Diagnosis: Mental Illness. The Moment of Truth
Getting a diagnosis of schizophrenia, or any mental illness, after years of confusion, judgment and blame is both devastating - and a relief.
For Mental Health Awareness Day, here's how it felt for our family. Watch.
A Mental Illness Diagnosis Can Rock Your Family's World
Thanks for joining the "Mental Health Blog Party" today! Check out our other mental health blogs and let's turn "issues" into stories of human experience.
APA Reference
Kaye, R.
(2012, May 16). Diagnosis: Mental Illness. The Moment of Truth, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, October 11 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/mentalillnessinthefamily/2012/05/diagnosis-mental-illness-the-moment-of-truth
Author: Randye Kaye
When I was first diagnosed as an adult (I had been in counseling for 20 years before), for the most part, my friends were ok with it. The hard part was my sibling, and the rest of my relatives. They didn't understand why I was like I was and were insistent that it was a passing thing. To this day, they treat me differently than before my diagnosis. IT hurt in the beginning. Now, I just say "It's their problem, not mine." I do what I need to to make sure that I don't get too much into my disease. I have good days and bad days. Most of the year I am ok except for anniversaries of death of friends and family, my birthday, etc. Still working on that.
I resisted my diagnosis of Bioplar Disease until it hit me hard (extremely manic eipisode.) I still find the label difficult. People will say oh, you're manic. When I'm not. And "She's Bipolar" when it has nothing to do with the situation.
Makes me want to scream sometimes. So insensitive of these purportedly "normal" people.
I am working toward my goals now and I know there is no cure. The stigma is real and hopefully will go away sometime in my lifetime.
It's such a relief when you get a diagnosis but over time it does inpact everyone, thanks for sharing this blog very interesting xx
I like the way she said Oh my God.
It really brings home the fact that mental illness can't be cured. If only women, especially the bunches that you mainly call psychiatrists would stop denying that there is one and let their patients go to the proper source for treatment. I know it doesn't pay financially but at least you don't send your child to the satanic mental health.
The moment of truth is certainly beautiful.
I have been through that experience with a spouse. You are very well spoken about the experience many of us come to grips with about mental illness with a loved one. Thank you for this wonderful post!
thanks, Amy! I appreciate the comment - and your willingness to share too . Hope you are doing well now -
best,
Randye