There are mental health
secrets that everyone should know, including how to prevent misdiagnosing. Since
money is, the issue and insurance companies play a role in treatment a patient
will often receive a series of diagnoses that conform to the standards laid out
in health care coverage. This is only one area of problems in mental health. The
DMS guide copyrighted by APA, who brilliantly stated that the manual was a
guide to mental health, instead of claiming that the book was factual is
another area of concern.
Therapists often base their
diagnoses on the codes listed in this manual. If the symptoms match the
patients then this is what the patient gets. Another area of problem is when a
patient receives a diagnose he or she is ‘labeled,’ which brings forth
additional problems. Another area may sound ludicrous since we have so-called
professionals in the field, but just like individuals in the world that are
caught in a practice of interest for a short time and twisted with an exaggerated
zeal, (craze-fad), professionals when they find a diagnose of interest that are
overzealous burning their wheels to produce more material on the subject.
Ever heard the saying, beating words down? Well, professionals
in mental health will often beat down diagnoses. While one of the issues in
mental health revolves around labeling, I have to disagree, since I feel the
real problem stands between acceptances. If a person has a disorder, disease of
the mind, or a chemical imbalance, then accepting is the first step in
recovery. Some of the most helped people in the world attend alcoholic classes
and the first thing they recognize is the problem, which allows them to move
forward.
There is not a person in
his or her right frame of mind wants to understand that they have a series of
symptoms and no reason behind it. It is ok to say I am a paranoid schizophrenia working toward recovery. It is not ok
to say I am a misfit in society and
cannot understand why I was chosen for torture. As you can see, we have a
bunch of professionals contributing to the problem, since they are thinking
they know what is best for the patients. Anyone that is suffering knows more
than any professional does, since they are the ones living through the
problems. The patients can tell you better than any counselor with a piece of
paper and no experience what they survive.
Another area of problem is
many professionals are from different countries and they understand diagnoses
one way or in another term, while the American Psychiatrist Society relates in
other terms. Professionals also believe that patients will avoid the issues,
and/or bury the real problems beneath. This is not always true, since the
patient is there in the first place asking help to understand his or her
disability. If they knew the answers, they would not be there in the first
place. For example, Nikki goes to counseling explaining her many symptoms, as
well as talks about the people around her that are contributing to the problem.
She is trying to control
her behavior but others are making it difficult since they center her out,
bringing forth the issues of her disability every single day. First, we can see
that others are a problem, since many people will center out individuals flaws
first, before complimenting. Therefore, that problem can be resolved if we
teach Nikki how to handles other people around her.
The next issue is the
symptoms. What symptoms do you have Nikki? Nikki says I am having night sweats,
nightmares, flashbacks, impulsive outbursts, and so on. Well, why do you think
this is happening Nikki? I do not know why it is happening. First, Nikki is
illustrating symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, so it is apparent that
she is a trauma patient. Therefore, Nikki is certain she was victimized, but
uncertain of the emotions, feelings, and thought process she is enduring.
Now Nikki may or may not be able to tell you
the entire event that brought forth this disorder, but Nikki can tell you the
surroundings of the event. This means the counselor needs to invoke talk
therapy to find out the underlying source of her suffering. Does Nikki blame
herself for the violence against her, or the violence she witnessed? Probably
so, since she is in a battle of understanding the mind at a greater level than
the so-called normal minds and Nikki will battle to find the source within that
is haunting her dear soul and mind. The mind is a tricky thing, and to
understand it, you must address it.