Is a diagnosis needed for therapy

Hey,

I want to know if a dignosis is important for therapy.
Since my last two therapist could not really figure out whats wrong with me besides my depression I kind of fear that I never get a fitting diagnosis. There were a lot of different ones until now but they never really fitted me.
I read a lot of different stances on that topic so I wanted to see how you guys see it.

Good question. In my opinion, a formal diagnosis is not important TO ME for therapy, but knowing a bit about what my problems are, IS important for me to help myself. I'm dealing with depression and anxiety at varying levels. One of them will dominate for a while, which makes me focus on dealing with it, then it will improve and the other may or may not step up. What is important is knowing how both of those operate and how they affect me. That way I can adjust how I cope. Sometimes I'm better at coping than others, but I'm still here so I must be doing OK.

I've never found therapy helpful beyond having someone to talk to. I never left with any skills to help me when not in session. That's my fault, but in the interim I've found my own set of skills. I'm struggling lately, so obviously they need some tweaking. They will always need tweaking as my life circumstances change. Life is change.

All of that being said, what IS important is, do YOU need a formal diagnosis to make progress and get better? How will it help?

I wish you well. Good luck.

I am not sure how they do it in Germany, but in the US, you do need a diagnosis for them to bill your health insurance. That's for any doctor or therapist. However, I did have a therapist who told me she usually just puts "adjustment disorder" which is kind of a vague way of saying someone needs help adapting to change. She doesn't usually use things like major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. For medication, we need a diagnosis as well.

They put forth a hypothesis for the insurance but usually dismiss them throughout the sessions. The real diagnosis usally come after 12 sessions. At least thats how I was told by my last therapist.

It would be the same for me. A diagnosis could give me better picture of what to work on and how. And it would set my mind at ease. Running around without any directions whatsoever is not really working out for me at the end.

no, formal diagnosis is not needed for therapy. therapy is just spending time with a treatment provider to work out any problems you may be having. since you are in therapy to work on your depression thats what it is for you. depression. if you are in therapy to work on a combination of problems then you are in therapy for that combo of problems...

sometimes combo of problems will be so severe that they do add up to a formal mental disorder labeling. but most people in therapy do not get a formal disorder labeling...

example work stress is not a mental disorder label, neither is having nightmares,, neither is going through a divorce, or needing to do family therapy because a child is having trouble in school.

being depressed and needing to be in therapy for depression doesnt need a formal mental assessment and diagnostic labeling.

what makes something a "disorder" where someone gets an actual diagnostic label is the number of problems and how severe those problems are.

it may be that your depression doesnt have a whole mess of disorder symptoms and isnt severe enough to fit on the "disorder" scale. and thats ok. it doesnt mean you cant work in therapy on these problems, it just means you dont have a foot long mental disorder name for your problems.

here in my area, treatment providers have actually moved away from mental disorder naming. focus on the problems not the disorder name is what we go by here where I am.

A formal mental health-related diagnosis is not needed by many therapists. In fact, I think a pretty large number of people who seek out therapy don't have a specific mental illness, at all. Many seek therapy for help with marriage or other relationship issues. Some people are in a life rut either in terms of career, or other life issues and decisions. Some people have various difficulties adjusting to new environments. And so many other issues! Even having some prolonged mood slump need not equal a major depressive illness diagnosis.

I suppose sometimes a therapist (and certainly doctor) wants to "solve" a problem. However, it's not always so very easy. Situations are complex and can't always be approached in a predictable manner. Perhaps it's not a puzzle for a therapist to solve, but for them to simply support. Or to somehow lead YOU to find some solution to your own issue or struggle. Sometimes issues and struggles can never be cured, but rather learned to tolerate, minimize, or look at in a different light.

I do have a formal diagnosis of bipolar disorder, but that's not the only barrier in my life to success, in all ways. Many of us have issues that don't and never will fit a DSM-5 diagnosis criteria. Yes, many of us have anxiety, but not Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Many have little touches of obsessive or compulsive tendencies, but not Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most have had some, at least minor, trauma in life, but not Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Etc. And even without meeting "full criteria", we sometimes need support with such issues.