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Ignorance… bliss as the saying goes. But apparently not when it comes to one’s mental health.
For many, the thought of being diagnosed with a mental health problem can be frightening. What will this mean in the future for their relationships or their careers? If a diagnosis will only complicate your life and drain your cash, why bother?
There are, of course, serious ramifications for being diagnosed with a mental health problem. Some people report feeling worse after their diagnosis, which means they may find it more difficult to focus after finding out they have ADHD; Or feel more depressed after being diagnosed with a major depressive disorder. In other words, they may adapt their behavior to fit their diagnosis.
But experts say that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to find out you have a mental health condition: One thing I want you to be sure of is that it’s not likely that your symptoms will get worse after a diagnosis, or at least not because of a diagnosis.
“I’ve never seen or come across any data that people’s symptoms worsen as a result of receiving a diagnosis,” Justin Bouder, a Florida-based psychiatrist, told VICE.
It’s possible that this is the case for some people, he said, but people are likely to become more aware of their symptoms and thus attribute those symptoms to their diagnosis.
“People can have any number of symptoms that have become ‘normal’ for them, and then realize, ‘This is ADHD, or anxiety, or depression, or trauma,'” Boder said.
For example, someone who has recently been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder may notice when they become irritable, how their anxiety affects their sleep at night, or physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and nausea. It is possible that these things did not get worse after the person learned they had an anxiety disorder, but it is just a matter of now that the person may pay more attention to these things and have something to attribute these symptoms to.
Boder added that being more aware of one’s symptoms is generally not a bad thing because it “allows someone to understand themselves better and in many cases makes a better life change.”
Of course, a lot of this depends on the person understanding their diagnosis and being able to get the appropriate care for it.
“If the diagnosis is not sufficiently clarified by the health care provider, the patient can become very anxious about it,” said Evan Lieberman, a Minnesota-based mental health and addiction therapist, adding that the resulting stress and anxiety can exacerbate symptoms.
The same is true when someone does not receive proper treatment or other procedures for a condition – as this can leave them even more confused and stressed about their diagnosis.
“Now they have this disorder, which they don’t fully understand or know how to deal with and manage on their own,” Lieberman said. “It would be like telling someone they have some kind of spinal problem that explains their chronic pain, and then continuing not to educate the patient.” or treat the condition.
It is also possible for people to act out symptoms they think they are supposed to have. According to Lieberman, young people who learn about mental health disorders on social media, read about them, and proceed to self-diagnose their symptoms; They may be at particular risk of developing symptoms of a disorder they don’t actually have.
Young people who watch TikTok videos like Things you didn’t know were ADHD or Signs you’re depressed may already be related to one of the symptoms and then You are convinced that you do have ADHD or depression.
“It’s kind of like when the WebMD website came out and people started to think that every little stomach ache was a symptom of an incurable disease,” Lieberman said. “They say, a little knowledge can lead to serious things,” Lieberman explained.
Lieberman explained that people who are diagnosed often find comfort in realizing that what they’ve been through could be caused by ADHD, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or other conditions.
“Many patients with ADHD have lifelong struggles with learning, regulating emotions and behavior, and meeting responsibilities. These symptoms can make them feel unintelligent, guilty, or even let down. However, when they realize these problems and struggles Identification so closely with a disorder removes a lot of the feelings of shame and blame, and I can then instill hope that there are effective treatments for these symptoms.”
Which is why Boder said a diagnosis is important: “It’s the best way to accurately describe what you’re going through.”
However, it is also important not to stop at the diagnosis.
“When you go to the doctor and get a diagnosis, it’s imperative that you continually get the medical care that you need,” Lieberman said, emphasizing that getting a diagnosis and simply letting it go in your head without professional support could lead to more problems.
And you don’t have to take the first diagnosis for granted either.
“I am in favor of getting a second opinion if a diagnosis or recommended course of treatment does not make sense to you,” Lieberman asserts. “Our duty as medical care providers is to explain our rationale for the diagnosis or course of treatment in a way that you can understand versus just treating our opinion of these symptoms as coming from our own.” Experts in charge.
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This article originally appeared on VICE in English.