Point is, though, that diagnoses aren't just about symptoms and treatment. These labels carry weight and power, and I get the sense a lot of "professionals" abuse their power to label and stigmatize and control.

What do you think?

----response. Yes, there is so much prejudice. However, having a supportive family is like gold. They can alert u to moodswings, and have your back.
I think the mental healthcare system is to blame for many docs rushing to judgement, not having enough time with a patient, etc. in the US private pdocs are using 15 minute intervals w patients, yes? Thats totally incompetent if you ask me. We need much better funding for research. Look how far they have come in beating cancer. Dna testing is available for mi but few docs use it, or even do an extensive intake for new patients.
On this subject, i know you may be using a form of bipolar self deprecating humor in using the name still crazy, but a lot of people here are labelling themselves in a way that is quite a downer when you look at a page full of posts. Pretty ironic, yes? Hugs!

[TishaBuv]

I'm seeing a CBT psychologist who doesn't want to use labels at all. I'm so confused whether if or what I have at all. So I'm not using any labels toward myself. But now I am just feeling like it is an 'emotional disorder in response to severe stress'. So avoiding the stress should alleviate the symptoms, if hope.

The only labels I want are designer labels!

[CloserToTheMid]

Labels are confusing sometimes. And I don't always feel like I fit. But when I first got the label Bipolar I, I was so relieved in a way. Now instead of being crazy a-hole, I was someone struggling with an illness. Something I could work with.

As far as labels like crazy, nuts, lunatic, etc, I don't find them offensive. Sometimes I think they are more descriptive of what I'm feeling. HOWEVER, some people have been beat up with those words in ways that I hope I never experience, so I'm learning to be cautious with them. They carry power for some people, but they don't carry any power for me because I'm lucky to have never suffered much of the sting of stigma....at least not that much.

We need to stand up and fight the stigma. If we don't, these problems with continue for future generations. I focus on symptoms and not labels but sometimes I get obsessed thinking my label is wrong and I could be cured of these torments if they just got it right. ((((Hugs)))

[Ocean Swimmer]

My family knows and my close friends. Others I don't tell.
One thing about labels that bothers me, is the guidelines for my dbsa support group make us introduce ourselves and say our diagnosis and for how long. It bothers me every week to say it outloud.
Maybe that's how alcoholics feel at AA meetings.
Even though everyone in my support group struggles with bipolar and even other disorders, it still upsets me to say it outloud

[CloserToTheMid]

Originally Posted by Ocean Swimmer

My family knows and my close friends. Others I don't tell.
One thing about labels that bothers me, is the guidelines for my dbsa support group make us introduce ourselves and say our diagnosis and for how long. It bothers me every week to say it outloud.
Maybe that's how alcoholics feel at AA meetings.
Even though everyone in my support group struggles with bipolar and even other disorders, it still upsets me to say it outloud

I've yet to go to my local dbsa. I didn't even know about it until a few months ago. So I can't say for sure how I would feel to say that I am bipolar to a group of my kind. I've never had a problem with it with friends and families and even employers. But with AA, it's hard at first to say you're an alcohol, or your sobriety date, but I find it a powerful statement to make on a regular basis. It's step one, and none of the other steps work without step one. But that's 12 step groups.

[Ocean Swimmer]

My group is in California.
If you have a group I'd encourage you to go. I made some new friends and go once a week while I'm stateside.
It's a safe place for me. I understand the others in the group and we rejoice in our successes.

[still_crazy]

me again.

In my situation, I don't want to fall into the trap of "oh, but its "really" Bipolar!," thus reinforcing the idea that those labeled with 'Schizophrenia' are somehow a subhuman species.

At the same time, Schizophrenia isn't just a label, a diagnosis. To be Schizophrenic in the age of de-institutionalization is a social role, one usually involving poverty and lack of control over one's life.

I have more control over my life than a lot of "mental patients" because of my people. They worked really, really hard, and now they're not rich, but they're not middle class, either.

I'm not trying to brag or turn all Marxist and super class-conscious or anything, I'm just saying that because I'm considered "uppity" simply by living the way I'm living. I'm not living large by any means, but I have freedom and free time and, basically, I live in a way that is conducive to recovery from --severe-- psychosis.

So, yeah. Labels. Power. Stigma. Invalidation of entire groups of human beings by the "helping professions." Fun times.

[CloserToTheMid]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

me again.

In my situation, I don't want to fall into the trap of "oh, but its "really" Bipolar!," thus reinforcing the idea that those labeled with 'Schizophrenia' are somehow a subhuman species.

At the same time, Schizophrenia isn't just a label, a diagnosis. To be Schizophrenic in the age of de-institutionalization is a social role, one usually involving poverty and lack of control over one's life.

I have more control over my life than a lot of "mental patients" because of my people. They worked really, really hard, and now they're not rich, but they're not middle class, either.

I'm not trying to brag or turn all Marxist and super class-conscious or anything, I'm just saying that because I'm considered "uppity" simply by living the way I'm living. I'm not living large by any means, but I have freedom and free time and, basically, I live in a way that is conducive to recovery from --severe-- psychosis.

So, yeah. Labels. Power. Stigma. Invalidation of entire groups of human beings by the "helping professions." Fun times.

Wow. That was really helpful to read. Thanks!

[Unrigged64072835]

My pdoc doesn't like using labels either. She wants me to better manage the symptoms and not get hung up on a diagnosis.

I don't talk a lot about my MI IRL because I live in an area where MI is stigmatized pretty badly. Thankfully I can go to a couple different hospitals and get treatment when I need it and not worry into running into someone who may recognize me.