Diagnoses to be or not to be

[trustinnerwisdom]

A bit about my own journey:
I felt surrounded by people, both professional and others. Who gave me random diagnoses, depending how I acted/reacted or whatever.
Then I met my partner, and suddenly I felt like I had someone on my team, who supported me and could witness me as just me.
Nowadays when my buddhistic trauma therapist teaches me more about CPTSD and the difference between that and some other diagnoses, I feel like I am healing myself one step more. But to be completely sure what diagnoses are the most accurate ones, will most likely take some life times.

About my client journeys:
I know I have to witness my clients, as who they truly are. Many times I have succeed, but specially when it comes to long term complex issues, there is a huge chance of failure.
One word, one sentence, a move, a touch, a little sound or anything can be that trigger which breaks or does it. And then we haven’t even been talked about the people around them…

About other journeys with diagnoses:
For some, the diagnoses almost seem like a drug, something they are completely sure about. Something they hang on to as a teddy bear.
And for some, they get a diagnose, which creates havoc and chaos.
I notice it in this forum too, how easy it is to place a diagnose.
I read in a book about ‘highly sensitive people’ - that if they have to mask too much - they could easily end up with almost whatever diagnose!
I presume it is around the same with the ‘empath’ diagnose and many, many other diagnoses.

And then I haven’t even began to write about how the alternative side sees on this diagnoses.
Here everyone seems to have their own truth.
An example; If someone should write that a human being had 8 chakras in the wrong forum, a yogini could comment that a human has thousands and thousands of chakras and then a guru could comment that there are 21 chakras.

I rest my case, and humble say that they are all right or wrong, depending how much they have focused on learning about chakras and to which path, that had lead them.
One unique pathway for every person.

 

[Slime_Punk]

Yes, you're absolutely right that it's more about the person that the diagnosis!

With that said, if a diagnosis leads somebody to discovering themselves, even better. They're all human constructs, so there are no absolute truths to essentially anything in the world, but the closer we can get to discovering ourselves is possibly the closer we can get to understanding the world and each other better.

I, too, have been given very random diagnoses in my lifetime, but ASD and ADHD help me to relate to other people who have similar quirks as me, or to explain why I act certain ways in situations. A point of reference is sometimes nice to have in your back pocket when being yourself just isn't really gelling with the world around you.

There are also genetic links, which are also entirely human constructs, but when patterns start relating to each other in very definite ways, we might consider it to be scientific or even mathematical eventually, as it helps to explain why something theoretically exists in our universe or not.

 

[lovely_darlingprettybaby]

A bit about my own journey:
I felt surrounded by people, both professional and others. Who gave me random diagnoses, depending how I acted/reacted or whatever.
Then I met my partner, and suddenly I felt like I had someone on my team, who supported me and could witness me as just me.
Nowadays when my buddhistic trauma therapist teaches me more about CPTSD and the difference between that and some other diagnoses, I feel like I am healing myself one step more. But to be completely sure what diagnoses are the most accurate ones, will most likely take some life times.

About my client journeys:
I know I have to witness my clients, as who they truly are. Many times I have succeed, but specially when it comes to long term complex issues, there is a huge chance of failure.
One word, one sentence, a move, a touch, a little sound or anything can be that trigger which breaks or does it. And then we haven’t even been talked about the people around them…

About other journeys with diagnoses:
For some, the diagnoses almost seem like a drug, something they are completely sure about. Something they hang on to as a teddy bear.
And for some, they get a diagnose, which creates havoc and chaos.
I notice it in this forum too, how easy it is to place a diagnose.
I read in a book about ‘highly sensitive people’ - that if they have to mask too much - they could easily end up with almost whatever diagnose!
I presume it is around the same with the ‘empath’ diagnose and many, many other diagnoses.

And then I haven’t even began to write about how the alternative side sees on this diagnoses.
Here everyone seems to have their own truth.
An example; If someone should write that a human being had 8 chakras in the wrong forum, a yogini could comment that a human has thousands and thousands of chakras and then a guru could comment that there are 21 chakras.

I rest my case, and humble say that they are all right or wrong, depending how much they have focused on learning about chakras and to which path, that had lead them.
One unique pathway for every person.

