reconsidering the labels/diagnosis

mine have been all over the map, from 'severe personality disorder' to 'schizophrenia and bipolar' (no, really; 'mild schizopphrenia' with bipolar on top...true story). and now...

i saw the new prescriber today. she actually said "reading over your records, some of this...just doesn't make sense.' and im thinking...wow. she's an actual professional, and she's trying to help. and now...

she's adding a low/standard dose of Prozac, to help with -intense- anxiety that makes my mind go in loops. i'll stay on the abilify. the orthomolecular, of course...continues :-) .

thing is...if i didn't have my family behind me, this same clinic would probably be injecting me with loads of risperidone or haldol or whatever they give people on involuntary treatment. that only now occurred to me, honestly, and...

its more than a little bit scary, it really is. what if i actually do end up being able to go off psych drugs, one day...possibly -with a doctor- helping me do a taper?

crazy. just...crazy.

Do you think because you are trying prozac and have the support of family that you would be able to go off meds?

I hope the new medication is able to help you with the anxiety. Have you ever tried antidepressants before? That must be difficult to have your diagnoses all over the map. I also can relate to the intense anxiety and mind going in loops. I have learned it's probably OCD causing some of that in my case.

If you can, get another opinion on your diagnosis. I had to go to Mayo Clinic to get a proper diagnosis.

I'm sorry you had to deal with that, but it sounds like things are looking better. Just keep an eye out for any (hypo)manic symptoms popping up as should anyone just starting an antidepressant. Hope it goes well!

i could have written the initial post a bit more clearly. see, for a while, my diagnosis was 'severe bipolar i,' possibly 'schizoaffective, manic type.' now...somehow...the new prescriber lady has come to the conclusion that my problems might not be so severe, after all...not severe enough for the more stigmatizing labels, anyway. and...

the truth is behind every 'mental patient' is a life story, including the paths that led to madness. but why are there no paths out of madness, for most of us? and out of a thoroughly stigmatized identity? i mentioned eventually tapering off the psych drugs--if it happens, it could be years from now--because it honestly seems that, like a lot of people, i got labeled with the most stigmatizing, most damaging labels imaginable.