I've had a number of diagnosis. 'ADD' 'Bipolar' 'Depressed' 'PTSD' 'Schizophrenic' 'Autistic'
It gets overwhelming sometimes. Somedays I've just ended up mixing my name with my disorder. Having a name to sum up how you feel can be so convenient. Rather than admit i'm sad about loosing a friend, I'd rather just say 'i'm just depressed' but i have a few things to help over come that.
1) A disorder is just a title to help your doctor categorize your symptoms.
A manager isn't a personality trait right? It's an easy way to tell job responsibilities.
2) You may have some symptoms of X disorder, but you may not have all of them. Nor does it imply how serious they are. It does NOT mean your personality is summed up to those symptoms. You are YOU.
3) You will not always have symptoms of X disorder. You are labeled with it when it disrupts your life, and has been present long enough. But you will have times where you have no symptoms. ((Don't quit meds/ therapy due to an absence of them))
4) Your life will not change because of your title. You've probably been experiencing symptoms of X long before you get a diagnosis. It simply makes things easier to help find treatment.
5) You are under no obligation to tell anyone you have X disorder. You can seek advice if it might hinder you at work in America, as they may be able to help accommodate you. But there's strict laws that they can't ask/ know unless you choose to tell them.
6) Disorders cause symptoms that you can't control, but they don't remove accountability.
7) Find the source of why you feel certain ways, don't let your disorder become the sole reason you feel the way you do.
Basic take away, you are an individual. A diagnosis is a title to help clump symptoms together, it's not who you are. Don't feel powerless to it, or the symptoms. You are stronger than any amount of stress or pain.
It gets overwhelming sometimes. Somedays I've just ended up mixing my name with my disorder. Having a name to sum up how you feel can be so convenient. Rather than admit i'm sad about loosing a friend, I'd rather just say 'i'm just depressed' but i have a few things to help over come that.
1) A disorder is just a title to help your doctor categorize your symptoms.
A manager isn't a personality trait right? It's an easy way to tell job responsibilities.
2) You may have some symptoms of X disorder, but you may not have all of them. Nor does it imply how serious they are. It does NOT mean your personality is summed up to those symptoms. You are YOU.
3) You will not always have symptoms of X disorder. You are labeled with it when it disrupts your life, and has been present long enough. But you will have times where you have no symptoms. ((Don't quit meds/ therapy due to an absence of them))
4) Your life will not change because of your title. You've probably been experiencing symptoms of X long before you get a diagnosis. It simply makes things easier to help find treatment.
5) You are under no obligation to tell anyone you have X disorder. You can seek advice if it might hinder you at work in America, as they may be able to help accommodate you. But there's strict laws that they can't ask/ know unless you choose to tell them.
6) Disorders cause symptoms that you can't control, but they don't remove accountability.
7) Find the source of why you feel certain ways, don't let your disorder become the sole reason you feel the way you do.
Basic take away, you are an individual. A diagnosis is a title to help clump symptoms together, it's not who you are. Don't feel powerless to it, or the symptoms. You are stronger than any amount of stress or pain.