[BeaFlower]

I'm seeing my t since a couple months, and I like her, but there is a thing that I find strange. She didn't tell me yet if I fit for a diagnosis. I don't know if it's because she isn't sure yet, or because she isn't used to communicate to the patients their diagnosis. But two months seem me enough (or is it soon? I'm not sure). And she refers to my symptoms as to 'obsessions' and 'compulsions', so it seems that she actually has an idea about my diagnosis (that is also my idea). But I'd however like to know 'officially' what I have. I've also anxiety problems, and about this I'm not sure if I have a disorder or not; I'd like to know.
What do you think? How is your experience about this? And also: would it be ok if I ask her if my symptoms are pathological or not? Or should I wait?
Thanks

[puzzclar]

They should know by now. But sometimes they choose not to tell you, I would ask

[BeaFlower]

I wonder why sometimes they tell you and sometimes they don't...

[January]

Just ask her. It's ok to ask. She'll tell you.

[connect.the.stars]

Originally Posted by BeaFlower

I wonder why sometimes they tell you and sometimes they don't...

Perhaps they aren't sure or they don't see it as something that's immediately threatening?

It's a good idea to ask. Your T can clarify if she's just waiting to be more certain or if she thinks you need to see someone else to officially diagnose you.

[-jimi-]

Where I live sadly the idea is that the patient should not know their diagnosis. I once went to a group thing and all the others did not think they had a diagnosis but I knew it was required for the group. I had asked about mine and they had to tell me. So they thought I was the only "sick" person in the group. Weird...

I also especially when it comes to therapists, not doctors, they think your treatment will be messed up if you know, and also they don't want to think in terms of labels. If I say something about a diagnosis they ask me why it is so important to have a label. Sigh.

[LucyD]

I would ask her so that at least you will know something. I have been diagnosed by doctors and therapists before so I know or I thought I knew what I had. My current psychiatrist told me I didn't have 2 of the diagnoses I was given and I tend to agree. But one of the diagnosis I had he thinks I have, too. They are not always right about diagnosis and some therapists believe that a diagnosis is an ongoing thing throughout therapy because we change sometimes, too.

[secretgalaxy]

My old T hates labels and never told me mine, though she hinted to depression. She had to give a diagnosis for my insurance if she wanted to go over the intial amount of sessions, but she never told me about what she wrote and I never really wanted to know.

My new T hasn't told me yet, but I feel she thinks I have OCD, and probably some schizophrenic traits. She has hinted to me by saying things like "that sounds a little obessive" or "have you heard of OCD? We might look into that next session" but we never have, haha. She stopped saying those things after I said that I hated medications and don't care for a diagnosis.

I am sure that if you talk to your T, she may ask why, but at the end she will answer your question.

[*Laurie*]

Your therapist is probably not settled on a "for sure" diagnosis. Many times they aren't sure. Ask her & find out what she says.

[Seeker101]

My T couldn't diagnose. I had to see the psychiatrist for that. After my psychiatrist diagnosed, my T told me after I asked her.

IMHO, I think it's important to know your own diagnosis. So what if it's a label? It's no more a label than diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. Just my 2 cents.

Hi Beaflower. That is an interesting question. I was not officially told my diagnosis until I asked. Pdoc has my diagnosis as anxiety. Therapist has it as depression. I know that seems odd. Pdoc treats me only for anxiety (no antidepressant works for me). T treats me for depression. She rarely sees my anxiety in her office.
And, yes, I would ask for your diagnosis.

[BeaFlower]

Thanks. Maybe I'll do. But I'll be a bit embarrassed I'm comfortable with my t, but I'm still a bit embarrassed saying certain things. How could I ask?
And I'll have to think about what to say if she asks why I want to know. Actually, I don't know exactly...I just want to know.

[January]

Just say, "What is my diagnosis?" If she asks why, say, "I'd like to know."

[BeaFlower]

I'd like to use a more indirect way...could I ask something like 'Do you think that my anxiety is excessive or normal?' ? Would it be too indirect?

[possum220]

Over many years I have seen people who aren't qualified in therapy but they counsel people. On two separate occasions they had come to the same conclusion but they didn't tell me because they want to scare me. I didn't ask them at the time because I didn't have a clue what they were thinking.

Point being if you what to know ask. And if needs be throw in the question Why?

[secretgalaxy]

It is kind of hard to be indirect with Ts as they act like they don't know what you want. My T would act completely oblivious about something until I completely come out and say/ask about it. But you can lead up to the question, as that tends to help me get up enough courage to ask about whatever I want to ask about.

