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Posted 14 April 2008 - 03:00 AM
okay... i've been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder...
i have a few issues with how it was all done...
i was basically talking to a clinical psychologist for a fairly long time (it takes me a while to start talking, i don't usually talk to people in real life openly)... anyway, at some point i asked her if i can see a psychiatrist too.
after a 10 or so minute talk with him asking a few questions, not much talking, he gave me a letter to pass on which said he wanted me on a particular drug, so i assume he reached a diagnosis.
is it normal for psychiatrists to decide on a diagnosis so quickly?
do they usually listen to what other people say on their patient (the psychologist) more than to the patient itself?
i didnt even report any hallucinations or something.
... should i see a second opinion? all this is really disappointing and makes me want to stop bothering with treatment.
i am actually taking the meds and the side effects would've been a lot more tolerable if the diagnosis seemed more reliable
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Psychotic Disorder
i think i have a crappy psychiatrist
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#2
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Posted 14 April 2008 - 03:31 AM
First of all, what is your actual diagnosis? Did you get one? Psychosis is not a diagnosis, but a symptom, and can occur in many different diagnoses. It may be that the psychiatrist has not decided on a diagnosis yet. The fact that he decided to prescribe a certain drug does not indicate that he has a diagnosis. He may want to form a definitive diagnosis over several meetings with you, but he feels that you have symptoms that need to be treated now (regardless of the diagnosis).
And what are your symptoms? Did he tell you that you were experiencing psychosis or are you just going by the fact that he prescribed an antipsychotic? Antipsychotics are used for practically everything, so that doesn't mean anything.
Typically an initial meeting or "diagnostic evaluation" with a psychiatrist will take 1-2 hrs. Maybe he is planning to do a longer assessment at another time?
And what are your symptoms? Did he tell you that you were experiencing psychosis or are you just going by the fact that he prescribed an antipsychotic? Antipsychotics are used for practically everything, so that doesn't mean anything.
Typically an initial meeting or "diagnostic evaluation" with a psychiatrist will take 1-2 hrs. Maybe he is planning to do a longer assessment at another time?
It's terrible, Bob, to think that all I've suffered, and all the suffering I've caused, might have arisen from the lack of a little salt in my brain.
--Poet Robert Lowell, to publisher Bob Giroux, about lithium
--Poet Robert Lowell, to publisher Bob Giroux, about lithium
#3 Guest_meddy_*
Posted 14 April 2008 - 04:04 AM
sorrel, on Mon 14 April 2008 13:31:36 GMT +0000, said:
First of all, what is your actual diagnosis? Did you get one? Psychosis is not a diagnosis, but a symptom, and can occur in many different diagnoses. It may be that the psychiatrist has not decided on a diagnosis yet. The fact that he decided to prescribe a certain drug does not indicate that he has a diagnosis. He may want to form a definitive diagnosis over several meetings with you, but he feels that you have symptoms that need to be treated now (regardless of the diagnosis).
And what are your symptoms? Did he tell you that you were experiencing psychosis or are you just going by the fact that he prescribed an antipsychotic? Antipsychotics are used for practically everything, so that doesn't mean anything.
Typically an initial meeting or "diagnostic evaluation" with a psychiatrist will take 1-2 hrs. Maybe he is planning to do a longer assessment at another time?
And what are your symptoms? Did he tell you that you were experiencing psychosis or are you just going by the fact that he prescribed an antipsychotic? Antipsychotics are used for practically everything, so that doesn't mean anything.
