Mental health diagnosis

adastra

Hi everyone, just a quick question. Is it just a GP that can give you a diagnosis for any mental illness? I am being treated for depression, but I think I may have anxiety issues as well, maybe social anxiety. Is a GP qualified enough to make that diagnosis, or would I have to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist, or do I have to be really suffering before I'd be referred to one?

Thanks

xx

Odysseus

GPs regularly make those types of diagnoses. However, if you wish to be seen by a psychiatrist or a psychologist ask for a referral. A GP will most likely not have any psychotherapeutic qualifications in terms of psychological treament as opposed to medication interventions.

It sounds like your looking for a "talking therapy" to use a broad term, so rather than a psychiatrist, I would suggest a psychotherapist or counselling/clinical psychologist. Hope this helps

b21

Depression means you may also be bipolar. You will not seek help when life "is never better", not the case presently. 50% of bipolar people attempt suicide during the course of their permanent disability. Suicide also occurs during the "manic stage"(high) because of paranoia, irritability and delusions of grandeur (I'm the baddiest person in the world). Diagnosis can take years by a psychiatrist, so you will have to google bipolar yourself and see if it rings any bells. Get help from a psychiatrist, the PSYCOtherapists are not much use for clinical maladies.

I am bipolar since my youth, very successful professionally according to my neighbors, but I knew I had something weird and was afraid of psychiatrists as I thought they could read your mind (paranoia). They only know what you tell them, street-drug taking and alcohol is widely used as self-medication to feel "normal". If you use these, tell. They have heard it all before, and worse. Like me, for example.

If your current depression doesn't lift, and you see a psychiatrist, you will be prescribed various drugs until one may work. If you become non-functional, you may need to spend time in a hospital psychiatric unit. These hospitals have many kind and supportive staff and patients, nothing to fear like I did. People who fear them have never been, and the movies don't help.

The depression part doesn't last forever despite feeling possibly death is preferable, to help your family. Anyone who has never been depressed or manic could not possibly, thank your lucky stars, understand this.

If you are able to see a psychiatrist, do it, it's your business. Brains are a complicated organ and a GP is not a behavourial scientist, with limited knowledge/resources of psychiatry. Psychologists can't prescibe medication as they are not medical doctors. They give you all types of intelligence/aptitude tests, but zero use when the black cloud of depression looms overhead, unless cognitive therapy for your depression is required. When you are within your acceptable range of "normal", not depressed or manic, it may be time for a counsellor or psychologist. Likely something you have zoned in on has depressed you, it must be sorted, if possible. They can help at that point.

Anyway, there is nothing to fear except not getting professional help, and you are off to a great start by seeing your GP, and posting here, well done.

eth0_

Clinical depression and bipolar disorder are two different disorders, there is no comorbidity between the two!

OP - ask for a referral to a psychiatrist if you feel you need to speak to a specialist. Personally I would. GP's are all too ready to throw anti-depressants at people because they're not equipped to handle people with mental illnesses.

Trinity

adastra wrote: »

Hi everyone, just a quick question. Is it just a GP that can give you a diagnosis for any mental illness? I am being treated for depression, but I think I may have anxiety issues as well, maybe social anxiety. Is a GP qualified enough to make that diagnosis, or would I have to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist, or do I have to be really suffering before I'd be referred to one?

Thanks

xx

No expert but anxiety and depression and normally closely linked, depression leads to anxiety and vice versa.

You can ask your GP for a referral but you may be waiting a while. I am waiting to be seen by a psychiatrist (not happy about that by the way i thought it was a psychologist my GP was referring me to) but the mental health nurse is going to see me while i am waiting. I suffer from anxiety and now have post natal depression to boot. I had my first session with the nurse yesterday and by means of a long chat and a couple of questionnaires i was diagnosed with severe depression, however i dont feel depressed so although its depression, its actually the anxiety symptoms that is severe (but its caused by depression) if that makes sense.

