[Dons1mpson]

Hello all

I’m Josh, I’m 14 and I suspect that I suffer from a schizophrenic disorder.

First of all, I suffer from mild paranoia that people are sometimes “Setting me up”. It’s not any thing too extreme and it doesn’t affect my day to day living, but it does leave me feeling very uncomfortable around people.

I also sometimes have delusions that I can see or hear things that aren’t really there, however they are as common of hearing a voice “Inside” my head which is there pretty much 24/7. I’ve spoken to “him” for as long I can remember. Usually he’s another person to speak to, however, when I’m feeling bad he makes me feel worse, by insulting and telling me I’ll worthless.

I often believe him and feel worthless and that life isn’t worth living. I often think of committing suicide.

I understand that there is history of Schizophrenia on my mother’s side (not sure of the exact details because she was adopted).

Well, Can I please hear what you guys think?

Thanks

[JustBen]

I truly hope you find the support you need in these forums, but I don't think it's a good idea to come here for a diagnosis. Poeple can offer their opinions and all, but you really should talk to a professional, especially if you think about suicide. Have you talked to anyone about what you're going through? A counselor, maybe, or a doctor? Would a crisis line help?

I'm really sorry you're going through this. Hang in there.

[kimmydawn]

hi there and welcome! i agree with what ben said about diagnosis and seeking help. do you think that you might be able to start off with a school counselor or your family dr? i know it's a scary thing to step outside of yourself and do, but i hope you can do this for yourself.

we're here and listening...

kd

[Dons1mpson]

I'll went to see a counselor both at school and at the Local Mental helth Hospital about General anger management before It seemed like I had Schizophrenia. I talked about my feeling then, but it didn't help so I stopped going.

I don't really want to go to a doctor, in case I’m worried about going to a doctor because if I do turn out to have Schizophrenia or some other Mental illness, then It might affect my chances of getting into a good collage or getting work later on in life.

[JustBen]

I don't think employers are allowed to see your health records at all. I'm pretty sure the same kind of thing applies to colleges. Does anyone know about these laws more specifically?

[misty]

will you depend on others opinions on what is normal?

No employess are NOT allowed to see medical records. In fact since the federal HIPPA Privacy Law went into effect NO one is allowed ANY AND ALL information about a persons physical and mental health with out the client first signing a release form first and that release form expires every 6 months. Back in march 2004 a DHS caseworker found a therapy letter I had put into some stuff for my son. the therapist was delivering the stuff for me to DHS because everytime I did the caseworker was harrassing me to admit to something I did not do to my son and for which I have been since cleared of. Anyway I forgot to tell my therapist it was in there and she forgot to look just in case. The caseworker say the envelop addressed to my therapist, opened it, read it, copied and distributed it to all on the case. Long story short the judge ruled with out an active release form it was illegal for the caseworker to have done what she did. I also contacted the caseworkers supervisor and the district supervisor and the civil rights department (since breaches of HIPPA fall into their jurisdiction) the outcome was that the caseworker was placed under investigation, removed from my case when it was found she had breached my rights and other laws and rules of ethics on my case, her other cases were put under review while she was placed on administrative leave and fired. DHS now has to promenently display the privacy code and phone numbers and addresses and complaint proceedures. The civil rights office is also keeping my complaint and outcome on file in case there are others with this same problem. There are also United states disabilites act which states a person can not be stopped from obtaining schooling and job opportunities based on physical and or mental disability

Your medical and mental health records are now safe and can not be used against you in obtaining schooling and jobs.

[JustBen]

Thanks for the clarification, myself. I'm sure that's comforting to many members.

Ben - Here is a link for detailed info on Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIPAA.

Scroll to the bottom for links to the actual legislation. It's painful to read, but can come in handy.

Don - Please talk to someone about your worries - your parents, school nurse or social worker, etc. and tell them about the voice in your head. Write down what he says to you and show them. Tell them how the voice makes you feel. Sometimes it hard for a teenager to get adults to listen...so writing it down can help. I think we read better than we listen!

Take care, and keep in touch!

emmy

[jmo531]

HIPAA is in the US.

Dons1mpson is in London. I am not sure if the same rules apply.

So is HIPPA which is a different thing. HIPPA is not an agency like HIPAA. HIPPA is a United States Federal Law. They also have a webiste but I had better luck as in faster response and investigation by locating my regions Civil Rights Office which are the people who investigate and go after those that break this law.

