[yagr]

Therapist just explained how he arrived at a recent diagnosis this afternoon. He told me the diagnosis as I was walking out the door two months ago and said we'd talk about it our next session. He never did. Or the next one. Or the next. So I brought it up today.

He said that my alter is a long standing delusion. She almost bit him right there. Anyway, he is so fired.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by yagr

Therapist just explained how he arrived at a recent diagnosis this afternoon. He told me the diagnosis as I was walking out the door two months ago and said we'd talk about it our next session. He never did. Or the next one. Or the next. So I brought it up today.

He said that my alter is a long standing delusion. She almost bit him right there. Anyway, he is so fired.

yes I how hearing that an alter is a delusion based alter. It may be that this treatment provider had no choice but to label your alters as delusional alters, especially if your recent test results (if Im remembering right you recently underwent diagnostic evaluations) showed the alters did not fit the new diagnostics that are for dissociative type alters.

it doesnt mean you dont have alters, just that the alters you have didnt fit the diagnostics for dissociative type. there are many different kinds of alters.

the good side of having a delusional alter rather than a dissociative type is that there are now more treatment options available to you. it may take some time to find the right treatment combinations but now that you know what type of alter you have its just a matter of time before you will have the control over this biting alter that you have struggled so hard to figure out and get a handle on how to help this alter. who knows maybe the solution is as simple as finding a medication combo that will help this alter.

having a delusional type alter not a dissociative type alter doesnt mean the same treatment for dissociative alters cant be done. many people that I know with delusional type alters are on the very same treatment plans as a person with dissociative type alters because that is what their alters respond to and make progress forwards with.

suggestion.... give it some time. now that you have a treatment provider who understands what type of alter you have, maybe this is the right treatment provider to help you and this alter to get better. discovering what type of alter one has is for some people the first step in a long road to healing,

who knows maybe hearing the worst news ... that your alter is a delusional alter not a dissociative one..... is over and things will start to look up for you all now.

hard news to hear...yes but it is a step in the right direction to know what type of alter one has.

[lucidity11]

Isn't it so strange how these therapists have no intellectual insight other than what they read in a book. I would think a good therapist is going to know the difference between delusional thought and how that presents and dissociative thought. It blows my mind. Keep looking there are good ones out there, but it might take awhile to find one.

[yagr]

Originally Posted by lucidity11

Isn't it so strange how these therapists have no intellectual insight other than what they read in a book.

Agreed. It is the difference between being knowledgeable and being trained. He is trained.

Originally Posted by lucidity11

I would think a good therapist is going to know the difference between delusional thought and how that presents and dissociative thought. It blows my mind. Keep looking there are good ones out there, but it might take awhile to find one.

I did find one. I knew I was going to fire this one so I had my lil one pick a therapist. She is very, very intuitive - and is never wrong about people. Never. We started seeing this new one ...well, Monday will be our third visit but we love her already; she's a keeper.

Shelly:

I can understand your frustration hon, it's to be expected. Now that you have one opinion, you can start looking for number 2.

Or....Google DID therapists in your area and just start seeing one. We started seeing one - and are plan on going back once the $$$ start happening, but had to stop. I went in there stating that I know that I'm a multiple and that I need therapy. Now if it comes up that I'm delusional (which I know I'm not because our life so says so...) then therapy would just be over and I'd take another route in my treatment plan.

No harm no foul, and everyone gets paid. Actually, I wish that I was psychotic and delusional.... they just might actually have a pill for that. I've a cabinet full of AP's and all they do is make me sleep while giving me a headache- so I don't take them... useless.

Good luck on your future therapy program. Just the idea of trying to convince someone who has already made their mind up otherwise just feels so upsetting and taxing as I sit here and think about it for you.

Take care.

