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Does anyone else have trouble with this?

Eden1919Senior Contributor13 Aug 2018, 12:08 am AEST

Does anyone else have trouble with this?

So I am wondering if anyone else has trouble accepting/believing that they have a mental illness? I know all my doctors say I do but deep down inside I don't really believe it like I feel like they are just wrong like maybe there is something going on but they don't know what else to call it. And honestly I just can't fully believe it like I if I am completely honest what I believe deep deep down in my core is that I am just different and well honestly I think I am psychic like I know not everyone believes in that stuff but it would explain so so so much and it makes sense and it just feels right but then everyone outside keeps me telling me I am sick and ugh idk something just feels off and I am not sure what to think anymore.

3 replies

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In response to: Does anyone else have trouble with this?

Unknown userMember13 Aug 2018, 3:18 pm AEST

Re: Does anyone else have trouble with this?

Hi @Eden1919,

Thank you for sharing this. Some people find a diagnois can be a helpful way of explaining thier experience, both to themselves and to others. Some people also find it helps to get them onto the right treatment pathway. At the end of the day though, a diagnosis of a mental illness can only ever be one part of someones identity. And if you dont want your diagnosis to be part of your identity at all, there is no real reason why you have to own it. It's possible to continue to get treatment and support for the things that you struggle with, without needing to make having a mental illness part of your story.

How would things be different for you if you rejected the label 'mentall illness'? Are there any potential down sides to this?

Do others ever have a difficult time acceping that they have a mental illness? And how neccasary do you think it is, to identify with having a mental illness, in terms of recovery?

In response to: Re: Does anyone else have trouble with this?

Eden1919Senior Contributor14 Aug 2018, 7:15 pm AEST

Re: Does anyone else have trouble with this?

@Former-Member For me it has absolutely nothing to do with identity. I don't attach my supposed illness to my identity at all never have and never will. I was more thinking of something like when a doctor tells you that you have a broken bone or a cold or god forbid cancer.... if a doctor tells you that you have a physical illness you don't tend to question it at all you just go with it and deal but with mental health it is like you question it a lot more and it seems a lot more open for discussion than a physical diagnosis of some kind. I guess I am just wondering why it is so different.... idk never mind.

In response to: Re: Does anyone else have trouble with this?

Unknown userMember17 Aug 2018, 5:18 pm AEST

Re: Does anyone else have trouble with this?

Hi @Eden1919,

Sorry that I misunderstood what you meant. Your explaination makes a lot of sense. I'm also not sure why it's so different. I guess one thing that comes to mind is that usually physical diagnois can be confirmed with things like scans and blood tests. Mental health diagnosis on the other hand realy require people not just to trust thier doctor, but to have trust in the medical model. So yeah, I think it makes sense to have doubts and to question things. I hope that you find an explaination of your experiences that sits well with you soon.

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