Posted by Dinah on January 2, 2005, at 19:55:34
In reply to about having a dx or not, posted by terrics on January 2, 2005, at 10:43:36
I think it depends. Clearcut diagnoses with clearcut treatments are probably useful to diagnose. It helped a lot to know I had OCD. My case is a pretty classic one, and the treatments are straightforward and proven.
I'm not bipolar II even, but I am on the bipolar spectrum somewhere. My pdoc puts it down as cyclothymia, but I think that may be technically incorrect, since I've had a few episodes of major depression. But the important thing is that my prior pdoc didn't put me on the bipolar spectrum at all, and nearly killed me with AD's without a mood stabilizer. So while I wish they had a bipolar III or IV that fit me better, I'm awfully glad that I've been properly treated with a mood stabilizer.
I've probably got some sort of personality disorder, but there are none that are an absolutely good fit. And I hate the idea of the whole Axis II anyway. I think it should be disposed of, and the underlying biological predispositions properly categorized. Possibly they could add an Axis for "typical coping strategies" which seems so much less stigmatizing than a "personality disorder".
I absolutely do not want to be diagnosed with a dissociative disorder. First, none really fit me exactly. Second, there is too much ignorance in and out of the psychiatric community. And third, the believers in dissociative disorders scare me as much as the naysayers. I prefer that my therapist downplay that aspect, although I'm glad he knows about it and accepts it. I don't mention it at all to my pdoc. I figure it isn't in his area of practice.
So even within this one person, I'm undecided. :)
poster:Dinah
thread:436755
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20041228/msgs/436941.html