Diagnosis

It's like that here, only a Psychiatrist can prescribe meds. BUT, I did find out that here some of the therapists with a Masters degree can administer diagnostic testing and diagnose. I didn't think that was the case, it just goes to show every state is different.

I don't doubt either of you at all, but am nevertheless shocked that I didn't know this. I've lived in forty states and have had counselors in a dozen of them and I've just never run into this. I was ready to disregard the old adage that you learn something new every day because I hadn't learned anything at all new on Sunday but I guess it was just because I slept all day. Things are back on track.

Yeah, we've got a place like that locally. I refer to it as a patient puppy mill.

My husband went to one of those 'puppy mills' years ago.Since his brother,who has schizophrenia,was also going there, it was just assumed that my husband was the same.The psychiatrist prescribed all the exact same meds his brother was taking.

He ended up in such bad shape that our oldest son and his GF were trying to stage an intervention,thinking he was on meth or crack. He stopped taking all those meds and stopped going there and was ok very quickly afterwards.

Thank goodness for quality health insurance which gives a person more options and better treatment.

Forgot to say that my husbands appointment was only about 10 minutes long.He wasn't even given a diagnosis,he wasn't even really asked any questions,they just saw his last name and wrote about 6 prescriptions,sent him on his way and told him to return in 3 months.

OMG, I thought it was bad here. "Puppy Mill" is a good term for it. I hope your husband is better.

Omg that is truly shocking! Psychological services in my country are 'ok'. They are client centered at least.
Yagr I see a psychologist as well, in fact I have only ever seen psychologists. My previous psychologist was able to diagnose me but I also had a full long diagnostic exam with a psychiatrist. My current psychologist has more experience with DID and EMDR so all going well I will stay with her for the long haul.

I agree,it is shocking,it was shocking to me at the time that a MH provider would do that.Just the same as I was shocked when I first read this thread.I told my husband what I felt and thought about it of course,just as I said what I thought and felt here.It's what you do when you are concerned about someone.It's not invalidating them or attacking them.It's caring enough to speak up.

My husband overlooked my concerns though and trusted his treatment provider.Until our son and his GF tried to stage an intervention thinking he was on meth or crack.It was his choice to take in what I was saying or leave it.

I would want ppl to be completely honest with me in what they think or feel rather than just coddle or offer hugs or sympathy.And then I would have the option to take it or leave it.

So while some here may have thought or felt I was attacking or invalidating the OP,it was not my intention.My only intention was to just share my thoughts and feelings about it.That's what a public forum is for,to get different thoughts and opinions.Of course it's good to be kind and supportive but it's also good to be honest in what we say rather than just saying what we may think a poster wants to hear.

This post is not directed at you Amyjay even though your quote is in this reply.It's just how I personally think and feel and I felt the need to share it.We all have our own way of responding to others and I think it's ok and a good thing to have so many different ways.If we all said the same things and responded the same ways then this place wouldn't work as well as it does.Nobody knows which way of responding is best or what a poster may need or like.Some may just be seeking coddling and sympathy,some may be seeking different perspectives and some may be wanting directness.So I don't think any of us have the right to judge how others respond.And we especially should not be attacking other members for their way of responding.We are all different.

I hear you. There are always other perspectives.