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A licensed, trained professional would get a signed release from his/her patient to contact the patient's physician. They are also trained to observe symptoms on a much broader spectrum than you or I ever could. Also, do you know how much academic training and how many hours these professionals have to log to actually obtain a license?
It's cyclothymia. And that, in itself, does not qualify a person to receive a bipolar diagnosis.
We can all do "research" on the Internet. It doesn't mean that what we read is correct.
Cychlothymia is the lesser mode of a bipolar disorder:
Compared with bipolar disorder I or II, the highs and lows of cyclothymia are less extreme. Still, it's critical to seek help managing these symptoms because they increase your risk of bipolar disorder I or II. Treatment options for cyclothymia include talk therapy (psychotherapy), medications and close, ongoing follow-up with your doctor.
Yes, I agree "trained professionals are so and so" but still with research and observation if you know the signs you will be able to read those.
When you read several sites with testimonial of patients, you know "something's not right". Bipolarity can be hide very well that's even a case of "bipolar divorce", often one partner discover the other person is a bipolar even without the "diagnosis".
The statement of "only a professional can tell if someone is a bipolar" is not a "universal law". When you know the signs of something, you can spot "There is a disturbance in the Force" (joke! yes I'm a SW fan). Usually it takes a keen eye.
Maybe it's not bipolar I or II or Cychlotimia but when you listen and see what you always thought was a sweet girl doing what I called an "Exorcist" episode...then it's time to pack your bags take the money and run my friend...run to the hills...run for your life!!!
Maybe it's not bipolar I or II or Cychlotimia but when you listen and see what you always thought was a sweet girl doing what I called an "Exorcist" episode...then it's time to pack your bags take the money and run my friend...run to the hills...run for your life!
Usually people can figure out problems in relationships without needing to label someone with a mood disorder, which is the point of this thread.
Usually people can figure out problems in relationships without needing to label someone with a mood disorder, which is the point of this thread.
If the "problems" are not your "regular issues in a relationship" you try to find a reason why a person reacts the way she did.
When all signs points to that direction, and you've read about symptoms, well there is a strong basis to "label" the incident as a mood disorder.
The point of the thread is when you don't know the person: common anger can be mistaken as a disorder. The person could be very "feisty" so to speak, that's different. But when you know a sweet lovin' woman, and you know how she reacts in a normal "anger" issue and then you see the rage, and you feel like you are in the middle of "The Exorcist" then you know something's not right.
Sure, I give the benefit of the doubt... could be Bipolar I, Bipolar II, schidzo, cychlotimia, drug abuse and so on...but my take is on cychlotimia. I've been around to know when things aren't your normal dose of a "bad day".
The depression was there (she was a patient of depression), the abuse of alcohol, the poor sleep pattern, the lack of eating when doing a lot of stuff, the incredible sex drive...and so on. Trust me, I was there watching some strange behaviors over the course or a month or so.
I know the intention of this thread, I agree...but in this case I think I have a basis to think the label was right on.
I just had to post this, since I see it all the time on C-D, and it just came up again in an amusing yet annoying example.
Too many people, especially in the Psychology Forum, but also in the Relationships and Non-Romantic Relationships Forums, seem to exercise some amateur diagnosing of mental health disorders, based upon a person's post. I'd venture to guess that none of these folks are licensed mental health professionals, because those of us who are would never assign a diagnosis or even strongly suggest a diagnosis based on such limited information.
More likely, it's people who have looked up a diagnosis from the DSM on Wikipedia or WebMD, and perhaps they read an article in a magazine, and now they are self-appointed experts on the diagnosis.
The most common diagnoses I see being made on C-D forums are #1 Asperger's Disorder, #2 Antisocial Personality Disorder (labeling a person a "sociopath"), and #3 being a tie between Narcissistic Personality and Borderline Personality Disorders.
I'm exaggerating here, but not much:
Any time a poster posts about someone who does something that is self-centered, someone will suggest that the person must have Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Any time a poster posts about someone who seems to create "drama," someone is sure to kick in a Borderline Personality diagnosis.
Any time a poster posts about someone in their life who has been dishonest or who has shown a lack of compassion, someone jumps in with a "sociopath" label.
And if anyone mentions difficulty with social skills or sensitivity to some kind of stimuli, BOOM! You must have Asperger's disorder.
I just posted in another thread about how I get bothered by very loud noise, like in a movie theater, and I get annoyed by surround-sound systems in particular. You guessed it, someone actually asked me if perhaps I might have Asperger's.
Asperger's is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple challenges in a number of areas of life. You have to have a whole lot of them, and they have to be present since you were a little kid for Asperger's (or any autism-spectrum disorder) to even be considered. Sure, a person with Asperger's might have trouble with social skills, but so do lots of other people without Asperger's. Sure a person with Asperger's might be extra sensitive to loud noise or other sensory stimuli, but lots of other people are too.
