[animal87]

So I saw my psychiatrist today for the second time and during the session he asked me a weird question. It was "do you know who you are" I didn't understand in what way so I asked him what he meant and he just said it didn't matter and wrote something down. What was he getting at? Is he trying to give me a new diagnosis cos I don't want him to base it on my not understanding such an odd question but I'm guessing he didn't just mean did I know my own name.

[glok]

Hello, animal87. I suggest you ask the psychiatrist the purpose of the question.

[animal87]

I did. He said it didn't matter. But then why ask it?

[glok]

You are entitled to an answer.

[pegasus]

Well, I don't know for sure but he could be asking to test for psychosis, if you were psychotic then you possibly would not know who you are.

[SnakeCharmer]

He was probably checking to see if you were "fully oriented." This is a normal part of a psychiatric or neurological examination. This is what it means ...

FULLY ORIENTED

(oriented to person, place, date, and time, oriented times three, oriented in all spheres, oriented x 3)

In the psychiatric mental status examination the subject correctly identifies familiar individuals, and provides the correct time and date, place, and geographical location.

When I suffered a head injury five years ago, the doctors at the hospital asked me who I was. I said, "SnakeCharmer Jones." They asked me if they knew where I was. I said, "The Palookaville hospital ER " They asked me who was president. I said, "Ronald Reagan." They asked me again and I really did think it was the 1980s. I don't know why.

The kept me. By morning I was oriented just fine.

If you provided the psychiatrist or receptionist with your name earlier in the examination, it's highly -- I repeat highly -- unlikely that you have anything at all to worry about. It is a confusing question if you don't know about their sneaky way of checking to see if you're oriented. Saying you don't understand makes complete sense.

If you'd said you were Satan or The Messiah or the Reincarnation of Paul Revere's Horse, you'd have something to worry about.

[animal87]

That doesn't sound too bad then. They do have a bit of an obsession about psychosis. I don't think they believe me when I tell them I don't get I hallucinations or voices Maybe he was just trying to catch me out. I do know who I am and it's definitely not the reincarnation of Paul reveres horse! Though you did make me smile with that one which is not very easy at the moment so thankyou.

[Sometimes psychotic]

This sounds more like they were testing for DID but it could be psychosis but if you know who you are then no big deal right....I would be inclined to look at them askew and ask if they knew who I was....not really I don't mess with the psychs....seriously....

[VMblue]

Oh word. I would have said no. I know my name and stuff like that, but I don't know who I am as an individual anymore. I find it hard to distinguish between what is me and what is depression talking. And I feel like everything I ever told myself about who I am is a lie. That is how I would interpret the question. Not the physical me, but who am I at the emotional level, if that makes sense.