Does a diagnosis really help?

@ivana I'm so glad you think I'm not a bad person... At least one person in the world does! Thanks

Hi @MoonGal

Thanks for you input. Glad to hear that in your case a diagnosis did the world of good. I can't actually remember if being on antipsychotics (apart from the side effects) helped me or not... But I'm really glad to hear that you found what works for you. Maybe with enough perseverence I will too one day.

@Rosie yes I feel the same way you used to... The delusions are a part of me now, a part of my identity. Anyways I'm glad you have it under control and lead a good life. I'm still on the fence about the diagnosis but glad to hear it worked out for you.

I love the story of John Nash too. @Former-Member His wife had a hard time, but they both got to go to Copenhagen for his well deserved prize.

@Former-Member yeah that is a really good movie, and he certainly was brilliant... Might watch that again actually just for the hell of it

@PeppiPatty hello, how are you?

My experience was of multiple diagnosis and general mucking about being filled up with a truly awesome cocktail of drugs. This was over several years....I was getting worse and spending a lot of time in hospital.

eventually a diagnosis was reached, and more importantly i was able to establish a therapeutic relationship with a psychiatrist who did not fill me with chemicals or put into care frequently. The diagnosis was a starting point to getting better..I function pretty well these days, am not in therapy and there is a good peer support group in my town.

Hey Defiant Panda.

I understand being unsure about the diagnosis thing. There's pro's & con's to getting one & not getting one. More like it's all a bit of a grey area than black & white.

Personally I've found it really helpful to finally have a correct diagnosis. I had a diagnosis for many years although it was incomplete/incorrect. My symptoms/behaviours/feelings all make a lot more sense now (to me), and it has helped me to start to let go of the beliefs that they are character flaws, which I felt plenty of guilt and shame about. And also felt not in control of, because as much as I wanted them to change or not be there, nothing I did seemed to help. I felt powerless I guess. To have acceptance I had to let go of some ideas and beliefs. From that though I'm learning new ways to manage my experiences & symptoms.

Maybe in choosing not to get a diagnosis, there is some sense of keeping some power & choice for yourself.

I do make an effort to be aware of the label thing & not buy into it. I want to use my diagnosis as a tool to navigate & learn to help me be myself, rather than a label or box that restricts me. I think that is a big part of what dosen't work in our medical system - it's all about breaking things down into smaller things, instead of looking at the bigger picture. And it's focused on illness and disease, rather than on wellness & a whole person. There is a lot of stigma about mental health, I think it's helpful to be aware of ourselves and notice when we might have picked up beliefs about mental health differences being 'bad' or something to be ashamed of.

So I guess you don't need a diagnosis, because you don't have one yet and you've made it to here! Although it may be really helpful. Like you said that as far as you know medication is the only treatment, if you had a diagnosis you could learn about it and maybe find other things that help too. It can also be a bit emotional & take some adjustment when you get a diagnosis, so it's good to be prepared for that and maybe have someone to talk to about it, if you decide to go down that path. Also it's a good idea to make sure you have a really good psychiatrist or whoever is qualified do the diagnosis. They don't all get it right!

Best wishes.