At which stage is a diagnosis given?
 

Hi guys,

I've been to see a psychiatrist and, apart from having an ED (which I had already told them), I have simply been refered to a therapist.

Does this mean that the therapist will be able to make a diagnosis at a later date, or that the psychiatrist doesn't actually think that I have anything (specifically) wrong with me?

I'm not actively seeking to get a diagnosis for the sake of it. I just know that I've had major problems a very long time before the onset of my ED.

I would appreciate any info/opinion you might have on this...

Thanks!

I would ask.

I went to see a psychiatrist to fix my meds, and I wasn't told until I asked what his diagnosis was. In fact it was only when I asked my GP that she gave me the medical diagnosis using ICD-10 language. The psychiatrist explained it slightly differently. The bottom line is that I've been depressed and anxious a long time, and have a bundle of other problems attached to it due to my past....

You should ask as Stellata says. Don't let them mess you about.

Yeah, I think I'll have to ask. I wish I did at the time but it's only afterwards that all of these questions come into my head.

I just expected the 'professional' to give a definite answer to why I am the way I am - even if it meant a few more visits. It's really frustrating!!

Cheers for the response though!

Professionals don't do that all too easily. It took me months to get a diagnosis; they have to "get to know you".

Two years ago, when I was first seeing my psychologist, she sent me to the psychiatrist who said I had mild depression. I was frustrated because it didnt explain all of my symptoms, I was given no medication and things got worse. 3 psychiatric units, a children's ward and many A&E visits later, I was diagnosed properly with PTSD (by a different doctor) and moderate depression. I'm basically saying that you may not get a diagnosis straight away.

Good luck.Your gonna have to ask.But a warning.Dont expect it to be clear cut!!My mental health student social worker was asking me this week if i had a diagnosis.i kind of think maybe he should be telling me that from the notes.i dont know if i currently do.But i have been in and out of the mental health system for years and a lot of people have given me different labels and some said i didnt fit into any diagnosis clearly.Sometimes it was changing by the person and depended on who id see and some didnt mention diagnosis or werent interested in it at all.But i hope you get your answers and maybe i will one day too! As someone posted above though it may be that the services need to get to know you for a bit longer first though if they havent seen you for long.But id definitely ask.Good luck.

Yeah I had to ask as well.

No single diagnosis exists to explain how someone is feeling, so even if you're told that you're "depressed" or whatever, your symptoms aren't going to be as clear-cut as the DSM or ICD says. Most doctors actually don't like giving out a diagnosis for just that reason, once they do, the person then tends to pigeonhole themselves into only being that one thing, e.g. depressed; while ignoring the rest of their personality. My psychologist actually told me last week that he wouldn't give out a diagnosis, except that it's part of his job and he doesn't want to lose his job.

Furthermore, some diagnosis's tend to carry with them some stigma (in some cases, a lot of stigma). I've known people who are fine with their friends going to see a therapist; but if their friends were going to see a therapist because of X, Y, or Z diagnosis, then they become insulting (not the right word, but I can't think of a different one right now).

In the end, you should talk to your doctor about whatever diagnosis he/she has given you, and why. Of course, remember that a doctor (a good one at least) won't just tell you that you're depressed or bipolar or whatever after just one meeting. And once you've been in therapy a while and been able to take a deep look at yourself, any diagnosis you get should make sense to you, it should fit with what you know/learned about yourself through therapy and also through your personal and social life.

I got diagnosed on the fisrt day i met the psych.

Truthfully, i dont think they should dx you until they actually know about about whats going on x

Yes, they should take their time to get to know your problem.

Yep and observe you.

And doctors don't get it right all the time either. My current doctor (who I think is very incompetent in general, and others agree with me) gave me a bulls*** dx which every other doctor that knows me completely disagrees with, including all the very experienced consultants. So be careful.

Therapists can't diagnose you. Only doctors - usually psychiatrists - can give you a diagnosis. Sometimes psychs don't give you a diagnosis because they want to get to know you, see your behaviour over time etc. A good psychiatrist shouldn't diagnose you when first meeting you unless your symptoms are VERY specific. Sometimes they simply won't say "you've been diagnosed with depression or anxiety or whatever". Will you be seeing him again? If so, do you feel like you could ask?

Everyone is in different proportions, so I guess it's probably hard to give a solid diagnosis from the first meeting?

I just joined ryl to reply to you, because that's pretty much where I am now. Saw a psych on friday (after a year of ploughing through counsellors, references and meetings with my doctor), and he's put me on fluoxetine and wants me to start cbt next month. But, he didn't give a clear diagnosis.
I don't think the diagnosis really matters to me though.

A lot of people said above that it takes time to get a diagnosis. That's pretty true. I can tell a shady doc if I walk in the first appointment and I already had a diagnosis by the time I walked out.

Perhaps your doc is waiting. Sometimes a psychiatrist will refer you to a therapist so they can both work together to confirm a diagnosis. I don't know how long this has been going on though. I normally give it three months maximum depending on how many times you see them.

Hey. Thanks for all the responses!

I know that you can't sum up a person's life in one session but the psychiatrist referred me to a therapist and I won't be seeing that psychiatrist again! ???

Arioch: Did the Doctor give you any indication as to what it is you are to discuss/ resolve at therapy?

This whole process is such a joke. You wait forever to see someone and then they rush through your appointment and palm you off to someone else!

Sometimes they think that therapy is better than seeing a psychiatrist every week. You might see him in a month or so's time to get a review meeting. I used to see my psychiatrist once every 4 weeks before **** happened and now I see a different one, once a week.

I got told I'm going see a psych once every 3 to 6 months!!!

Yikes. Then I think, in their opinion, they don't think you need to see a psych regularly. The every 3 to 6 months appt will probably be a review appt so that they can update their care plans.
Sorry to hear that.