[Henderson182]

First, I do not believe mental health psychiatrists are a real service to the world. If I had my choice I would have never in a million years became involved with these loons who operate mental health world. NO OFFENSE, TRUE PROFESSIONALS. I was forced to by people who do not know me. Slammed against back of Car and dragged by cops. Etc. Where I was submit to diagnoses.

So I came here to ask.
I have been diagnosed with Depression, Anxiety, Schizoaffective, Bipolar disorder, Antisocial Disorder, Austism Spectrum.
I do not have these disorders. Being diagnosed with these things by strangers is extremely insulting to me.
I would never take psychiatric medication.

I am a young adult, started being diagnosed at 19 with depression and anxiety. I was trying to go to college for my PhD in Chemistry or Mathematics. At a college out of state. Maybe Ivy League, but haven't chosen a college yet. I am now 23 and they are telling me I can get on DISABILITY. I would never get on disability. I am disabled in no way.

How will these diagnoses affect my abilities to get out into the working world after getting my degree?
Am I now less likely to be accepted in colleges or into employment?
Can ANY and ALL employers or colleges view this information?
I had done nothing to warrant any of these diagnosis besides repeatedly complaining that they are full of **** for putting this on my record.
Usually I have the best of manners.
But I could not STAND them, they were all rather half-witted.

I am interested in medical world, but I would never be interested in the Psychiatric sector. I'm more into the surgery sector. I'm not into emotional or mental "problems" I'm into curing and fixing major physical problems.

I never wanted to be on this psychiatric radar and psychiatric watch and it is rather traumatizing especially with how faulty and for lack of a better word, abusive, all of their employees were at each psychiatric appointment I have gone to.

Will this diagnosis stay with me and follow me around like a shadow my entire life.

[Thunder Bow]

You have criminal record? I am not one for labels.

[IceCreamKid]

I hope what I am about to write will help you. "Mental illness" is brain illness, plain and simple. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Diagnoses are starting points and useful as such--and they are usually necessary for insurance, if a person has it, to kick in. Diagnoses don't define a person's value nor should they be used to discriminate when it comes to education, housing or employment.

Furthermore, diagnoses can change--depending upon emerging symptoms and doctors' and others' perception of the symptoms observed or reported.

I didn't care what the doctor diagnosed me with as long as I got help with the absolutely crushing depression and anxiety that was destroying my life.

Plenty of people with brain illnesses and personality disorders are successful in college and in the workforce.

If you were to look at medication and therapies (if they have been offered or suggested to you) as tools to help you, you will go far in being the best you you can be, and please keep in mind research has brought improvements in treatments, too. Something burdensome today might be fixable in the near future.

Keep yourself informed and become an active member of your treatment team. I wish you much success in life.

[Fuzzybear]

I think Ice makes some good points.

Personally, I'm not one for labels either. They can be of use for insurance purposes (for some people)

[Sunflower123]

Your diagnoses will not stop you from being accepted to colleges or even make it less likely. You don't need to tell them. Future employers are highly unlikely to find out about your diagnoses unless you're posting them on Facebook etc. You probably won't be telling them either. Your ability to get out and work after you get your degree is only limited by how your diagnoses impact you.

Having said that, Ice has made some excellent points that I hope you'll consider. Sending big hugs.

[Shazerac]

Well I believe you have every right to not consider that you are mentally ill. But I do wonder what you were doing that got you slammed across a cop car and hospitalized?

While you may choose to not believe it, mental illness does exist. It is no less a real problem than physical illness.

What really does concern me and, quite frankly, frightens me is that you are considering going into the health care field. You would be doing a great disservice to future patients if you do not believe that mental illness is a real issue.

I suffered severe trauma at the hands of a doctor who did not believe in mental illness. I was hospitalized for a physical issue. He refused to let me have my psych meds, throwing me into withdrawal and I suffered way more than I would have under the care of a compassionate doctor who understood mental illness. it was extremely cruel, sadistic, and heartless treatment.
.

[pegasus]

No the labels don't stay with you for ever especially if you get treatment and show that you can handle stress. What does worry me is that you want to work in the medical field and indicated surgery as your speciality. You would need to show that you can handle the huge stress involved with that. Such as working extremely long hours, dealing with death, having compassion for patients and relatives etc.

I hope you can come to a realisation that mental health issues are indeed real, get treatment and then you can live a life with less anger and bitterness. It's better to work with it than against it. Good luck.

[-jimi-]

I'm not sure he said he doesn't believe in mental illness, just that the psychiatrists are no good and he himself is not interested in psychiatry. I do however think anyone within the medical field must have a good grip on what goes on in the psychiatry field. Many patients have multiple issues, I have diagnoses from psychiatry, neuropsychiatry and somatic care. It bugs me when the doctor I talk to will not admit to my other issues, because it is not in their field. I am just one person and I cannot divide myself to please doctors.

One of the best surgeons at my hospital has aspergers. It actually makes him better at his job. So it doesn't have to stop you from going anywhere.

But I think you have to realize how you got the diagnoses, even if you don't feel that they are valid. When I was young, they tried to stick the label schizophrenia on me for a few years. I had to analyse the situation to understand what behaviors caused them to believe that. One, I seemed disinterested in them, sure I answered their questions but they felt something lacking. They saw this as flat affect from schizo. In fact I was just truly not interested in them on any deeper level than the talk we had. Full answer. Also they felt I was listening to voices. That was because there was a tad delay between their question and my reply. That was because I think in thoughts, not in language, which is not an illness, so I need a second to translate my thoughts into language. Also I seem absent when I am just listening to them talk, so they thought maybe I listened to voices. In fact, I listen better with less visual stimuli, so I tend to look away a bit while listening. Also sometimes I get bored, because I know the end of their sentence after a few words. Also I laughed in what they though was the wrong places, which is a marker for schizo they thought. I cannot really help I find different things funny than them. It doesn't prove anything.

After I analyzed this, I indeed explained how I thought they jumped to the wrong conclusion and the diagnosis was scrapped.

What things in your life has made them diagnose you?

Why are you adamant you don't have a mental illness?