When I was seen by the local mental health services, the thing which threw them most was the fact that I clearly had more than one problem at once. They could not get around diagnosing me with major depression and an anxiety disorder. They also knew I was anorexic but I later found out they hadn’t diagnosed it. I was refed and then told I could not be anorexic since my BMI was too high. Unfortunately my mindset hadn’t changed and I eventually went backwards until I got the diagnoses. They also laughed when I said a counsellor had suggested I had ptsd since they felt it wasn’t bad enough without even knowing the situation.
I don’t want several mental health diagnoses but, especially in the case of eating disorders, I do feel that having them called by their name helps you to see them for what they are. Following my post: ptsd-ish, I got some very kind responses in the comments for which I am very grateful. They helped me to realise what I am going through isn’t normal, but that I am not the only one either.
People say you shouldn’t want a label because you aren’t your illness(es), but this is precisely why I think it can really matter to people. It separates the normal you from your illness. It helps you accept that it’s not all your fault and that you aren’t making it up. Sometimes it may even aid recovery.
I was given the impression that I was just wanting labels for more problems than I had. That I had no right to them because I was in some way not good enough; but I’d give anything not even to know what these things are. I think it was partly because the health service couldn’t cope with complex needs. They wanted me to fit in a box.
But who does really?
Has anyone experienced really good support for more than one physical/mental illness? Have you ever been misdiagnosed and how has it affected you?
Luthienthegreen 
I spent 14 years diagnosed with dysthymia and anxiety disorder with panic attacks. They fed me anti-depressants which fed my mania and crashes. After finding a proper diagnosis of bipolar two and meeting mood stabilizers, things got a little better. But yeah, my file looks more like a collegiate dictionary because of years of wrong diagnoses or disagreeing professionals who confuse me more than my brain does. It’s frustrating to feel like you have to apologize for having more than one diagnosis.
I like your doodles, it’s good to have a sense of humor about it. Otherwise, we’d all be drinking the magic Kool-Aid. x
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That must have been so frustrating… did you realise what it was yourself? Sometimes it takes a while to dawn on you but if you already know in yourself what the real problem is and they won’t accept it it’s even worse.
Yep, so true. We would! I guess humour is the only way of coping somehow… I’m so glad you like them and thanks for reading!
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I knew it was manic depression but my ups lasted so briefly (long enough to wreck my credit with shopping sprees and ruin relationships) the doctors in this idiotic town didn’t recognize anything but the depressive bouts. My counselors even saw it but the doctors dismissed their thoughts, too.
Occasionally, I miss the manic energy and uninhibited glee, but for the most part…mood stabilizers saved my life. The sad part is, the national average in the U.S. for getting a proper mental health diagnosis about 13 years. I thought I was just victim to a small town’s limited mental healthcare options and poor insurance but turns out…it’s way too prevalent here.
Not sure of conversion rates but if having more than one diagnosis costs an extra $2000…I’m in debt for about 12 grand 😉 Loved that one.
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Gosh that’s probably even longer than it takes here…most people go private here whether or not they can afford it by now since the free national health service that the country is so proud of has basically collapsed in most places. No doubt some people do get free help but the number is decreasing all the time. At least you now have drugs that help a bit. I’m glad you liked the drawings 😉
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I have undiagnosis they just make it up as they go along. It was awful for me I had no idea band still have no concrete idea just a best fit. They just want you to be a good patient and take your meds. Stay strong and push for what you want
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Thank you, you too! I think often we know in ourselves what it really is.
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I have learnt that you can make yourself very very ill. You are more powerful than you know. Having undiagnosed was probably the worst part as I drove myself crazy with trying to figure out what was wrong and which of the twenty+ suggested diagnosis I had! I took control of my own life and slowly but surely got on the road to recovery. I tried a selection of head meds but also practiced yoga, meditation and began writing out how I felt – something worked 🙂
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That’s great! I have also found that finding my own way to recovering is best. Drawing, writing and diy have all done far more for me that the meds I was on. Thanks for commenting 😊
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I wish you well on your journey, do what makes you happy
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Thank you!
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I was told I was Obsessive-Compulsive with depression. I believe I have PTSD, dissociation, generalized anxiety, delusions and social phobia. I learned this from reading. I even heard voices sometimes.
Yeah, I’m a lot worse than they said I was. If they had been good at diagnosing me, I could have gotten a disability check every month. But my psychiatrist and medical doctor said I could work. I haven’t worked at a job for around 30 years. We have always had a hard time financially because of this.
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I’m sorry to hear that. Sadly there seems to be very little in the way of disability benefit here too and they declare almost everyone fit to work whether or not it is feasible. I wish doctors would listen more because most people already sort of know what’s wrong with them or will work it out.
Doctors have certainly denying the completely obvious to me.
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Your cartoon for this post made me laugh this morning. I feel like that a lot with my physical conditions added to everything too! It took me awhile to get diagnosed with the anxiety disorder and depression but only because it took me so long to get into some sort of treatment. I had been having symptoms for years but once I started at a clinic, I received the diagnosis’. They may be adding another one again soon. Bipolar disorder has always been on their radar but I have never actually been formally diagnosed with that. But I’m definitely feeling symptoms of it lately. Overall, I feel pretty comfortable with the professionals I see, so I’m grateful for that.
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I’m so glad you liked it! Do you think that the diagnoses help you to recognise your problems or does it feel like just another label? For me it’s been really useful because you don’t feel it’s all your fault…
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When I was trying to have my fibromyalgia diagnosed and I had a sleep study done… I was at a follow up appointment and the doctor told me I had “sleep intoxication” I had never heard that term, went home to look it up and found it only on a urban language post NOT a legitimate diagnosis. He also labeled me as bi-polar (which I am not) in my chart but did not say it. Thankfully my family doctor agreed with me and removed it from my chart. I have been lucky in my mental health care to have a couple of really good doctors who keep me fairly grounded now.
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That’s really good that they took it off. I hate it when doctors make comments on files behind our backs. They often seem to want to diagnose everything except what we actually have… I can’t understand it. At least you’ve got a good family doctor, which is great 😀
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I think having more than one diagnosis is hard to accept at first but once you accept and learn about the illness then it finally makes sense. Once you understand what is happening and why maybe than it makes it a little easier to understand what is happening to you and how you can better cope with what is happening and maybe what the triggers are etc. After I finally understood and accepted that I truly did have PTSD things made more sense to me and I also understood and truly saw how my PTSD was triggered and what triggered it and that my PTSD triggered my bipolar symptoms. It all started to make sense. My Psychiatrist told me these things for years and it took me years to truly get it and believe him. It made a difference. It was very hard to realize and believe that my parents were a big trigger for me since they were part of the main cause of my PTSD from past childhood abuse and trauma. Seeing my parents less often helped my bipolar sympostoms as hard as that is tol deal with. I kept trying to get love from my parents etc. but it was never going to happen and my P-doc had been telling me that for years. It was like a pattern. As soon as I visited my parents I would later end up in the hospital again. Quite a pattern and I was a slow learner…
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