Topic Tuesday // What use is a diagnosis? // 19 July, 7pm AEST

I've noticed a couple of strong themes in this discussion - diagnosis can be somewhat of a double-edged sword, in that it can help build insight and guide effective treatment, but it can also lead to stigma (from self and others!) and uncertainty about whether recovery is possible.

A key thing mentioned seems to be that diagnosis can change your view of yourself. For example, both @Former-Member and @Buttertfly mentioned feeling "broken". @CherryBomb asked how you can separate a diagnosis from your identity, rather than them becoming fused. Here are two of my ideas:

1. Consider a psychological diagnosis as you would a physical injury or illness, such as a broken leg or diabetes
2. Identify yourself by positive aspects of your lives and personalities, rather than just by challenging symptoms related to your diagnosis

I'm curious to hear others' ideas about how they maintain a sense of separation between their diagnosis and themselves?

@Butterfly and myself are both Health Professionals with PTSD and Major Depression. We have felt the stigma from our own colleagues. As a result, both of us tend to keep it all to ourselves. That makes it hard. It is hard pretending to be all together and hiding every day what is going on inside of us. I am not sure what @Butterfly does at work, but I know that AHPRA, the registering body for health professionals in Australia, does not take kindly to those of us with "mental illnesses". We have to jump through major hoops to prove ourselves. That is another added stressor. We understand therefore how all of you and our patients feel regarding the stigma and the "need" to not say anything to anyone and to masquerade as if everything is "normal" in our world. Labels stick whether they are true or appropriate or not. Like I often say to people, "Normal is a cycle on a washing machine" and "Labels belong on jeans and jam jars." I have to go soon, but please know that not all health professionals are negative or dismissive of "mental illness". I never was prior to PTSD, and I never will be. I had a chronic debilitating illness years ago and I always said "I will control it, it will not control me". I hope I can one day do the same with PTSD and I hope you all can too.

Time check - only 15 minutes left! Perhaps we can use this time to focus on @Shimmer's question:

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Shimmer wrote:

I'm curious to hear others' ideas about how they maintain a sense of separation between their diagnosis and themselves?

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And of course, if you have any final thoughts, now is the time to share them.

I just want to say thankyou for giving me a different perspective on my diagnosis - that it doesnt define me - to view it like a physical illness that does not impact my whole being. Having a diagnosis of a personality disorder has defined me and led to defiance against the labelling and also giving up and resignation which exacerbated my depression. Now to see it differently and to use this diagnosis as a guide for help and recovery is much more hopeful and empowering.

Hi CherryBomb,

In relation to the stigma of lables, I feel that we need to remember that we the patients are people & not illnesses. Nobody goes around for example saying 'Hi I'm Lisa & I'm asthma' or 'Hi I'm arthritis'. Whilst the community at large has become more open to discussions about mental health, it is still common to receive 'suck it up' or 'pull yourself together' if you honestly answer any questions about how you're feeling. I think that being proactive in researching your symptoms & finding a psych professional who actually listens to what you're saying is a huge step toward getting better. I also agree with another contributor, that the Family Court system, and other professionals, choose what they want to acknowledge & forget to look at the entire individual but only their 'worrying diagnosis'.

I'm unsure whether I'm using the correct language here, but whilst we continue to lable ourselves, others will too. This flaw or habit is not limited to our peers, but also to the community & professionals at large. There are many illnesses which are treated whole of life, yet there's no stigma attached. The more the community & professionals are educated to the reality of mental illness & indeed many 'invisible illness' the less stigma will be attached. The only way this can happen is if there are some of us willing to speak out & also, if those of our peers who use their diagnosis as a cop-out or excuse for bad behaviour don't.

If we are not there for each other, how are we ever going to expect the wider community to understand. It doesn't matter what we discuss amongst ourselves if the wider community, professional and otherwise, doesn't get the message. Whilst we may very well be the ground breakers here to try to make or promote a change in attitude and approach to mental health diagnosis & societal acceptance, if we're unable to overcome our own shame, we will never be able to reach this goal.

If we as a community are unable to hold our heads high & show that we are not what widely views imply (Gothica, Freddy Kruger type people for example), how can we expect those not living with mental illness to understand? If we don't allow our neighbours and friends and the world at large actually see what's going on with us at all levels, as hard as it is to show, how will acceptance ever be had?

The more widely promoted forums are, the more of us who know about each other (not necessarily personally), the more of us (like the HIV stigma in the 80s) are open and willing to talk publicly to the widers community with a true understanding and examples of fighting and living with our various diagnoses, the easier it will become for those with current and future mental health (sanity) challeges.

It is important to note, that we also need to remember that we are people first, try to focus on the parts of ourselves and our lives that are successful, and not allow ANYONE the opportunity to define us by our diagosis.

Whilst a bit long winded, I hope this made sense.

Cheers, Lisa_m