[finding_my_way]

it is frustrating when people you seek help from get it wrong, and you know they are wrong but to say it would just create more issues. i was not treated appropriately for years, but it was because so much was hidden. i guess things were not shared or what was shared was twisted into what the professionals wanted it to be so they could fit it into one diagnosis.

i started out as a young teenager with the diagnoses of dysthymia and panic disorder without agoraphobia. then by 16, they added 'probable' borderline personality disorder since they couldn't technically diagnose me with it until i was 18. then at 18, it was official and knocked out the other ones. at one point, i also did have panic attacks with agoraphobia. the borderline diagnosis stuck which was what every other professional ran with until my current psychiatrist who noticed from the start (2003) that i most likely had DID which was JUST confirmed to me in the last week. i had not shared with her a lot of details of things which i really thought i did...or maybe i did but in too vague of ways..so i decided it was time to let out more...and it resulted in confirming the DID but also still borderline personality disorder (though moving away from it), and OCD..so i suppose they all cover all bases.

for me though, there can also be elements of hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions..though i'm sure it's more related to the DID and sometimes maybe OCD..but it all overlaps so i cannot figure out what is what from.

anyway, i am glad you have found a good therapist who believes you and can help. i feel so relieved with my psychiatrist because nothing is worse than not being believed and knowing what you experience is real. no one should have to hide.

[lucidity11]

Originally Posted by yagr

Agreed. It is the difference between being knowledgeable and being trained. He is trained.


I did find one. I knew I was going to fire this one so I had my lil one pick a therapist. She is very, very intuitive - and is never wrong about people. Never. We started seeing this new one ...well, Monday will be our third visit but we love her already; she's a keeper.

Good to hear.

[Mookster]

About to fire one of mine too. Wants to label me psychotic... And put me on meds for it.... I don't understand what they don't get about being med phobic?? And how many times I have to remind them of all the problems I've had with meds.. Next one will be a referral from my other therapist... Not gonna try to find one on my own...

Originally Posted by Mookster

About to fire one of mine too. Wants to label me psychotic... And put me on meds for it.... I don't understand what they don't get about being med phobic?? And how many times I have to remind them of all the problems I've had with meds.. Next one will be a referral from my other therapist... Not gonna try to find one on my own...

Shelly:

To be psychotic means to be considered Skitzophrenic, Skitzoaffective, or Bipolar which calls for the use of an AP. The brain's MI is genetically physical in nature (correct me if I'm wrong) so drugs would be the necessary route of treatment.

But like as stated in my case- AP's do not work because I'm not psychotic as experimented upon. All they do is help calm me down if hypomania kicks in hard- which it hasn't since I'm being treated for bipolar symptoms. I'm suppose to take Respiradal 1mg, PRN. This is as most of type and dose that I can comfortably handle.

Respiradal: 1 mg is fine, but any more I pass out and have headaches, and sleep forever.

Seroquel: throbbing headache to neck tightening up the back of head and over the top, I'll sleep 22 out of 24 hours for days.

Geodon: closely resembles Respiradal, but more agitating.

Intuniv: instant anxiety, 4 hours of sleep a night, lots of energy, vivid night terrors, I'll wake up in a cold sweat.

I'm afraid of taking any other versions of AP.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by AlwaysChanging2

Shelly:

To be psychotic means to be considered Skitzophrenic, Skitzoaffective, or Bipolar which calls for the use of an AP. The brain's MI is genetically physical in nature (correct me if I'm wrong) so drugs would be the necessary route of treatment.

But like as stated in my case- AP's do not work because I'm not psychotic as experimented upon. All they do is help calm me down if hypomania kicks in hard- which it hasn't since I'm being treated for bipolar symptoms. I'm suppose to take Respiradal 1mg, PRN. This is as most of type and dose that I can comfortably handle.

Respiradal: 1 mg is fine, but any more I pass out and have headaches, and sleep forever.

Seroquel: throbbing headache to neck tightening up the back of head and over the top, I'll sleep 22 out of 24 hours for days.

Geodon: closely resembles Respiradal, but more agitating.

Intuniv: instant anxiety, 4 hours of sleep a night, lots of energy, vivid night terrors, I'll wake up in a cold sweat.

