Does a diagnosis really help?

@PeppiPatty I am much nicer to people when I'm not on medication. I am more in tune with myself and them and their feelings. I might talk to myself in public a lot and forget what I was doing though but I have learnt to take notes on my iphone. Not sure why there is such a stigma attached to talking to oneself it is quite helpful.

That is a large number of curtains... Why was your husband so tired?

lol @DefiantPanda Talking out loud is helpful to me too.

I used to be mortified about it but there are those advantages to getting older.

Just put in a mobile phone ear plug and no one will question you talking out loud in public. Problem solved!

Dearest @DefiantPanda

Yes, it is a large number of curtains but they covered the whole place, windows everywhere......

My husband get's tired and gets cramps in his hands because of his medication. Im not allowed to talk about him but somewhere.....I think it is on a lived experience thread called .... SAdgirl and friends is his story.......let me check that up in the next week.

Interesting that you are a nicer person not on medication. I think that is the difference for myself and you but what I feel is that Im a LOT more active, more neurotic and more..........devestated and I don't think I'de make it anymore without medication.

If you've been really ill then I think a diagnosis is important. Its something I've taken very seriously, keeping all my medical appointments and taking the medication as prescribed. Its how you can treat the illness and avoid relapses, and live a healthy life.

But for me, it is something between medical staff, and my spouse and I. And also for authorities to know if that can be of a benefit to me, like Centrelink. But that is all. I don't tend to tell people about my primary diagnosis. I feel there is too much stigma and I sense that people have treated me differently after they have found out over the last 20 years.

My secondary diagnosis, I tell people about that on a need to know basis only, as I don't feel its as bad and explains my behaviour and life style choices. Yet, people in my extended family still don't understand it or respect it. But I don't like to use my diagnosis as an excuse other than that.

My diagnosis isn't me, it doesn't define me. I am still a normal person in my mind and live as normally as I can manage. Its just a private thing, that is all.

Absolutely! Knowing what is going on within me, empowers me. I am able to make informed choices and decisions based on what I need to do to live the life I choose to live, rather than be pulled from pillar to post by something I am not aware of.

i might not like what I am told, or the fact it's not what I had in mind ( pardon the pun!) however I can cake that information and not only empower myself but also my two children under 12.

I am not defined by a label, nor by the stats, but I do recognise and acknowledge it is a part of me and that part, is celebrated with the rest of me. 🙂

I agree @Heartworks,I think a diagnosis is very important, totally for carer, wife and person who has MI.

because you know where you are

Hello @DefiantPanda, @RosyColour, @Kurra, @PeppiPatty

@PeppiPatty I suppose it all comes down to what medication and what effect it has on you individually 🙂 I'm not against medication at all, just need a break from it myself for a while, but it got me out of a few tough situations in the past for sure. Hello @Shaz51 how are you?