Poll Who Diagnosed You?

[Deleted member 541]

I was diagnosed by a psychiatrist, the head of our local psych ward. I had attempted suicide(again) and Phil finally got me to open up in his office one day. His tactics are to not let up on you until you talk. I finally blurted out that I just can't stand the shit in my head, like pictures that keep poping up, or a movie that keeps showing just one clip over and over again.

He asked if I had ever had a traumatic event? I looked at him and answered, "Yeah which one would you like to hear about? The beatings, the mental abuse, the emotional abuse or the molestations? All created by my loving family."

I was dx'ed then. That was about 13 yrs ago, but have had flashbacks, anxiety, panic attacks since I was around 10 yrs old. I am 53 now. Fun, fun fun.

 

[skyward_falls]

Perhaps in the U.S. it varies state-to-state. I was living in FL when I was diagnosed. My therapist at the rape crisis center told me she believed I had PTSD but she could not officially diagnose me that a psychiatrist had to do it - which is why I had a therapist and a psychiatrist mainly for the medications.

 

[Marlene]

Diagnosed by a psychiatrist the first time. Began seeing a psychologist who specializes in PTSD and received my second diagnosis.

 

[Sean]

Voted for self.

Right now, the only solid evidence I can use is the false heart-attack reports I have
read. Although they are not pleasant at the time, it is some consolation to learn that
there may not be some strange cardiac abnormality, or a broken rib still sticking into
the aorta. This has been the greatest gain of joining the forum. I'm not dying at the
rate I previously imagined. Hallelujah! Thank you, world.

To learn this means that perhaps, I can stop fearing for my life in these events, and
perhaps some PTSD symptoms remain. Whatever a medical staffer might diagnose is
unlikely to be based on the reality of the pain. Set them off on the wrong track if
anything, I'd predict. I'll listen to the heart first, and trust that it knows what it is
trying to achieve, in the long term, but time will tell. There's always therapy if all
else fails, eh?

 

[map9]

It was in October of 1979. My best friend at work went to a psychiatrist after the Easter Flood that had devastated much of our city. We had had many discussions regarding all the traumatic incidents I had gone through. She said she trusted this woman psychiatrist, as she too had experienced childhood molestation, and believed it would be in my best interest to go see her. It was a hard task to face my personal demons. It was a long and arduous ordeal. Psychiatry has changed along with many of the medications.

The most valuable input I recieved though was from a nonprofit group for childhood abuse victims. It was there that I learned through a twelve step program how all the abuse and the traumatic incidents, as well as my family history, had a hand in shaping me into who I was. I went through it once for my childhood abuse and the second one was for the adulthood abuse. They actually gave the answers I wanted and needed all along that the psychiatrists and psychologists never gave. I feel that any persons wellness hinges upon their own awareness of all of the aspects. Little by little if need be, but don't allow these poor souls (like myself) to live lives of delusions that can easily be dispelled by sharing information.

 

[ptsd_cracker]

2 psychologists and 2 psychiatrists. I should say that they have tried to diagnosis me with everything under the sun. From Bipolar, BPD, schizophrenia etc, etc but they all finally agreed on Extreme PTSD one of the severest cases that they have ever seen. Don't you just love second opinions.

 

[nobody]

I've never seen any doctor for anything other than an injury. They all seem rather useless and opinionated...

 

[mightsurvive]

Hi i want to answer this one but have a question first. what category would a psychologist come under? they arent as highly trained as a psychiatrist and cant prescribe meds but they are more highly trained than a counsellor or therapist as they have a degree in psychology. I have been told that the only person who can be certain that they are making a correct diagnosis is a psychiatrist not a psychologist. My Psychologist didnt say this but told me she thought i almost definitely had PTSD. Maybe my problem in not being sure which category a psychologist would come under is becasue there psychologists only exist in the Europe? Not sure.

 

[sunnydaze]

psy/phy

clinical psychologist first for awhile than sent me to a phy for meds this is how it workes in USA for last 30 years with me. Only saw phy for med changes.
sunnydaze

 

[lrs]

The first time was at a rapid detox center. 2nd time was by a psychiatrist mandated by board of pharmacy, 3rd time at the rehab I was sent to. 4th time was at 2nd rehab.
I was also in 2 psyche hospitals, I do not remember if they did any evaluations at the hospitals.

 

[TaraJ]

I diagnosed myself, after seeing a neurologist, who told me that he would test me for epilepsy if I could afford it; but that he's just about certain that my seizures are all caused by extreme trauma.
I researched it on the web, and found PTSD. The symptoms all seemed to match, except that I also have 'stress-related seizures'.

 

[anthony]

Tara, I would suggest you seek a physician for correct diagnosis as matching symptoms is not a match for PTSD. PTSD actually has criteria beyond theoretical, it extends to behavioural and physical symptoms, which only a physician can assess face to face. You may find your telling yourself you have something that you just may not, which means your going in the wrong direction. Maybe you do have it, but self diagnosis is not even close to accurate. If you read the criteria for acute anxiety disorder, which is PTS, you would say the same thing, that must be me. The same goes for lots of disorders.... you could match yourself to many symptoms, but they are just a theoretical model to help a physician assess an illness, often there are many other elements which are not listed in the theory context as they must assessed.