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Diagnosis not helpful - any ideas?

Unknown userMember07 Mar 2017, 6:02 pm AEDT

Diagnosis not helpful - any ideas?

I'm feeling a little off and wanted to share because I am sure there are people here who will understand and maybe someone can share how they've coped?

I have never found diagnosis or labels etc. helpful for me but completely respect that it's an individual thing and for many people it can be very helpful. Anyway, I'm at a stage where my mental health is impacting my life to an extent that I am currently unable to work or study and needed to obtain a medical certificate. I asked my psychologist to provide the documentation to my G.P. which included an official diagnosis (up until this point for the years I have been seeing the psychologist I didn't want to hear those kinds of words). I read over the letter to my G.P. and got my certificate and I feel absolutely awful about it all. This happened last week and I have an appointment to hand over my letter tomorrow which is possibly why I am feeling rubbish tonight. I don't want to go. I don't want to have to hand it over and I don't want to accept that this is the point I have reached. I am so frustrated.

I'm wondering whether anyone else who doesn't find diagnosis helpful has been in a similar situation, and how you got through it? Has anyone got any ideas how to be ok with not being ok?

Thanks

Funshine

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In response to: Diagnosis not helpful - any ideas?

Unknown userMember08 Mar 2017, 10:13 pm AEDT

Re: Diagnosis not helpful - any ideas?

@utopia i think that's another thing for me is that I've dealt with this for years and have learnt a lot of great coping skills but following a pretty major event recently, they all stopped working and that's part of the whole "what's the point" thing too. But maybe looking at it like a chance to learn some new ones or refine the old ones is a good way of seeing it. I too have PTSD and MDD so it's great to hear your recovery story and it helps with the whole hope thing. Thanks again.

Hi @Former-Member. I really like the idea of looking at things as a set of symptoms and being able to traige them. I can get really down, or be flighty, or sad, or have heaps of energy, or kind of obssess over things, or get really scared etc. and being able to work out what is currently needing attention or what 'symptom' is causing me the most problems, might also help me to manage. Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂

In response to: Re: Diagnosis not helpful - any ideas?

Unknown userMember10 Mar 2017, 9:53 pm AEDT

Re: Diagnosis not helpful - any ideas?

hi @Former-Member

just remember that just because you have a diagnosis doesnt really change who you are.. it can help you become a better person though. with a diagnosis you are able to get the right therapies designed for these conditions and in time you can be a 'better' you 🙂

i use to think the same way, but after being on here and readin many stories and comments and having my own threads its made me realises it just a diagnosis. something that is given a name to describe its characteristics.

i have PTSD, GAD, social phobia, health anxiety and depression so these do require different therapies but in time i can continue to improve on these and i have faith that in time you can do the same 🙂

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