How do you feel about being labelled? Does this help you live your best life?

Sometimes people are wrongly diagnosed/labelled...

I was... it’s very confusing, and adds to the stigma already associated, wrongly, with MI issues...

Do you think it’s acceptable for a general practitioner to diagnose/label someone in 10 minutes?

Do you find some of the literature very negative and even blaming to the person with mental illness/MH conditions?

How do you feel about being given a “difficult” diagnosis, like Narcissistic PD for example? Or “borderline” pd (one of the most frequently misdiagnosed and mistreated imo..)

Respect to all

I have 5 diags on the books, so far. I could do without them. People are desperate to define me by them when they are only a piece of who I am. The personality disorders, particularly cluster b, have a brutal stigma attached. Why cant I just be me and leave it at that?

Thanks for posting ChaoticEnigma. I think the brutal stigma attached to most of these diagnoses is... sub optimal. I don’t have the right words to describe how I feel about the stigma I completely agree that they are only a piece of who someone is, and not the definition of them. I think psychiatry etc still has a very long way to go and many improvements will hopefully (maybe) happen eventually

Wrong diagnosis are ALWAYS BAD

I do not believe that any MD should diagnose psych issues any more than a PDOC should diagnose medical issues. When I was dealing with anorexia in 2004/2005 my MD said he would care for the physical aspects of it but expected my PDOC to deal with the psych issues involved. Though when I was in the medical hospitalnwhere my pdoc didn't have treating priviledges my MD assigned the on staff psychologist & pdoc to see me. Obviously the diagnosis was obvious on that one but they basically ignored the PTSD that was causing it again.

While labels can create stigma so can not having one. If my EX-H would have been diagnosed correctly instead of just adult ADD he would have been better understood. Instead we all thought he was just a jerk. Not that he wouldn't have been even with the correct diagnosis but at least then everyone would have been more understanding as to why he was that way. He also might have been able to get the help he really needed with his financial irresponsible behaviors. Not being diagnosed thoroughly may end up landing him homeless in the long run....sad but I could no.longer tolerate his behaviors.

Thanks Eskie..

I do agree, wrong diagnoses are always “bad”

And yes, having “accurate” diagnoses and access to adequate help can certainly significantly improve lives and even save lives..

Excellent post. I was misdiagnosed before. It was ridiculous of the people "caring" for me. I do find the language of some diagnoses to be blaming. And I think BPD is very misunderstood. A friend of mine once labelled someone she had an upsetting experience with as BPD. She was basically name calling. Mh diagnoses should be used for good. All of them.

being labeled is somewhat natural. "look, over there at that fat, short, tall, thin, skin colored, etc." person. most people won't call you out & label you "bipolar, depressive, etc, " unless you walk around and wear clothes saying "hey, i'm bipolar!" or you tell the world. most folks with bipolar don't look significantly different then others. & that's pretty much the same for everyone with mental illness.

actually it's the same with folks who have asthma, diabetes , heart disease, etc. many times you can't pick folks with conditions out of a line up. unless they tell you..hey, I have asthma, etc.

I have some conditions. I am not bipolar, HAVE bipolar. it does not define me. it is a part of me. It is part of me living my best life. I don't walk up to strangers & share that with them. nor even with some friends. not part of the friendship.

It reminds me of someone diagnosed with a physical illness, as well as mental illness they are not “defined” by their illness whether it’s cancer, multiple sclerosis, drug addiction, anxiety, alcoholism, diabetes.

I don't even believe in BPD. I think some are cPTSD and some are something else.

So even if the diagnosis is right on paper, the grounds for that diagnosis might be faulty.

Thank you all for the replies

the first time I was hospitalised I had gone to the ER convinced I was having a heart attack. I had come very close to hurting myself and panicked at the realisation how close I had come. I was really agitated and really down on myself. A resident spent 15 min asking me questions. I was diagnosed BPD and lived with that label for the next six months until I was hospitalised again being absolutely heavily manic. I never felt the BPD was right. The description didn't fit and I felt a little upset with it. Pardon the expression but it seemed crazy. On the other hand the diagnosis of Bipolar seems bang on. When I was given it, it was as though I was finally coming home. It made absolute sense.

Those who knew about the BPD diagnosis seemed standoffish and treated me with kid gloves. Yet with the BP diagnosis people are a lot more relaxed around me.

I saw a comment about not believing in BPD. I always wonder if any "personality" disorders truly exist or are they just personalities? Coping skills and therapy can help manage challenges, but frankly who hasnt needed life skills?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaoticEnigma I saw a comment about not believing in BPD. I always wonder if any "personality" disorders truly exist or are they just personalities? Coping skills and therapy can help manage challenges, but frankly who hasnt needed life skills?

Depression is NORMAL too.....but it becomes a Mental Illness when it effects one's daily living abilities to function. Personality issues the same.

Yes, EVERYONE needs life skills but not everyone is debilitated on a daily basis.