why are we labeled

Well there are various differences between all the mental disorders, so the labels are to catagorize I would think since different things might work for different disorders. It wouldn't do much good to treat someone with depression for schizophrenia for instance. This is not to say I agree with all the mainstream treatments of disorders I think there is much improvement needed and promising alternative treatments.

A depressive and a schizophrenic are miles apart, hearing voices in your head is a main clue. But BIPOLAR and DEPRESSION are a little closer , you may only have 1 manic period in your life and collect a bipolar badge, and the array of meds that come with it. I may be told I have bipolar but I don't want the badge nor the meds , I found what works for me myself by trail and error , not what any shrink scripted, the hospital would not give me LEXAPRO GENERIC, so I got it from my GP

No there is no coupons in ENGLAND , and only mostly generics , the only time not is when there isn't one. THE mental hospital will only give CITALOPRAM not LEXAPRO , saying its only the same med in a different box but really its a lot cheaper. HOSPITAL stays are are very rare , and a hole ward in a brand new mental hospital I go to has closed through funding problems. If you breakdown they only stabilise you and your out.

I am so shocked that they even allow medication advertisements to the public! The public has very little knowledge of this stuff - seen over and over again on these forums and on the internet. Far too many people diagnosed with Bipolar just to get the insurance! Makes those of us who really suffer from it look like overmedicated whingers. Not to mention those who self-diagnose then fit themselves into the diagnosis just to get meds when a little emotional regulation is all they really need. /rant

I was on antidepressants for years. They didn't do me much good and the side effects were awful. I've been on Lamictal for just a few months and it has helped me tremendously. Haven't had any side effects.

you hit the nail smack on the head also all forums are cruised by drug takers looking for info how meds can be used for abuse.

You miss understand, If your not ill and get side effects you soon abort the med, if depressed you push on through side effects , your desperate for releaf. well at least I do.

I have depression and have had to quit taking depression meds due to side effects...regardless of how desperate for relief I was. If the side effects overrule the benefits of the medication my philosophy is quit taking it asap.

But then I don't seem to react very well to anti-depressants and some other meds anti-depressants typically make me more anxious.

Point being I don't think aborting a med soon indicates someone doesn't actually suffer from depression.

People that do this are flying over the cuckoos nest. No, drs are diagnosing more often because it is easier for them. I don't wish a Bp diag on anyone. In today's world it is a lifetime of chemicals and stigma not to mention a financial burden.

Before I found the med I'm on now I tried several and they made me sicker so I decided not to take meds for a long while. I got absolutely no understanding from the depression community. Either people said it was so GOOD I could manage without meds and they were envious (I didn't manage, I didn't eat and I never went outside and I had no idea what day it was), or they said meds do help and I just needed to try harder (I usually gave meds a few months unless the side effects were dangerous, but they still didn't help and made me sicker), when I said I can't stand BOTH mental illness AND side effects and no relief from illness people were like HUH??

Unfortunately people with ASD are often ridiculously sensitive to meds. I know I am. Docs seem not to understand this yet.

Unfortunately, meds for depression take quite awhile before you begin to have relief from depressive thoughts/behaviors. You do NOT need to try harder. Trying does not mean doing. I was on and off antidepressants for 30 years before a very good and insightful psychiatrist that I trusted said the antidepressants weren't doing me any good. Subsequently, I went through a sleep study and was diagnosed with sleep apnea (who would have thought my inability to fall asleep and stay asleep wasn't related to depression?). He recommended I have my vit. D level checked (you'll need to ask your doc for this as it is not usually tested). The "normal" range is between 20-30. Mine was at 8. I'm now taking 6000 mg vit D daily. And, he (we) tried several different mood stabilizers before he (we) found the one that gave me relief from my symptoms. We are not just our mental state. We are a whole body. Our entire body needs to be assessed in order to make the right diagnosis and prescribe the correct meds. If your MD/psychiatrist has not taken a complete medical/mental history I suggest you insist they do. Last month I met with my GP to go over all my meds to ensure one wasn't having an adverse reaction due to another one. Prior to meeting with him I signed an authorization for my psychiatrist and him to share information. Both need professional information in order to prescribe the proper meds for you. They cannot and should not prescribe meds based on just the info you tell them. As much as we believe we are honest in what we tell our docs, they read between what we tell them and what clinical tests reveal. My best wishes for you. Been there, done that for over 30 yrs. So thankful to my doc and psychiatrist.

The normal range IS NOT between 20-30. This is a support forum, please don´t give out wrong medical info, as you´re clearly not a professional. Thanks

I have no idea about the range of vit D but because we barely have sunlight in the winter, a lot of people take vit D during the dark season. Without, everyone has a slight deficiency here. Can't wait to have sunlight at 2:30 PM LOL.

i said before thyroid disfuction is the main depression maker , the first thing the NHS do is thyroid tests i even had a brain scan , they rule out causes before pumping you meds. i do have a thyroid problem i found out 6 visits to the thyroid hospital clinic to stablise and now i take meds to keep it level. Didnt cure my depression though or maybe i would be even worse

Mental Heath is a complex thing. I am bipolar.. my aunt is my doc says i am but i cant tell my family i am too embaressed they will tell friends neighbors and grandparents no one can now. I put on a happy face all the time but i label my self... and too fat even though in 5 foot 4 and 90 pnds. I realize thats crazy but im scarred im so worthles with 2 cs now and 2 bs... i need as and bs, is what i feel like. Idk why im here on earth tbh labeling does that to you. Why are we labeled.. society long ago and the pyramids of nomads and kings and peasants. It is killing people. I am popular tbh but i feel alone. Im sorry if yall are labeled i am too. As the girl who skips parties to stay home in bed and the girl that goes home from anxiety and migranes. And the dramatic one of my highschool. People dont realize mental health is like cancer it can be solved with medicine but it is an illness you are not crazy, no one is. I didnt really answer your question sorry. Venting.

I believe the label is for government and psychiatric Identification and for paying disability money!

Before I was formally diagnosed by my psychiatrist, I asked my social worker/ therapist what I had. Her response was "Nothing. Does it really matter? Do you want to put a label on it?" and my heart sank. Personally, I wanted a diagnosis to better understand my condition. When you put a label on it, you're able to Google the disorders and learn more about it. To me, it's comforting that some of the things I'm going through isn't just me but actually the result of the disorders. It also gives you the opportunity to find stories about others who have the same disorders and how they dealt with it.