Are Diagnosis and Identity Separate?

Function to me means function in all parts of life. Career, social, private.

Many people seem to not to function in some of these. Kafka's love life was a mess. He had problems with his family. Struggled with his spirituality. He never really wanted to his books published... his friend did so against his wishes.
So I see him as example of somebody who struggled majorly. But at the same time, wouldn't be helped by being pushed to be just like somebody else, not to make people uncomfortable... and so on.

I think Kafka's whole life was a mess really, he didn't even enjoy most of the amazing works he himself wrote because he was so hyper critical of himself.

yes your post just happened to be last in line when I clicked reply, it was meant for a response to the other posters post.

from JosieGirl...
You make an excellent point Josiegirl! Thank you!

I would just like to say maybe seeing if there are any medications that wouldn't change the personality so much but make things easier to deal with. Maybe I'm totally wrong in thinking that could be find with depression.

I'm a person who looked at medications as a bad thing as I was on the wrong medications as a child. Yet, I broke down this year and visited a psychiatrist. I made that decision based solely on the fact that more was known about AD|HD than when I was younger. Even shortly after I stopped taking medication at 19 they were bring out new drugs. I still believe that drugs aren't the answer to everything but if they help easy the presser then I'll give them a try.

Lucky, for me, the first drug I am trying seems to be the right drug for me. It's a non-stimlant, which I told the guy I wasn't happy with the idea of taking a stimulant, it hasn't changed much of my personality. Yet, it has just eased some of the problems I have been having at work and school. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it's started making me feel that I could start changing myself to the person I believe I can be.

Perna, I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you on that statement. I was put on an AD a number of years ago for my depression and it DID numb me. I was just a shell of a person, no emotions, no feelings, only going day by day and not caring about anything. After a few months like this, I had to do something as I did not like what this med did to me.

When I told my doctor about this, they immediately switched me to a different AD and I was so much better. Meds are a funny thing, what may work for one doesn't work for another. It may take several different kinds of meds to find the one that works best for each individual.

While I believe I am not my diagnosis, and neither is anyone else, I do believe there are times when meds can help us to be and feel better than without them. I do realize it is a personal preference though and would not pressure anyone to take them or not to take them.

I too have had medications for my depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, MS, pregnancy that have made me numb. for some people medications can make someone numb and unable to feel emotions.

The object is to control and/or manage it. If you can eliminate it from your psyche then great but once you've had an ongoing severe mood or personality disorder you are in for a fight.