I did however make it clear to her i will NOT be taking any medication and she said thats ok so be sure to tell them if you dont want to, its your body and unless you are in a severe state of a danger to yourself or others it should be your call.
Do ask for a referral though asap.
Best of luck.

adastra

Hi guys, thanks for your replies.

I saw my GP today, and she has referred me to a psychiatrist. I am taking anti-depressants, but after asking me some pretty insightful questions, she reckons that with cognitive behavioural therapy I should feel better enough to come off the medication, woo:) The only thing I'm worried about is the waiting list...does anyone have any idea what the average waiting time is? I live in the midlands.

eth0_

In Dublin it's around 4-6 months. Unfortunately there's not a huge amount of CBT therapists in Ireland :-/

Odysseus

eth0_ wrote: »

Clinical depression and bipolar disorder are two different disorders, there is no comorbidity between the two!

OP - ask for a referral to a psychiatrist if you feel you need to speak to a specialist. Personally I would. GP's are all too ready to throw anti-depressants at people because they're not equipped to handle people with mental illnesses.

I concur with the comorbidity issue as this is an area of interest to me I lecture on comorbidity issues. Most GPs I work with would say they are equipped to deal with depressive and anxiety disorders unless they are severe. Even then though you are talking about meds as the main intervention.


Most community psychiatrists tend to use meds as their main intervention too. I have know problems will meds I see them kick starting the psychotherapeutic process regularly. I suggested the psychotherapy or psychology route as the op seemed more inclined to a talking therapy.

b21

"The only thing I'm worried about is the waiting list"...
If you have the money, go private, MUCH quicker, especially if you are suffering, as I was. A minute during depression is like eternity and only a few seconds to make a really bad decision.
Personally, I was diagnosed with depression, and when that lifted, thanks to the meds, I skyrocketed to the far reaches of the galaxy, under psychiatric care. Because I wasn't "depressed" anymore they let me free, and what a disaster mania can be. Perhaps the doctors were "cormorbidity" correct but despite delusions of grandeur, bizarre behaviour and almost zero sleep off I went, to the closest place I have been to death..yet.
I have just read a medical manual for bipolar diagnosis, for doctors, compliments of my psychiatrist. Fortunately for most depressed people, and hopefully yourself, mania will not occur. Because you are depressed you have a 10-15% chance of mania, versus 1% chance for the lucky remainder of currently non-affected people. So just because depression and mania are well, polar opposites, it is still classed as one illness, bipolar disorder. I will never forget I was "well" from my depression but the worst came after, under doctors supervision, and released from care...
If you are a doctor, lecturer, moderator it is not the same as a sufferer. If you are suffering you also need, if you are able, to do a little reading. I wish I did, but I wasn't able to turn on a computer, or open a book.
If you are suffering, go private, now. Don't expect perfection, but it is a good start.

b21

From Wilkipedia:
Comorbidity in mental health
In psychiatry, psychology and mental health counseling comorbidity refers to the presence of more than one diagnosis occurring in an individual at the same time. In psychiatry, comorbidity does not necessarily imply the presence of multiple diseases, but instead can reflect our current inability to supply a single diagnosis that accounts for all symptoms. On the DSM Axis I, Major Depressive Disorder is a very common comorbid disorder. The Axis II personality disorders are often criticized because their comorbidity rates are excessively high, approaching 60% in some cases, indicating to critics the possibility that these categories of mental illness are too imprecisely distinguished to be usefully valid for diagnostic purposes and, thus, for deciding how treatment resources should be allocated.

I'd appreciate someone erudite posting on why depression is not cormorbid. It's very off-putting to me if someone says they are "professional" because it means you may be chasing the wrong molecule, or fixating Asperger symptonesquely. I'm a retired professional myself, and I like Einsteins quote "As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it".

Therefore, if Major Depressive Disorder is a very common cormorbid disorder, is bipolar excluded? A sufferer, during rapid cycling, can go depressed to mania four times per year. This is one disease, two extemes. Give antidepressants, drive the person to mania, if affective.

