{"id":340,"date":"2018-02-18T16:40:54","date_gmt":"2018-02-18T22:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/?p=340"},"modified":"2019-03-26T02:47:13","modified_gmt":"2019-03-26T07:47:13","slug":"life-after-a-psychiatric-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/2018\/02\/18\/life-after-a-psychiatric-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Life After A Psychiatric Diagnosis &#8211; Finding Hope In Healing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-352 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/We-Dont-Know-What-Future-Holds-Small-e1519030012302-261x300.jpg?resize=250%2C287&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"287\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/We-Dont-Know-What-Future-Holds-Small-e1519030012302.jpg?resize=261%2C300&amp;ssl=1 261w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/We-Dont-Know-What-Future-Holds-Small-e1519030012302.jpg?w=493&amp;ssl=1 493w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>With 1 in 5 American adults currently diagnosed with a mental illness<span class=\"oneClick-link oneClick-available\"><sup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\">1<\/sup><\/span>\u00a0and 3\/4 of chronic mental illness being diagnosed by 24 years of age<span class=\"oneClick-link oneClick-available\"><sup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\">2<\/sup><\/span>, it&#8217;s likely that either you or someone you care about has had to ask some tough questions about their mental health condition.\u00a0 During their course of psychiatric treatment, many people find themselves wondering, &#8220;What does this diagnosis mean for the rest of my life?\u00a0 Will I be stuck with these medications and their side effects forever?\u00a0 Even if I can stop them, is it safe to try?&#8221;\u00a0 It can be very confusing for a person when they first begin trying to manage their mental health and medications.\u00a0 It can be frustrating or intimidating to have to talk to your prescriber about side effects.\u00a0 Even so, there is hope, and you aren&#8217;t the only person to feel this way.\u00a0 Here are a few things to keep in mind as you tackle this particular challenge in life.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>In some ways, a psychiatric diagnosis is what you make of it.<\/strong> &#8211; If you say it&#8217;s the worst thing to ever happen to you, that might end up being the case.\u00a0 However, many of the people who experience better outcomes after a psychiatric diagnosis realize that this is just one aspect of who they really are.\u00a0 This discovery isn&#8217;t always immediate.\u00a0 For some people it comes during the course of therapy, but it&#8217;s important to understand that you are more than a diagnosis listed in the <span style=\"color: #2020a1;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #2020a1;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychiatry.org\/psychiatrists\/practice\/dsm\">DSM<\/a><\/strong><\/span> (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).\u00a0 Although your psychiatric diagnosis can provide useful information to mental health providers on how to support you, it in no way reflects the sum total of who your really are as a person.\u00a0 This is a fact that is easily forgotten during the more difficult periods of mental health, but it is a truth that applies to every mental health patient &#8211; even if your diagnosis happens to be in the area that the DSM labels as &#8220;personality disorders&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A psychiatric diagnosis could represent a hidden opportunity.<\/strong> &#8211; In some cases, our bodies can use our emotions and perceptions to bring out attention to issues that we may have been to busy\/stressed\/tired\/afraid\/traumatized\/etc to deal in the past.\u00a0 Having a description for the process that is happening in your life provides an opportunity for you to begin learning how to improve things.\u00a0 The most important decision that you have to make at this point is whether or not you&#8217;re willing to change for the better.\u00a0 If you are, embrace the opportunity to learn as much as you can about your proposed diagnosis.\u00a0 Ask your provider to help you understand your symptoms and read descriptions of diagnoses at reputable sources like The <span style=\"color: #2020a1;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #2020a1;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/mental-illness\/diagnosis-treatment\/drc-20374974\">Mayo Clinic<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, The <span style=\"color: #2020a1;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #2020a1;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nami.org\/Learn-More\/Mental-Health-Conditions\">National Alliance on Mental Illness<\/a><\/strong><\/span> (NAMI), and <span style=\"color: #2020a1;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #2020a1;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mentalhealthamerica.net\/mental-health-information\">Mental Health America<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0 Even if it means that you eventually decide that the label doesn&#8217;t quite fit for your experience, you will most likely be a wiser and more capable person as a result the self-education.