[neutrino]

Perhaps this is a stupid question and I'm not sure I'm posting it in the right forum, but I'd like to know how you know what your official diagnoses are.

In the beginning of this year I asked my psychiatrist for a letter explaining my situation. A letter I could send in to some people at my university and to some other people to explain why I had been failing a lot of my classes during the autumn (it all worked out in the end by the way). Before getting the letter from my psychiatrist I didn't really know what diagnoses I had. I had been assessed, or whatever, about a month before getting the letter and even though I had asked both my psychiatrist and my psychologist at the clinic (or whatever it's called in English) about my diagnoses they were really vague, unspecific and said different things, which I find very annoying and frustrating. Knowing my diagnoses is very important to me. If I know my diagnoses I can begin to understand why my life has always been such a mess and I can start categorising and organising things in my head (I'm not sure if that makes any sense to you).

Anyway, the letter from my psychiatrist contained the following (among other things): "We've been able to establish that neutrino meets the criteria for the following diagnoses: moderate depressive episode [I'm not sure how 10 years could be 'an episode'], social anxiety disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder."

Does "meet the criteria" mean you actually have the diagnoses? Would they write down the names of disorders in a letter they know I'll hand in to people at university etc if they hadn't officially diagnosed me with the disorders? I feel a bit stupid for asking all of these questions but I got a bit anxious about all of this and started worrying that perhaps I just think I've got certain diagnoses when I actually don't have them. My therapist never really talks about which diagnoses I've got. I just know he definitely thinks I've got problems with social anxiety and OCD. I guess the whole situation makes me a bit confused.

What do you think?

Thanks.

My pdocs have always told me my diagnosis, but I can understand why it is important to have a diagnosis and how frustrating it would be not to. My understanding is if you fit the criteria then you have the diagnosis. If you fit the criteria they will treat you for those problems. The problem with MI is that it can be really hard to get a correct diagnosis, really the only way to be sure if constant observation.

Are you sure you want all those people to know your diagnosis? If its all worked out in the end why do they need to know? I'd be wary about telling people if everything has worked out for the best in the end.

[neutrino]

Originally Posted by Supanova

My pdocs have always told me my diagnosis, but I can understand why it is important to have a diagnosis and how frustrating it would be not to. My understanding is if you fit the criteria then you have the diagnosis. If you fit the criteria they will treat you for those problems. The problem with MI is that it can be really hard to get a correct diagnosis, really the only way to be sure if constant observation.

Are you sure you want all those people to know your diagnosis? If its all worked out in the end why do they need to know? I'd be wary about telling people if everything has worked out for the best in the end.

What's "MI"?

Anyway, it worked out because I sent in the letter explaining things. Because of that I could get some extra support (a mentor who helps me with a study schedule, exams on my own in a quiet room where I don't have to be around people etc etc). I wouldn't have passed last year without the support. I don't know why I feel a bit ashamed for getting some support but I felt a little ashamed writing that.

[CantExplain]

I know what my diagnosis is because I arranged and paid for it.
Madame T didn't believe in diagnosis.

[Victoria'smom]

I asked t and she gave me the run around eventually she looked up what my file says. She obviously doesn't agree that is all I have but that's fine.

[Caab]

Hugs to you x



Firstly pdocs treat the symptoms, not the label. So the labels don't matter as much as them knowing EXACTLY what you're struggling with. Often people don't fully fit in any one box because we are human beings and just too complex

Fact of the matter is you're struggling with many, if not ALL, of the symptoms of those disorders. Likely you're complex and have more issues than someone who perfectly fits one tick box.

Also doctors don't always want to write everything in black and white because that can be upsetting and overwhelming for the patient. They only know you a month, so maybe they want to be careful. For all they know you could react horribly to a detailed report and feel awful.

Also it often takes time for them to figure out exactly what's going on. As you know, anyone can google a list of symptoms and think OMG I have that!!! But it's not so simple. I'd say they want to do a longitudinal assessment of your mental state, but FOR NOW those diagnoses are what they're working off.

Psychiatry isn't as black and white as other specialities.

Cut yourself a break and give yourself some credit

Hang in there x

[JaneC]

I asked my new T earlier this year...even he was surprised. He asked me if I was happy with them, and I was able to say no. He agreed that one needed to be removed(alcohol abuse), and one needed to be reviewed to MDD in remission, and another BorderlinePD was just wrong and in discussion with my Psychiatrist they re worked the Dx to Complex PTSD.

I am content to have them reworked as this makes far more sense to me, and means I can follow better therapy types and protocols. It also means I understand myself better.

I just looked at the form that gets submitted to the insurance companies for payment. [I don't pay through insurance, but he uses the same form for me because it lists my payments and my next appointment date.] There is a diagnosis code listed on the form, so I googled to see what that code meant. Mine was for recurrent major depression disorder, severe, without psychotic features. At some point, I asked him to change the code because I felt the current episode was no longer severe, and I wanted the code for 'mild' or 'partial remission.' He actually said he thought I was in full remission, and just "going through a lot of ****," and apparently there is no code for that. LOL.

Anyway, if you have insurance and a similar form gets submitted, they have to put down a diagnosis code and you can look those up. If the diagnosis code is down, you have been 'officially' diagnosed with whatever is listed.

Originally Posted by neutrino

Does "meet the criteria" mean you actually have the diagnoses?

Yes, "neutrino meets the criteria for this" is official-speak for "this is what neutrino has". Because there is no blood test or x-ray that can be used to make a clinical determination, they see whether a client meets the set of criteria, and if she does, then that is the diagnosis.

Originally Posted by neutrino

Would they write down the names of disorders in a letter they know I'll hand in to people at university etc if they hadn't officially diagnosed me with the disorders?

No, I am certain they wouldn't. I'm very pleased to hear that you got that letter from them - I completely understand your situation here, and how such a document makes life easier. But for your T, the diagnosis is not really the main thing - it's you, who are much more complex than your diagnosis. And it's the ways in which your issues make it more difficult for you to live that is relevant for your work with the T, rather than what the issues are called. (At least that's what I imagine that a T's perspective would be.)