[leavesonfire]

Okay, this isn't so much an "anti-psychiatry" post (because I know psychiatry can be helpful), but a post about certain things I've been thinking about.

When you go to a psychiatrist, you tell them everything you've been through etc., and you receive a diagnosis. This diagnosis itself is basically a diagnosis based on a cluster of symptoms (that you've experienced) put together, family history etc. It doesn't in itself say anything about the environmental factors, genetic factors etc. that contributed to a mental health crisis. Two people with the same diagnoses can be very different in terms of what they've experienced. It makes sense from a clinician's point of view to have diagnostic criteria and diagnostic names, but this causes certain problems.

Two people who've been diagnosed as bipolar may be very different. There are so many different sub-types within bipolar disorder in the first place. Some people who've never had an episode of mania or hypomania, who take anti-depressants for some other reason, have an episode of hypomania as a result of the medication, and are labeled bipolar (probably taking other factors into account). I do not necessarily disagree with this as I've read up stuff which says that it makes sense to do this. Don't want to get into the details of it.

The thing is, labeling people using these surface symptoms tends to mask the underlying problem. For instance, when you say, "he was a man with bipolar disorder who killed himself." What does that mean? It could mean so many things. Was it some sort of a genetic or innate problem which caused a spontaneous episode of depression or mania without any environmental trigger like abuse, trauma or other life events which caused this person to take his life? Was it more to do with being depressed because of environmental factors like emotional trauma?

Once you are labeled with a diagnosis, any behaviour on your part that does not appeal to certain people around you can be written off as a part of your "mental illness", if these people know about your diagnosis. I'm pretty certain that there are many people who've not experienced any trauma in their life who have mental illnesses. But I also know that a lot of people who have had a shady past are diagnosed with mental illnesses. For instance, if you live in a house with an abusive person and that person does something to taunt you and you retaliate in anyway, it could be written off as something to do with your illness. The abuser may get the upper hand because of your diagnosis.

Human behaviour is complex and is influenced by both innate and external factors. Without understanding these basic factors, simply judging a person by a label can do a lot of harm.

Your diagnosis could be used against you in a myriad of ways to coerce you into conforming to the notions held by the people around you.

Every person with a diagnosis is different. For instance there are homeless schizophrenics who are far removed from reality but there are also schizophrenics who are well aware of their illness and some of them are intelligent, lucid people who hold good jobs, like being a university professor, for instance.

I wonder how these labels affect people in terms of getting jobs, in terms of how they're perceived by people around them. When you tell someone that you're bipolar, they may think that you keep going high and low all the time, whereas it could be very different in your particular case, in the sense that there's a lot more context to it.

Ignorance, coupled with labeling can be damaging.

[CantExplain]

"It cannot be said with words and it cannot be said without words."

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by leavesonfire

Okay, this isn't so much an "anti-psychiatry" post (because I know psychiatry can be helpful), but a post about certain things I've been thinking about.

It makes sense from a clinician's point of view to have diagnostic criteria and diagnostic names, but this causes certain problems.

Once you are labeled with a diagnosis, any behaviour on your part that does not appeal to certain people around you can be written off as a part of your "mental illness", if these people know about your diagnosis.

The abuser may get the upper hand because of your diagnosis.

simply judging a person by a label can do a lot of harm.

Your diagnosis could be used against you in a myriad of ways to coerce you into conforming to the notions held by the people around you.

I wonder how these labels affect people in terms of getting jobs,

Ignorance, coupled with labeling can be damaging.

Guess it stems to stigma of a diagnosis? I am not aware, as far as job applications, that it is necessary to disclose.

Diagnostic codes, are important for treatment courses, in my impression and to get insurance to pay. Perhaps, that's where the concern with employment could come into play, as if the employer is contributing to health insurance, does it stand to reason that they may be aware of the diagnosis??

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by leavesonfire

Every person with a diagnosis is different. For instance there are homeless schizophrenics who are far removed from reality but there are also schizophrenics who are well aware of their illness and some of them are intelligent, lucid people who hold good jobs, like being a university professor, for instance.

I wonder how these labels affect people in terms of getting jobs, in terms of how they're perceived by people around them. When you tell someone that you're bipolar, they may think that you keep going high and low all the time, whereas it could be very different in your particular case, in the sense that there's a lot more context to it.

Ignorance, coupled with labeling can be damaging.

. I can speak to some extent to the sz professor thing. I had psychosis we still don't know if its sz yet but I often call it that and pdoc does not correct me. I'm an assistant professor at a university. I'm confident in myself and those around me. The label does not impact me. I'm actually somewhat proud to have overcome something like that. I make sure to tell my story to the young people I train in because they are future doctors and I want them to treat mentally ill people with respect and to know that they can recover. I'm not sure what you think people can use against you unless you buy into your own diagnostic label. I've never had anyone point out my illness even when I was the sickest, sure they took me to a psychiatrist but they would have taken me to the hospital if I was having a heart attack too.

[ultramar]

I don't tell people my diagnosis (bipolar I) [except I've mentioned it on PC and of course with my therapist and pdoc]. I don't see the point. Most people don't get it, and I really don't blame them. I don't want it used either against me or for me. People will think what they think, I don't need them labeling me with a diagnosis.

I've read of people who get pretty bitter about others not 'getting' their diagnosis or what they go through. I don't understand that, or at least it's not how I see it. Everyone has their 'stuff,' I also may well have a difficult time understanding what others feel and go through; it's not easy to *truly* walk in someone else's shoes, as empathetic as perhaps we would like to believe we are. People are complicated, the human condition is so complex.

And yes, I agree, it is very complex, far more than the DSM makes it seem. I have other issues which affect it and vice versa. I have a long, complicated history, and the episodic manifestations of the illness can be discussed and dealt with in context with my therapist (to a lesser extent with my pdoc). There are so many other facets of me, I wouldn't want people honing in on/narrowing me down to some 'diagnosis' though it's pretty natural to do so, so I just don't share it.

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by leavesonfire

Your diagnosis could be used against you in a myriad of ways to coerce you into conforming to the notions held by the people around you.

When a psychiatrist mislabels you with a stigmatizing disorder, everything you tell them is shaped to fit that label. This happened to me when I was a teenager. I was left nearly depleted after trying to get them to listen and respect me. The experience traumatized me.

I was misdiagnosed with borderline personality disorder. My psychiatrist knows and acknowledges this. We discussed this and how it seems to change professional opinions once this label is assigned to a client. She told me, the label can cause harsh and unfair treatment by clinicians.

Psychiatry needs to deal with their issues.

I am not very open about my disorders. I don't see the point of discussing them with others I don't know very well. Anyway, if I don't fit society's understanding of a disorder I am questioned.