I'm just wondering... do your mental health professionals and medical professionals believe you?

When I first sought help, no one believed me about my symptoms. They assumed I was exaggerating or flat out lying. My first therapist even said that I couldn't have experienced depressoin since I initially didn't know what it was. (The truth is that no one ever described depression to me, so I didn't know what melancholic depression was. I assumed you had to be sad in order to be depressed. Then I *finally* knew what depression was when my pdoc explained it to me.) My GP thought I was lying as well... and my first pdoc assumed I was dead wrong about everything.

And it's interesting... I never went into the office and said "hey, I have depression" or "hey, I have bipolar". I didn't self diagnose AT ALL. I filled out a bunch of paperwork and questionnaires, and they all assumed I was lying! Then they used me as a guinea pig and gave me a bunch of random meds to see how I'd react to them. And sure enough, I became manic on that sh_t.

Soem professionals still don't believe me!

My therapists and psychiatrists have always believed me.

[DodgersMom]

sure

mine told me outright he always believes what he is told as he has no way of proving clients would be lying. he just hopes that people genuinely want the help and are honest about things

A mixed bag for me.

Psychiatrist - yes on anxiety disorders, no on suicidal thoughts, no on SH and mild depression, mixed on "abuse", yes on family dysfunction, no on LGBTQphobia
Ex T - no on anxiety disorders, no on suicidal thoughts, yes on SH, don't know on mild depression, yes on "abuse" (she told me my parents abused me), no on family dysfunction, yes on LGBTQPhobia
Current T - yes on anxiety disorders, no on suicidal thoughts, yes on SH, don't know on mild depression, yes on "abuse" (she insists my parents abused me), yes on family dysfunction, no on LGBTQPhobia

[stopdog]

They have stated they did believe me - I have not idea if they meant it. I probably more disbelieve them whenever they say anything.

[Nammu]

I've always been believed about symptoms....it's the side effects they poo pooed.

My psychiatrist always believes me. My therapist doesn't always seem to believe me, it can be difficult. Strange thing is-I don't lie to him.

I've had trouble with those on the medical field not believing me. It can trigger difficult emotional states related to childhood trauma. Odd that I don't have that trouble with psychiatrists but have the problem with doctors who are not in psych.

I don't think they have much knowledge about mental health and wonder what they are taught. Having PTSD in my health record has caused these problems perhaps. I resent them knowing I have this. Don't have a solution but to change doctors when this happens.

Sad to read how this happens to you.

[ScarletPimpernel]

My Ts and Pdocs have always believed me. It probably helos that I used to SI so they could physically see it. It also helps that it's been documented back to when I was 13.

The ONLY time anyone has not believed me on something is one time when I cried in front of ex-T. She thought I was faking it.

Yeah, My pdoc is brilliant and believes me 100%. My T was great too. My CPN was fantastic but I don't see her anyone and I miss talking to her.

[1stepatatime]

Yes, she's always believed everything I've told her . In the very beginning when I asked if she believed me she said that she had no reason not to.

Most of them haven't, no. It seems that I don't fit neatly into their diagnostic boxes, which clearly means to them that I'm a liar, not that their boxes are too simplistic for the complexities of human feelings and experiences. However, the last 3 pdocs I've had in this city have all believed me. To be honest, after so long, I question why they would? Not because I am lying, but because I cannot prove any of the things which happen in my head. Also, being believed has its costs too. They've diagnosed me with something I don't agree I have, want me to take meds that cause issues worse than my current situation, and have had me locked up IP against my will for the last 13 months. At least when I was called a liar, I had my freedom...

*Willow*