\u00a0 In the case that you decide the diagnosis is appropriate, who could be better serve as an expert on the way your brain functions than you?\u00a0 Learn all you can; your mental health team and future self will thank you!<\/li>\n<li><strong>The dose of medication indicated during a crisis may not be needed to keep you stable over time.<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Depending on your response to treatment, there&#8217;s a very real chance that your medication dose could be reduced over time.\u00a0 Although 1 i n 5 American adults have a mental illness, only 1 in 25 American adults are reported as living with a chronic psychiatric diagnosis<span class=\"oneClick-link oneClick-available\"><sup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\">2<\/sup><\/span>.\u00a0 Not all diagnoses result in life-long medication management.\u00a0 Even when there is a need for chronic medication management, it is possible for the need for medication support can decline over time &#8211; given the right circumstances.\u00a0\u00a0That is because a patient who actively learns about their mental health condition is usually also the kind of person who gradually develops skills to manage their mental diagnosis.\u00a0 This is usually done with skills that are not limited to medication intervention.\u00a0 Individuals may learn to manage their concentration, level of work stress, periods of low mood, history of trauma, or mildly paranoid thoughts using psychotherapy.\u00a0 They may improve their nutrition and\/or tendencies for disordered eating with the help of a dietitian.\u00a0 They may improve their sleep quality by receiving treatment for sleep apnea.\u00a0 They may see a chiropractor for reduction of chronic back pain.\u00a0 As a person&#8217;s brain and body heal as a result of healthier new skill sets, the need for medication intervention can decline.\u00a0 Even if a medication can&#8217;t be stopped, it can be decreased to the lowest dose that continues to provide therapeutic treatment.\u00a0 This approach further helps to limits the side effects experienced over time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Before stopping your medication, please, PLEASE talk to your prescriber.<\/strong> &#8211; Even if you are cleared to stop your medication, you should be aware that some medications can cause <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>serious<\/strong><\/span><\/em> problems when stopped abruptly.\u00a0 By serious, we&#8217;re talking about excruciatingly painful muscle cramps\/spasms, withdrawal, and seizures.\u00a0 Doctor&#8217;s generally try to prescribe medications that will be forgiving and not cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms if they are discontinued abruptly, but more potent medicines can&#8217;t always be avoided.\u00a0 If you find yourself in a situation where you&#8217;re running low on medication before you&#8217;re able to afford your next refill, consider contacting your provider to learn if your remaining pills supply should be used to temporarily tapper off of the medication.\u00a0 In some cases, the doctor may have sample medications to help cover your treatment until a full refill can be purchased.\u00a0\u00a0Finally, for those in the difficult scenario where your doctor disagrees with your decision to stop a medication, keep in mind that your provider may still be able to provide useful information about how to gradually tapper off of the medicine to protect your safety.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Medication doses often grow with the children taking them.<\/strong> &#8211; It&#8217;s important to know this fact for 2 reasons.\u00a0 The first is so you won&#8217;t be alarmed the first time your doctor recommends a dose advancement.\u00a0 The second reason is to prevent a child from switching from a perfectly good medication because of the perception that it isn&#8217;t working.\u00a0 If the dose hasn&#8217;t been advanced for 6 months and Junior has grown 2 inches and put on 10 lbs, his attention\/mood might be off because he&#8217;s outgrown the old medication dose.\u00a0 When your child starts to come approach their adult size and metabolic rate, you&#8217;ll likely find that their medication dose stabilizes and no longer needs advancement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>You&#8217;ll get further faster if you let others help.<\/strong> &#8211; On the journey to greater mental health, a person will be aided by any number of people.\u00a0 Some will be professional providers; others will be social contacts.\u00a0 Your psychotherapist will probably come to know you better than any other member of your mental healthcare team.\u00a0 It&#8217;s a good thing because it allows this provider to be of greatest assistance to you, but it also means you need to choose this person well.\u00a0 Feel free to keep searching until you find someone who is good fit for your personality style and mental health goals.