Just tell me exactly why, I'd like to expand my knowledge-base, I need information. Thank You.:)

masterwriter

b21 wrote: »

and delusions of grandeur (I'm the baddiest person in the world).

delusion of grandeur does not mean that, in fact it means the opposite,that one is better/smarter/richer/omnipotent see first para at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalomania

b21

Thank you for your post. I read your information, carefully, and yes, if you think you are the worst person in the world considering all the inhabitants, which I did at the time, it is grandeur. You could possibly be the worst person and not believe it, this is not grandeur. If you were, in fact, the worst person, the newspapers would be very interested because that is what they do. If you think you were the worst, and you will be famous because of this, it is not the traditionally recognised form but it is perfectly within the definition of grandeur.

I am not manic now, and thankfully, most people never will be, but I live very fearful of grandeousity. When I was ill someone within my circle said it would preferable if I had cancer. I agreed then, but do not now, but only for now.

masterwriter

b21 wrote: »

Thank you for your post. I read your information, carefully, and yes, if you think you are the worst person in the world considering all the inhabitants, which I did at the time, it is grandeur. You could possibly be the worst person and not believe it, this is not grandeur. If you were, in fact, the worst person, the newspapers would be very interested because that is what they do. If you think you were the worst, and you will be famous because of this, it is not the traditionally recognised form but it is perfectly within the definition of grandeur.

I am not manic now, and thankfully, most people never will be, but I live very fearful of grandeousity. When I was ill someone within my circle said it would preferable if I had cancer. I agreed then, but do not now, but only for now.

I disagee, believing one self the worst is not grandeur but I am not a pro. There is a word for what you describe. Once saw a girl who believed badness in her caused Rwanda. That was a delusion but not one of grandeur. In contracdicting you i mean no offence but think it should be clarified for OP. I wish you well

b21

Fair enough, and thanks. I'll be seeing my doctor this week and hopefully I'll have the courage to ask him was it grandeur, his opinion, and I hope to post his answer. It's OK for me posting but it is very hard to talk about in person, although when I was high I told everyone, what a nightmare.

So far I haven't been diagnosed with anything except firstly depression, then bipolar. I realise that more may come, as I did deny my condition at first, so I may be denying more now, but I'll have to see. Thanks for your input, all knowledge is helpful, I find.

masterwriter

b21 wrote: »

Fair enough, and thanks. I'll be seeing my doctor this week and hopefully I'll have the courage to ask him was it grandeur, his opinion, and I hope to post his answer. It's OK for me posting but it is very hard to talk about in person, although when I was high I told everyone, what a nightmare.

So far I haven't been diagnosed with anything except firstly depression, then bipolar. I realise that more may come, as I did deny my condition at first, so I may be denying more now, but I'll have to see. Thanks for your input, all knowledge is helpful, I find.

Ok good luck at the doc and if he says I am wrong do post and I will of course agree. I only corrected in case the OP would be unintentionally misled

Thanks for your input, all knowledge is helpful, I find

You're welcome:)

Odysseus

Around the comorbidity issue I don't fully understand your question, and maybe its me.
My area of work is addiction, so its easier for me to discuss comorbidity using these examples. Some people with a addicitive disorder may have another disorder or condition such as lets say delusional disorder. Here we would say the person has a comorbid diagnosis and in addition to our standard treatment format the person would be referred to our dual diagnosis clinic. Dual diagnosis just being another term for comorbidity.

This would be same with a person who has an addiction and bi-polar. Bi-polar isn't considered to be a comorbid condition even though it has two conponents the depressive part and the manic part if you see my point. Does that answer your question. I know myself message boards aren't the best place to formulate questions.

JuliusCaesar

eth0_ wrote: »

In Dublin it's around 4-6 months. Unfortunately there's not a huge amount of CBT therapists in Ireland :-/

Waiting list duration varies from place to place and also from time to time! Sometimes the HSE waiting list will be shorter than a private practice waiting list. Phone them up and ask them how long their waiting list is at the moment.
psihq.ie
babcp.com
psychotherapy-ireland.org (I think - Irish Council for Psychotherapy)
and
your local HSE service.