I'm so tired of this dumb trope. No, your self-diagnosis is not helpful. And yes, you can get diagnosed if you're poor. There are many ways to do so, you dont have to go through a fancy psychiatrist, and the US public Healthcare system will actually pay for it.
Man, even knowing how fucked 'murica is it still keeps surprising you with more fucked stuff. It just never crossed my mind that getting a diagnosis could cost money for someone.
Self-diagnosis doesn't help me get meds.
Self-diagnosis doesn't help with relationships IMHO either and I mean that both from a personal and professional perspective.
Why you might ask?
YMMV but for me, I am an open book. Having the diagnosis meant I could talk to bosses when trying a new med, or explain to them when struggling. Knowing the diagnosis means you immediately diffuse an aspect of a challenge. For me, that has been immensely valuable.
Edit - wanted to add a common counterpoint is don't let work know because you can't predict people who will use your honesty against you. I will argue assholes are assholes and you can't live your life at the possibility someone will be a dick. Most people are good people. Trust on that.
Unofficial/self diagnosis helped me in my personal relationships.
I mentioned to my partner that a doctor friend thought I had ADHD, and it really helped them not take some of my most annoying traits personally.
I get where you're coming from with needing an official diagnosis for work accommodations, but none of your friends are really going to demand to see a doctor's note, so why would personal relationships depend on an official diagnosis?
I get where you're coming from with needing an official diagnosis for work accommodations, but none of your friends are really going to demand to see a doctor's note, so why would personal relationships depend on an official diagnosis?
The same reasons as from a professional experience. Yes they aren't going to pull the doctor's note but neither is work IMHO. What it does is provide more weight behind your words of "hey I'm not just googling this shit. I'm not just an insufferable asshole looking to validate that I am. I'm actually working with a psychologist."
Friends, just like coworkers, etc. care less of the diagnosis. They want to know you're working on you because I'd argue writ large people want to see you succeed. A self-diagnosis can help but it doesn't give you access to all the tools you may need to succeed so from the outside I would argue that official diagnosis matters. It means you now have someone else on your "team" be it a GP or a psychologist or whatever helping you navigate things.
it's even funnier when you might have any given variety of mental disorders.
Could be ADHD, could be autism, hell might be both or neither! Could be SzPD, could be a variant of that, could be any other generic personality disorder. Hell maybe i'm just shitposting and i'm perfectly normal!
So now that balloons to the period of about 5 years, 20 tests, and many thousands of dollars, both spent and lost.
OH and how could i forget. It does precisely, almost nothing. Because disability is super fucked. And any other services that do exist are probably also a nightmare, so what's even the fucking point of having them!
Also I think that you need psychiatric support if you really have ADHD, people think that have a untreated ADHD it's like having a super power.
i feel like it's situational. I've talked to a lot of people that do have ADHD, and are quite fond of their medication as it makes them extremely functional, but part of me is irked by the fact that it might be a secondary effect due to association. (i suspect they want to be a part of society, and as a result the medication making them capable of doing it quickly becomes a part of themselves) If this is the case, there is an argument to be made for the fact that our society simply isn't built to deal with the people it contains.
Part of me wonders whether ADHD was an evolutionary adaptation due to the presumed utility of it in ancient society.
I may have ADHD, and if so, i find it to be an extreme hindrance to doing normal people things, like at all. However, outside of that im perfectly fine and i would argue probably benefited by it, because it often keeps my brain busy thinking about things and doing stuff, which is good for your mental health (physically) there's a reason a lot of my time in my life has been spent covering various different interests and hobbies, and i think this, whatever it is, is part of it. Doing one thing is just really boring, and i can't be bothered. And if proper treatment (medication in this case) removes that, i would rather not be medicated to be honest.
Tell me you're American without telling me you're American.
Is it me that finds it weird signing off her own tweets with her name, when her username is literally right there?
It's just a shame the (presumably US-based) healthcare system is a clusterfuck, because that bit of expensive paper with a diagnosis on it would likely open up a whole host of avenues for exploration of the condition.
It’s just a shame the (presumably US-based) healthcare system is a clusterfuck,
Laughs in disembowelled NHS..
When the government controlling the public health service doesn't give a shit about the actual public, especially those who it sees as "burdens", you get more or less the same shit as if it didn't exist at all.
I was on a waiting list for 2 years to get an autism diagnosis, and the only way around this is to go private and pay an absolute fortune (this is of course by design - deprive the NHS of its specialists in favour of for profit private clinics).
Want therapy? Wait at least 8 months. Honest about being suicidal? No need to wait that long, here are some cops to come and take you away..
My point is the op is correct no matter where you are in the world, and people who insist that self diagnosis isn't valid seriously need to check their privilege.
On one hand, sure just a meme. On the other, it may not be ADHD that’s causing these symptoms and getting a professional diagnosis will help with treatment regardless of what’s going on.
I understand why people might not want to do it, but personally getting diagnosed and starting treatment has been life changing.
Yeah you don't need a doctor to tell you your arm is broken, but raw dogging a broken arm is hardly ideal.
Murica
Yeah, but if you're disabled and broke you get free healthcare in America...
Source: That's why I'm not dead.
Are people having that many hurdles for official diagnosis? Genuinely asking. Mine was with my primary care doc, $100 out of pocket for the visit, and whatever the meds cost. There was one questionnaire and total took about 30min from start of visit to prescription. That said, first meds aren't helping at all so I'll need to go back and see what other options there are, if any.