[jmo531]

HIPPA is a privacy law that was passed to protect the rights and privacy of patients. However, I have worked in the medical field for a very long time and to be quite honest.....after HIPPA became law, we had to provide more personal information about the patient then we did prior to the law being passed. See, I think patient for the most part are unaware of the law itself and what information is actually being past on.

Also, patient will frequently get very upset at their DR appointments because there is more paperwork to fill out then there used to be. Patients need to know....this is not the fault of the provider. It is the insurance companys that now require all of the information.

OK OK OK. I am way off topic here. SORRY!!!

All medical including mental health personnel in the united states now upon intake be it for therapy an ER visit or family physicians must give a paper to the client that explains thier rights to privacy and how that agency can on emergency basis of threat of harm to themselves or others disclose information that will enable the person to recieve treatment. The clients are asked to read it then initial that they read and understand what they have read. Some people have been known to say Ive read it before and initialed it without actually reading it. Patients are being informed of the law according to the laws standards. Some agencies go above the standards of placing this stuff in written form and having them initial after reading it by actually taking time to read through it with their clients. If a patient isn't informed about this law they have done like I did before having the caseworker from hell bluffed reading and initialed to save time. Now I not only read it I look for changes that may have been made to the law since my last initializing. Yes insurance needs some info but they dont ask for major details. they ask the prescribing doctor to write down the diagnosis and treatment plan but they don't go into symtoms and what is said during exams and therapy and so on. They just want to know that the money they are giving out is going to legitimate claims. My family physician said this law actually made his life easier because he cant go into major details like he used to have to. Everything is now by code numbers too. as he called it - "It's now name rank and serial number and if they need anything else I tell them I must see an active signed release form from client before disclosing more information persuent to HIPPA Privacy Law." The insurance companies usually pay and don't require more information from him.

[jmo531]

Hmmmmm.

I worked in the Medical billing field for over 10 years. There is much more information that the insurance comp requires to issue payment on a claim. This includes the dx and office notes most of the time. All procedures and dx are submitted to the insurance company using standard ICD-9 and CPT coding. That has always been the case. Maybe its different for GP's. I have always worked for specialists.

I went to by doctor yesterday for my 6 month check. He showed me the form. There were numbers on the top. Space for name address phone number diagnosis space . on the side were a list of covered diagnosis and corresponding numbers he wrote the number of Depression in the space. Under treatment there was a space and on the side options with numbers he wrote the number for medication check up in the space then at the bottom it states Other information. in this spot he wrote the words will not be disclosed without an active release form signed by client and insurance company persuent to HIPPA Privacy Law. and then he signed his signatiure. My therapist agency also needs my signature every six months on her form for the insurance company. Again she does not go into detail . Diagnosis - PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder (in the space for scale she writes 9) Depression. Then in treatment area we list 4 goals to work on and then she and I both sign and date it. Thats it no details on spefic session talks and so on. Insurance companies DO NOT need to know (And since HIPPA was enacted they CAN NOT know with out the clients permission) what is said and done in sessions just that their money is going where it is supposed to go. Those insurance companies that are requiring more can be and should be reported to the nearest Civil Rights Office for investigation.

ANY ONE can report ANY agency for breach of this law and the Civil Rights Office WILL investigate to make sure the comany has the privacy law promently displayed and is following the law.

The Civil Rights Office governing HIPPA for Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and parts of California is located in Seattle Washington. Person to Contact - Sarah Brown. From personal experience they did a terrific job. My complaint against DHS caseworker Cynthia Garnero-Stocker was acted on in a very timely manner during the time Civile Rights was investigating I had also had the district supervisor investigating for the state. Between the two investigations Oregon DHS must now promentenly display the privacy law (which they were supposed to have been doing but weren't) and Cynthia Garnero Stocker was found to have been breaching HIPPA privacy law, breach of state and federal mental health laws and rights of ethics, Harrassment and making untrue statements in court hearings and to others on my case. She was removed from my case, put on administrative leave while her other files were investigated and she lost her state license and was fired. She can no longer work for the state of Oregon. So you see I know what HIPPA is and the laws surrounding HIPPA, Clients rights and various agencies - therapeutic, physical and insurance. If you are with these such agencies that are still requiring more information without active release forms my suggestion is to find a way to come up to code before your agency gets reported by an upset cleint. As Cynthia Garnero and the state of Oregon found out irt is not fun when HIPPA catches up with you.