I'm afraid of taking any other versions of AP.

just a bit of info... here in the USA you do not have to have schizophrenia, schizo affective disorder or bipolar to be psychotic....

here the term psychotic means anyone that is having hallucinations, or delusional beliefs, or delusional thoughts due to physical mental, medications or any other normal \ mental \ physical reasons.

a common situation here where I am located is drug induced psychosis where people will be brought in to the ER or crisis center because they were using drugs and it caused them to have hallucinations, and delusions.

another common situation here where I live is having delusions, hallucinations because of having cancer and cancer treatment.

another non mental disordered induced psychosis is MS (multiple Sclerosis) MS is a degenerative nerve disease where the body attacks the outer lining of nerves. this can cause a person to have any number of problems like numbness, tingling, blurred vision and in a rare few psychosis (hallucinations and delusions)

another non mental disordered and commonly experienced psychosis (having hallucinations and delusions) is undergoing anesthesia for surgery. many people have hallucinations and delusions as part of this process.

my point is to let you know here in the USA psychosis is no longer thought of as ...just ....being schizophrenia type mental disorders and bipolar disorder. there are many reasons why a person may have psychosis (hallucinations, delusions)

in the category of psychotic disorders in the USA there is now three new diagnostic labels that covers having psychosis with out having schizophrenia type mental disorders....

Brief Psychotic disorder
Substances \ Medication induced psychotic disorder
Psychotic Disorder due to another medical condition

Originally Posted by amandalouise

just a bit of info... here in the USA you do not have to have schizophrenia, schizo affective disorder or bipolar to be psychotic....

here the term psychotic means anyone that is having hallucinations, or delusional beliefs, or delusional thoughts due to physical mental, medications or any other normal \ mental \ physical reasons.

a common situation here where I am located is drug induced psychosis where people will be brought in to the ER or crisis center because they were using drugs and it caused them to have hallucinations, and delusions.

another common situation here where I live is having delusions, hallucinations because of having cancer and cancer treatment.

another non mental disordered induced psychosis is MS (multiple Sclerosis) MS is a degenerative nerve disease where the body attacks the outer lining of nerves. this can cause a person to have any number of problems like numbness, tingling, blurred vision and in a rare few psychosis (hallucinations and delusions)

another non mental disordered and commonly experienced psychosis (having hallucinations and delusions) is undergoing anesthesia for surgery. many people have hallucinations and delusions as part of this process.

my point is to let you know here in the USA psychosis is no longer thought of as ...just ....being schizophrenia type mental disorders and bipolar disorder. there are many reasons why a person may have psychosis (hallucinations, delusions)

in the category of psychotic disorders in the USA there is now three new diagnostic labels that covers having psychosis with out having schizophrenia type mental disorders....

Brief Psychotic disorder
Substances \ Medication induced psychotic disorder
Psychotic Disorder due to another medical condition

Steve:

I'm sure we're talking long term psychosis that stretches years or a lifetime. Nix the drug one and yeah on the physical part.

[Shaly78]

The moment when you can prove what they are calling delusion with pictures, text, recorded calls, social media, then what else will they call it.....I don't like the word delusion when it is provable

[yagr]

Originally Posted by Shaly78

The moment when you can prove what they are calling delusion with pictures, text, recorded calls, social media, then what else will they call it.....I don't like the word delusion when it is provable

Well, this delusion of theirs has solved at least one problem for me. I have a battery of psych tests coming up on the eighteenth of this month. For months I have been telling them that I can't answer too many of the questions on these tests - my brain doesn't process information the same as other people and many of the questions are simply nonsensical to me.

However, I have an alter who can answer them without difficulties. Since she is a delusion (according to them), then she is all in my head. If she is all in my head, then I'm just going to have her take the tests. They're in for a surprise.

Shelly:

I hate saying "find a T that will believe you", but sometimes you have too. I like to work backwards myself. Instead of having a problem and working for a solution- much like for discovering an hidden condition, I like to start at the results and have them confirm or disprove my findings. I'm not always right, but pretty close most of the time.

But as far as how I mentally function, the blatant evidence buries the doubt, but still, it's their opinion which matters, I guess. I hired my T and flat told her that we had no diagnosis but know that we are multiple...fix us, lol. And if it turns out that we are just genius crazy, so be it. I hate starting at the beginning....done that, let's get started somewhere in the middle or close to the end. :P