\u00a0 Similarly, a person&#8217;s psychiatrist will play a central role in making sure that their medications are working just as hard as they are toward improving their mental health.\u00a0 If you don&#8217;t feel comfortable asking questions or can&#8217;t get clear responses to the questions you ask, the arrangement may be a poor fit.\u00a0 You want a mental health doctor who will teach you how to use your medications to maximally improve your likelihood of remaining stable.\u00a0 Mentally healthy friends and family are an amazing resource for those fortunate enough to have them.\u00a0 Family and close friends can observe and help report symptoms that you may never have noticed.\u00a0 They can also help provide close monitoring for safety, which may permit some individuals to avoid psychiatric hospitalization.\u00a0 Trustworthy family and close friends can provide respite child care for exhausted parents, accountability for those recovering from a history of substance use, and distraction from frustrating days of work or less than cooperative mental health.\u00a0 If you are fortunate enough to have safe and trustworthy people in your life who honestly want to assist you on your journey to greater mental health, get out of your own way&#8230; Let them help.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If at first you don&#8217;t succeed, therapy, therapy, therapy&#8230;<\/strong> &#8211; Has it been mentioned that psychotherapy really helps a persons ability to manage a mental health condition?\u00a0 The reason is actually very logical.\u00a0 You therapy skills and self-discoveries will be carried with you for the duration of your life &#8211; long after your medication has been switched, decreased, or maybe even stopped.\u00a0 Most likely, your therapy experiences will assist the changes that gradually produce a new and healthier you.\u00a0 While there are plenty of situations where therapy isn&#8217;t effective until a medication is started, the fact remains that psychotherapy is very often the tool that allows people to accomplish changes that they weren&#8217;t capable of earlier in life.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These are just a few of the ways in which a psychiatric diagnosis may actually represent the start of a better chapter in your life.\u00a0 It&#8217;s unfortunate that the social stigma associated with psychiatric diagnoses often obscures the opportunity for wholeness provided through correct identification of a problematic process occurring in a person&#8217;s life.\u00a0 In spite of this fact, you should know that there can be hope in the process of mental healing and healthcare.\u00a0 You aren&#8217;t alone.\u00a0 Keep seeking; keep learning&#8230; keep the faith.\u00a0 Positive change will come.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">References<\/span>:<br \/>\n<span class=\"oneClick-link oneClick-available\"><sup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\">1<\/sup><\/span>\u00a0Mental Health America. (n.d.). 2017 State of mental health in America &#8211; report overview historical data. [Brochure]. Retrieved February 18, 2018 from http:\/\/www.mentalhealthamerica.net\/issues\/2017-state-mental-health-america-report-overview-historical-data<br \/>\n<span class=\"oneClick-link oneClick-available\"><sup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\">2<\/sup><\/span>\u00a0National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Mental health facts in America. [Brochure]. Retrieved February 18, 2018 from https:\/\/www.nami.org\/NAMI\/media\/NAMI-Media\/Infographics\/GeneralMHFacts.pdf<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With 1 in 5 American adults currently diagnosed with a mental illness1\u00a0and 3\/4 of chronic mental illness being diagnosed by 24 years of age2, it&#8217;s likely that either you or someone you care about has had to ask some tough questions about their mental health condition.\u00a0 During their course of psychiatric treatment, many people find&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/2018\/02\/18\/life-after-a-psychiatric-diagnosis\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Life After A Psychiatric Diagnosis &#8211; Finding Hope In Healing<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":356,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[95],"tags":[108,107,106,109,105,99,104,100,101,37,97,103,96,111,102,98,110],"class_list":["post-340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mental-health-education","tag-add","tag-adhd","tag-anxiety","tag-bipolar","tag-depression","tag-future","tag-healing","tag-hope","tag-meaning","tag-mental-health","tag-mental-health-condition","tag-mental-health-diagnosis","tag-mental-illness","tag-ocd","tag-psychiatric-diagnosis","tag-psychiatric-disorder","tag-ptsd","without-featured-image"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Notebook-Pen-Wood-Floor.jpeg?fit=4608%2C3072&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=340"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":706,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340\/revisions\/706"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkerclaritycentre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}