I live in a country with socialised healthcare.
I am at the point that I am looking into diagnosis mainly to be able to get meds because just living is hard. I remember being diagnosed as kid, but I might have a mixed up memory with my brother getting diagnosed and the IQ assessment I had.
I walked into my GP, who is usually very compassionate and even understanding of mental health things telling them that, speaking about what I struggle with and they go „it is a trend diagnosis too and I personally know a man that says he doesn’t feel a difference with meds“ and give me a referral for a neuropsychologist. No expedited, no like guaranteed thing (there are a kind of slots for that). Tbf they named two good options they can recommend even if they aren’t allowed to show bias. My first „checking if we can help you“ date is on the 8th of August, and I filled their entry questionnaire over two weeks ago. Mind that is a first date, nothing in the way of diagnosis and they might say they can’t help me.
The only other option is to either pay out of pocket for it (there are loads of private only doctors for it, in fact I did accounting for one of them), which I don’t want for two reasons: not having money laying around and not wanting to just walk out with a predetermined diagnosis. I am pretty sure I have ADHD, but autism plays a role as does childhood trauma and other things. So just treating the ADHD part could be detrimental. Or go call some helpline/emergency line and tell them I am suicidal and getting institutionalised. Judging by the treatment my childhood best friend got for that, I‘ld rather not.
I am female and females present differently, so that plays a role too.
My brother didn’t get treated btw, because my mother believed the stories about ADHD vanishing with puberty and that not happening when people get meds. He is also seeking diagnosis currently.
Yes, I did.
Thank you for sharing. This has been incredibly eye opening for me. I'm sorry that it's been so rough for you.
You're welcome. I'm glad I could provide some new information. It does suck but at least I am medicated now :)
Folks, really seriously genuinely, talk to your regular ass doctor about a diagnosis if you’re looking to get assessed. Mine just gave me the assessment for no charge because I was already there for something else.
He even said if I wasn’t happy with the results he would write me a referral to whoever and just send it to my insurance like a specialist referral, so they’d at least HELP even if it’s out of network.
Possibly state-by-state, practice specific, or insurance company policies.
My doctor told me that in my state a psychiatrist has to test and diagnose. The testing was covered by my insurance (if you have a referral), but the wait list is a problem.
Nah, I can't even do that because every place in my area will straight up say that they will never diagnose an adult with adhd.
Self-diagnosis is not valid. By definition. Not even a psychiatrist can diagnose themselves. What you're talking about is either 1) advocating for your own diagnosis or 2) self-treatment.
Both of these things are valid.
Advocate for yourself for a diagnosis from a health professional if it will unlock new treatment options. But also just look into how others with similar problems have successfully managed their problems. Consider how you could implement similar things. That's what's at the heart of therapy for ADHD anyway.
But diagnosis itself is only useful as a tool for describing symptoms and informing treatment. If a collection of symptoms speaks to your experience, then the only point in putting a diagnostic label on it is to say "Maybe these things that helped others with similar symptoms will also help you." But in order to do that effectively, there also needs to be a differential diagnosis to ascertain what it is not. This is why healthcare providers need to be involved in the process. Two different things can look very similar but have very different etiologies and different treatments.
Social media needs to quit putting so much emphasis on diagnosis and more emphasis on treatment. This post should be removed for medical misinfo, but I hope people at least read the comments to see why this person seems to be such a snakeoil influencer.
Oh good, another doctor who thinks her own book, website, blog and youtube channel are an adequate substitute for professional, personalized care and diagnosis.
"It's really hard to get a diagnosis, so why even bother trying? Just like the video and hit the bell for notifications!"
I self diagnosed fifteen years ago but in the last two years I've been getting real help for it. I regret not doing so when I first came the conclusion I have ADHD. I can't take stimulants and the first time I was given a non stimulant ADHD drug I had a severe reaction. This caused me to avoid getting real treatment and that was a huge mistake.
Okay but it isn't always that difficult, I talked to my PCP, who made an appointment for me with the right type of dr person and then I went to that one and did whatever at that appointment
My GP just wrote me a script back in 2008 and I've been on Adderall ever since.
Considering how much medication can help, uh, yeah, do those things. Its a trivial inconvenience compared to living unmedicated.
Also 5k is a lot, maybe if you're uninsured? Hell, getting an uninsured MRI is cheaper than that. And health insurance is kind of a must for living with a disability.
Don't like sentiments like this. I feel like it prevents people from getting the help they need.
I agree with you, however I want to mention (for the international crowd) that health insurance is insanely expensive. If you are disabled and can't work (and live in a red state) you are fucked unless you have family who can help. No job = no subsidies for ACA insurance as well.
(Red state = right wing/Republican; ACA insurance is the government subsidized insurance that Obama started)
Public schools do free screenings in other to qualify for special education or 504 school accommodations. This may only cover students in the district home area and not private school students or adults.
The down side is that some school districts have quotas on how much of the school population can be considered SpEd or 504. But a pediatric psychiatrist can make that determination regardless of the school diagnostician findings to justify accommodations.
a fucking quota?!?!!?
Yeah. They figure that SpEd students comprise about a certain percentage of the general population and set their quota based on that.
It's the same reason that certain racial groups won't get sent to discipline centers otherwise it seems that there's too many POC in the alternative school.
there's something fucky going on with that but i can't put my finger on it.
The lighter side of ADHD
