I don’t want to keep adding onto that really long post already, because that’s just not fun for ANYONE to scroll through. But if you want to read everything so you feel as if you are at least educated on what the whole matter is, that’s fine too.
But I saw some people who were stating that they had fears about not going to get a professional diagnosis via a doctor/therapist/psychiatrist/psychologist.
If you’re scared about professionals treating you different after you get a diagnosis, i.e. them no longer taking your physical ailments seriously due to you having a mental disorder, you have a bad doctor. That is a BAD doctor. A doctor needs to listen to their patients and needs to survey what a problem is before jumping on the “oh you have a disorder that alters your perception of reality, EHHH YOURE FINE.” That’s bad. You need a NEW doctor. It has nothing to do with you having a diagnosis on your medical history. That’s THEIR bad. That’s THEIR fault. You DESERVE to have that diagnosis.
If you’re scared about potential employers looking for your medical history and firing you for your mental disorder, that’s literally illegal. That is against Discrimination Laws. Your medical history is none of their concern and should never show up. If they go digging (your medical history is no where for them to find, it’s only for those with medical degrees to find, WHO actually require your consent to disclose that information between other medical professionals, you actually have to sign for them to do that) and they somehow find it, and they fire you, that is against the law. You don’t deserve some boss like that anyway. You deserve a better boss who won’t go snooping. That is not how the world should work.
If you’re scared about now having a “label” slapped on you, as if that diagnosis is all you are, you aren’t. You will NEVER be Just Your Illness. That sort of encouragement is passed around on this site amongst hundreds of suggestion blogs, self care blogs, self love blogs. You are NOT suddenly just what is written on your medical history and you never will be.
Getting a professional diagnosis is meant to benefit you. You cannot, absolutely cannot get the proper treatment by getting over the counter medication because it will not be there for you to ask for. Those medications are carefully picked out for you. There are certain dosages required for each individual case and your case may not be the same as the next person (regardless if you both have the same diagnosis). It could damage you. It could worsen you. You may accidentally kill yourself if you do not follow the dosage given by a medical practitioner.
Getting a professional diagnosis is meant to help you get better. Schizo- disorders require having both medication and talk therapy. It’s a hand in hand project. You don’t get to pick between one or the other. You have to put the effort needed into helping yourself. Getting a diagnosis helps the therapists or psychiatrists or psychologists to understand your needs from the get go, and after talking to you over a period of time, they understand you more and more. YOU also understand yourself more and more. None of this is an easy fix. It is a long and stressful and strenuous journey. But it will not be like this forever.
I absoluTELY had the same fears when I first started this whole experience. I thought “Shit shit Im going to be on medication all my life. im fucked. I hate this. I dont want this anymore.” And maybe you will be. But don’t begin to think for a moment that this means you are a lesser person anymore. You’re no different than the diabetic who needs insulin. You are lacking chemicals in your brain or in your body and you need extra help to obtain it. That’s all there is.
Yes. I am not denying there is an absolutely horrible stigma surrounding mental illness. And for schizophrenia/and others, it’s pretty bad too. I am not denying that there will be people out there who will discriminate against you.
And what you need to do is remove yourself from those people (if they are jobs, teachers, even family members) because you do not deserve that. You deserve help. Much like the amputee who may require prosthetic. Much like the diabetic who needs insulin. Much like the person who has a fever and needs some medication to ease the suffering. It boils down to you require some aid and you deserve it.
Please do not give into the fear mongering of “Yeah its terrible out there....And you should hide from it.” Because that will only perpetuate the idea that you’re SUPPOSED to be ashamed of this. You’re SUPPOSED to be ashamed of yourself. I promise you, remaining quiet will never benefit you or others.
Please speak out. Please get the help you deserve. Please stand up and be an advocate for the people who feel they can’t be. It will ALWAYS be up to you and you alone on helping yourself. And you may be surprised that you are helping others simply by telling your story.