Typically an initial meeting or "diagnostic evaluation" with a psychiatrist will take 1-2 hrs. Maybe he is planning to do a longer assessment at another time?
he actually didn't tell me what i'm diagnosed with, but he mentioned the word "psychotic disorder" one time, talking about insurance.
on the other meetings, he mostly checked if my muscles are rigid, and asked me for my opinion and asked about any improvements.
as far as symptoms go,
at the time i was underweight, sleeping excessively, and spent most of the day in front of a computer. i had some difficulty functioning, too. i told him i often have radical moods on both ends, not just depression
i am very socially isolated, have been for a while, have trouble with doing things like showering often, etc, but i tend to come clean.
i'm a bit paranoid and not open, and i have difficulty talking to people in real life freely (this is why i'm not shouting at him but asking people online for help).
there's probably a lot more i can say, but that kind of summarizes it.
i think most of the information about me he got from the second psychologist, and preferred not to do a psychiatric evaluation because of it. they kind of work as a team.
#4
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Posted 14 April 2008 - 07:42 AM
The social withdrawal and decline in self-care and normal functioning that you describe sounds something like what is considered the "negative symptoms" of psychosis. This is a cluster of behaviors that occurs in some psychotic disorders and is considered a feature of psychosis. (The other, more obvious features of psychosis like delusions and hallucinations are called "positive symptoms.")
Nonetheless, without a detailed assessment it might be hard to separate psychotic "negative symptoms" from depressive symptoms or a personality disorder. I think it is highly atypical that the psychiatrist is relying on the psychologist's evaluation and isn't doing his own. It it were me, I'd get another opinion, especially if you do not feel that his treatment is helping you.
Nonetheless, without a detailed assessment it might be hard to separate psychotic "negative symptoms" from depressive symptoms or a personality disorder. I think it is highly atypical that the psychiatrist is relying on the psychologist's evaluation and isn't doing his own. It it were me, I'd get another opinion, especially if you do not feel that his treatment is helping you.
It's terrible, Bob, to think that all I've suffered, and all the suffering I've caused, might have arisen from the lack of a little salt in my brain.
--Poet Robert Lowell, to publisher Bob Giroux, about lithium
--Poet Robert Lowell, to publisher Bob Giroux, about lithium
#5
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Diagnoses:DID, PTSD (ya think), MDD.
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Current Meds:Lexapro, Seroquel XR, Metoformin & an HRT for controlling those personal summer moments.
Posted 08 July 2010 - 06:38 PM
meddy, on 14 April 2008 - 06:00 AM, said:
okay... i've been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder...
i have a few issues with how it was all done...
i was basically talking to a clinical psychologist for a fairly long time (it takes me a while to start talking, i don't usually talk to people in real life openly)... anyway, at some point i asked her if i can see a psychiatrist too.
after a 10 or so minute talk with him asking a few questions, not much talking, he gave me a letter to pass on which said he wanted me on a particular drug, so i assume he reached a diagnosis.
is it normal for psychiatrists to decide on a diagnosis so quickly?
do they usually listen to what other people say on their patient (the psychologist) more than to the patient itself?
i didnt even report any hallucinations or something.
... should i see a second opinion? all this is really disappointing and makes me want to stop bothering with treatment.
i am actually taking the meds and the side effects would've been a lot more tolerable if the diagnosis seemed more reliable
i have a few issues with how it was all done...
i was basically talking to a clinical psychologist for a fairly long time (it takes me a while to start talking, i don't usually talk to people in real life openly)... anyway, at some point i asked her if i can see a psychiatrist too.
after a 10 or so minute talk with him asking a few questions, not much talking, he gave me a letter to pass on which said he wanted me on a particular drug, so i assume he reached a diagnosis.
is it normal for psychiatrists to decide on a diagnosis so quickly?
do they usually listen to what other people say on their patient (the psychologist) more than to the patient itself?
i didnt even report any hallucinations or something.
... should i see a second opinion? all this is really disappointing and makes me want to stop bothering with treatment.
i am actually taking the meds and the side effects would've been a lot more tolerable if the diagnosis seemed more reliable
I don't know if it's normal or not, but it took us quite some time to be comfortable with our psychiatrist or therapist. Actually, I'd rather talk to my shrink than anything, it's a more productive 50 minute hour.
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