Living with mental illness is a mind boggling ailment without the diagnosis' that we may or may not get through the years. Just as our "perceptions" are different from the norm, can we not say the same thing about medical experts who diagnose patients according to what "they percieve" to be-in conjunction with their specific field of expertise and or medical knowledge? With the DSM manual always being updated and so many multiple illnesses that underlye an original diagnose, whose to say that each expert's opinion is not simply a variation of that experts perception? (But they are not considered crazy now are they?) So with this being said it is an extreme matter of opinion from the medical viewpoint that is dictated by a general observation of a patients history or symptoms. Somewhat like the "hit or miss" effect with prescribed medications for treatment. Each individual has different physiological makeup that generates different reactions, perceptions, and symptoms to both mental illness, as well as, the multi-faceted symptoms that are revealed in that person's genetic foundation outwardly. Pick a pill any pill, pick a label any label...perhaps it will stick and the patient's diagnosis from a process of elimination can be identified. My perceptions may be skewed but by mental illness and improper diagnosis of such, it appears to me to be the norm in society today. What is your opinion or experience?
I've gotten to the point now that I don't give a shit what they label me anymore because the labels change depending on who I'm talking to at the time. The pills are the pills and in that the pills tend to cross-label and "under the label" be prescribed for this and that and most often not what they were set out to be prescribed for any more... does it really matter? If the pill helps, great. If the pill doesn't, change it - there are others, many many others.
The DSM is for medication and it is for insurance and it is for disability purposes. If you are depressed, you are depressed whether you have Bipolar or Major Depression or Clinical Depression, or Bipolar NOS, or Cyclothymia, or Schizophrenia, or Schizoaffective, or ADHD, or ADD, etc... if you are depressed, you are depressed and there are pills for that.
If you have psychosis, you have psychosis irregardless of your label and too, there are drugs for that. If you have manic symptoms, you have manic symptoms irregardless of your label and too, there are drugs for that. Catch my pattern here?
Psychiatrists and therapists and psychologists all have the same books and for the most part, they all go through the same books in training (though the pdocs have the MD behind them so they go through quite a bit more stuff). They also, all have the DSM and they all use the DSM when they must put a diagnosis on a sheet of paper or on a computer file for billing and/or for disability reports, and for medication purposes.
Each individual has a different perception of what that DSM critieria means based on their education and their experience, not to mention their beliefs. So, you can see 5 pdocs and 3 tdocs and all 8 have similar ideas but different takes on the DSM diagnosis. You can receive different labels depending on who you see, who you talk to, and the symptoms you present with at that time.
The thing they all agree on however, is treating the symptoms because simply - that's all they can do. They can't fix you, cure you, make the disorder go bye bye. They can only treat the symptoms you experience and as your symptoms change, so do your meds. If the meds change the symptoms - oh well, there are other meds for those too.
Ah meds and labels... got to love them, for they are what keeps the world going round.
So very true Tabby! No matter what label we are given at any time, it is up to the individual to educate themselves on their illness, maximize therapy with meds and counseling, self help, and awareness. No one or no pill can make it go bye bye, but the self can relearn, and rewire old patterns or beliefs. Mind over matter doesn't always work but a positive outlook and determination to be well-definately helps while battling mental illness and attached stigmas. Not giving a shit about labels was my point exactly! Thanks for your reply!