[gayleggg]

It's important to know you diagnosis. So yes I would ask because they have to put down a diagnosis when they file for insurance claims, so she should have a good idea by now. I would be a little more direct than you suggested.

I really learned my diagnosis from the reciept that I recieved from my pdoc but my therapist agreed with it. I have however wondered if I might also be BPD but have been too scared to ask. After thinking over my response to your question, I think that I will ask next time I go, because it is good to know what information is floating about out there in the insurance databases.

U can contact your insurance company for a report on billing which unusually will have the dx. I did that when a T was leaving my insurance system. I was surprised by what he had reported to the insurance company. I took the report in and asked why he had marked x,y,z when he told me a,b,c. He said it was an insurance thing. By giving me that dx more sessions were covered. Then he said I really didn't fit neatly into either dx. I was upset cuz whoever saw the insurance report would think I had x,y,z. That could included my employer or would be future employer. Even to be a volunteer at some places a complete background check is done.

[Coco3]

I was also a little afraid to ask my T about my diagnosis. I still don't know why. Maybe because he never talked about it at all? When I finally asked, he answered normally, there was nothing to be ashamed about.

I asked my T after a couple of years. He didn't want to say - he doesn't think diagnoses are useful. He has presbribed antidepressants for me, though, and they at least help me sleep better.

[eeyorestail]

The idea that a therapist can withhold what they've diagnosed a client with from the client is baffling to me. I don't really care if they don't think diagnoses are "useful;" it is the way the system works right now and so they need to deal with it in that context. Mental health diagnoses have an impact on people's lives--they play a role in whether you can get life insurance, for example. Withholding a diagnosis for a client's supposed benefit is misguided paternalism at best. Would a medical doctor withhold a diagnosis of a physical disease for fear of upsetting the patient? I should hope not.

I think anyone who wants to know his/her diagnosis should be able to ask their therapist with the expectation of getting a straight answer. If a client doesn't want to know, I guess that's fine, but he/she should recognize the limitations that puts on his/her ability to find the best care.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by krminnj

The idea that a therapist can withhold what they've diagnosed a client with from the client is baffling to me. I don't really care if they don't think diagnoses are "useful;" it is the way the system works right now and so they need to deal with it in that context. Mental health diagnoses have an impact on people's lives--they play a role in whether you can get life insurance, for example. Withholding a diagnosis for a client's supposed benefit is misguided paternalism at best. Would a medical doctor withhold a diagnosis of a physical disease for fear of upsetting the patient? I should hope not.

I think anyone who wants to know his/her diagnosis should be able to ask their therapist with the expectation of getting a straight answer. If a client doesn't want to know, I guess that's fine, but he/she should recognize the limitations that puts on his/her ability to find the best care.

I hope that wasn't intended as a response to me? Because if so, I guess I must have phrased myself badly. My T hasn't withheld any diagnosis - I don't have one. There is no actual need for T to diagnose me, since I don't need to be on sick leave, and the labels don't change how he works. And if he actually did have a firm diagnosis for me he sure as hell wouldn't withhold it from me - I asked him, after all! The only thing that is might be interesting for is my medication, which in my case is antidepressants - and since "depression" is pretty much an umbrella term for a range of things, antidepressants might help even if you are not diagnosed with depression, and they might not work even if you are.

[BudFox]

If you study the history of psychiatry, mental disorders, and the DSM you might question whether any of these diagnoses even have any validity. Many will point out that most mental illness labels have little or no factual basis.

I understand that insurance companies and other institutions require them, but I consider their use and misuse to be a dangerous thing. Once a professional hits you with one, who knows what sort of internal changes result, as you start to believe you have some disorder.

Again, check the history of psychiatry and the DSM and see how boundaries for what is "normal" vs "abnormal" were progressively and even arbitrarily widened to bring more people into the mental illness camp and to sell more drugs.

[BeaFlower]

Thanks to everybody who answered.
Gayle, I'm happy to have given you this idea
Coco, hope that my experience will be similar
It's true that diagnosis change and that they can be just 'labels', but I think that sometimes it's also 'comforting' to know that you have a disorder that many other people have and that can be treated.

[BlessedRhiannon]

My T never just came out and told me "By the way, I think you have xxx." I had to initiate that conversation and once I asked, she was willing to share her thoughts. It wasn't that she was with-holding a diagnosis or not willing to tell me what she thought, she just didn't bring it up and waited for me to ask.

My pdoc was much more willing to diagnose and share his diagnosis with me, but in the context of a medical discussion, talking about a diagnosis comes more naturally than it does in a therapy conversation.

After my pdoc gave me his latest diagnosis, I asked my T if she thought it fit me and she said that from her viewpoint, it did.