You are right, you need the proper diagnosis and it is hard to get when you are autistic and naive and many doctors are arrogant and do not understand it and can hurt and abuse you. Autistics should not have to live fearing others.
Cptsd is hard and there is no quick fix and I am someone also who experiences it.
And the best thing to do is stay away from triggers, validate your feelings and struggles and practice self kindness.
You do have to practice self compassion and love a lot and that is what helps you get better.
It can take time, when you have scars and wounds there is no quick fix and it can be very painful and hard and there can be setbacks.
Hope you find healing.
Counselling also can help.

 

[trustinnerwisdom]

Yes, you're absolutely right that it's more about the person that the diagnosis!

With that said, if a diagnosis leads somebody to discovering themselves, even better. They're all human constructs, so there are no absolute truths to essentially anything in the world, but the closer we can get to discovering ourselves is possibly the closer we can get to understanding the world and each other better.

I, too, have been given very random diagnoses in my lifetime, but ASD and ADHD help me to relate to other people who have similar quirks as me, or to explain why I act certain ways in situations. A point of reference is sometimes nice to have in your back pocket when being yourself just isn't really gelling with the world around you.

There are also genetic links, which are also entirely human constructs, but when patterns start relating to each other in very definite ways, we might consider it to be scientific or even mathematical eventually, as it helps to explain why something theoretically exists in our universe or not.

Well said!
For sure a point of reference is nice, as long as it doesn’t interfere with being yourself or overtake being yourself. I tried to be more aspie than I am and that didn’t work for sure
Scientific or not, it seems to get an update equal regularly, as the alternative versions.
Like gay was a diagnose back in the days too! Then the gay people said No, and the rest is history.
And it is a fine balance between a generational trauma and a genetic link.
BUT with autistic there is a genetic version for sure.

 

[trustinnerwisdom]

You are right, you need the proper diagnosis and it is hard to get when you are autistic and naive and many doctors are arrogant and do not understand it and can hurt and abuse you. Autistics should not have to live fearing others.
Cptsd is hard and there is no quick fix and I am someone also who experiences it.
And the best thing to do is stay away from triggers, validate your feelings and struggles and practice self kindness.
You do have to practice self compassion and love a lot and that is what helps you get better.
It can take time, when you have scars and wounds there is no quick fix and it can be very painful and hard and there can be setbacks.
Hope you find healing.
Counselling also can help.

Autistic has many generational wounds for sure and it doesn’t support when people keep pushing autistic in boxes. Naive and fear others are such boxes. I presume if more autistic should grow up in a society with balanced autistic people around them, then it would be a whole different thing.
Doctors have learnt their behaviours from somewhere too, I learnt that the communication with my doctor is going way better , if I write a simple note and give her. My doctor seem to relax with a note.
I don’t want to stay away from triggers, every time I witness a trigger, I witness a chance to grow ! And I take that chance to grow !
And I try again and one day I realise that that trigger is gone ! So I have found plenty of healing!
I would add body awareness to your list. Because in CPTSD, many people have dissociation issues, which also makes it hilarious hard to communicate with people.
And if a triggers happens, the flight/fight mode can turn on and then I have to find a way to stay presence in my body. Body relax, mind relax and so on.

Very good advices you have found. Thanks for your insights!

 

[Rodafina]

One unique pathway for every person.

I think this one sentence sums up a lot of the problems with diagnoses. Diagnostic criteria is created to group symptoms, and therefore people’s experiences, together in such a way that they can be understood for treatment. But the actual causes of symptoms are so rarely simple. Even if there are bio chemical causes for mental health symptoms, every step we take through our lives changes our experiences from that of those all around us.

Everyone is so unique that in truth, diagnostic criteria will rarely be a perfect fit, and sometimes a really spotty fit. At the same time, getting a diagnosis that makes sense can be immensely helpful in finding the right kind of services. In the United States, a professional diagnosis is often the only gateway to insurance-based professional mental health services.

The acceptance and prevalence of self diagnosed, or self determined autism, makes a lot of sense to me. Especially when the diagnostic criteria in something like the DSM V is not very comprehensive, gathering an understanding of our own symptoms, and finding ways in which they relate to others, can be the most helpful thing. At least, it was that way for me.