Sure a person who is an actual Sociopath lacks empathy, but they have to have a whole lot of other persistent characteristics to "qualify" for the diagnosis. Lots of ordinary people do and say things that show a lack of empathy; doesn't make them sociopaths.
Sure, a person with Borderline Personality Disorder is often experiencing intense interpersonal "drama," but lots of other non-Borderlines have drama in their lives. Lots of people who don't have Narcissistic PD are arrogant and self-centered.
A person with lung cancer might cough a lot, but if you start coughing a lot, it doesn't mean you have lung cancer. You might just have a cold, or just a tickle in your throat. A person with MS might experience muscular weakness, but if you experience muscular weakness, it doesn't mean you have MS. You might have the flu, or you might just be tired.
In order for a person to "qualify" for a DSM diagnosis, they have to present with a whole lot of signs and symptoms AND those signs and symptoms have to be related to serious problems functioning in areas of the person's life, and/or significant distress to the person. A lot of non-diagnosable people have traits that are the same or similar to the signs or symptoms of a mental illness (including personality disorders and developmental disorders), but it does NOT mean they have that condition. You would have to have all the necessary traits, PLUS problems in functioning and significant distress for the diagnosis to even be on the table.
And when it comes to Personality Disorders, you can't just look at the DSM page for the signs/symptoms/traits of a single personality disorder, you have to also go back to the beginning of the chapter where it says that before looking at the individual personality disorders, you have to first meet a bunch of criteria in order to have ANY personality disorder. If the person doesn't qualify based on those criteria, there's no use even turning the pages to Narcissistic PD or Antisocial PD.
Anyway, that's my public service announcement. I hope one or two people learn something from it.
I just had to post this, since I see it all the time on C-D, and it just came up again in an amusing yet annoying example.
Too many people, especially in the Psychology Forum, but also in the Relationships and Non-Romantic Relationships Forums, seem to exercise some amateur diagnosing of mental health disorders, based upon a person's post. I'd venture to guess that none of these folks are licensed mental health professionals, because those of us who are would never assign a diagnosis or even strongly suggest a diagnosis based on such limited information.
More likely, it's people who have looked up a diagnosis from the DSM on Wikipedia or WebMD, and perhaps they read an article in a magazine, and now they are self-appointed experts on the diagnosis.
The most common diagnoses I see being made on C-D forums are #1 Asperger's Disorder, #2 Antisocial Personality Disorder (labeling a person a "sociopath"), and #3 being a tie between Narcissistic Personality and Borderline Personality Disorders.
I'm exaggerating here, but not much:
Any time a poster posts about someone who does something that is self-centered, someone will suggest that the person must have Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Any time a poster posts about someone who seems to create "drama," someone is sure to kick in a Borderline Personality diagnosis.
Any time a poster posts about someone in their life who has been dishonest or who has shown a lack of compassion, someone jumps in with a "sociopath" label.
And if anyone mentions difficulty with social skills or sensitivity to some kind of stimuli, BOOM! You must have Asperger's disorder.
I just posted in another thread about how I get bothered by very loud noise, like in a movie theater, and I get annoyed by surround-sound systems in particular. You guessed it, someone actually asked me if perhaps I might have Asperger's.
Asperger's is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple challenges in a number of areas of life. You have to have a whole lot of them, and they have to be present since you were a little kid for Asperger's (or any autism-spectrum disorder) to even be considered. Sure, a person with Asperger's might have trouble with social skills, but so do lots of other people without Asperger's. Sure a person with Asperger's might be extra sensitive to loud noise or other sensory stimuli, but lots of other people are too.
Sure a person who is an actual Sociopath lacks empathy, but they have to have a whole lot of other persistent characteristics to "qualify" for the diagnosis. Lots of ordinary people do and say things that show a lack of empathy; doesn't make them sociopaths.
Sure, a person with Borderline Personality Disorder is often experiencing intense interpersonal "drama," but lots of other non-Borderlines have drama in their lives. Lots of people who don't have Narcissistic PD are arrogant and self-centered.
A person with lung cancer might cough a lot, but if you start coughing a lot, it doesn't mean you have lung cancer. You might just have a cold, or just a tickle in your throat. A person with MS might experience muscular weakness, but if you experience muscular weakness, it doesn't mean you have MS. You might have the flu, or you might just be tired.
In order for a person to "qualify" for a DSM diagnosis, they have to present with a whole lot of signs and symptoms AND those signs and symptoms have to be related to serious problems functioning in areas of the person's life, and/or significant distress to the person. A lot of non-diagnosable people have traits that are the same or similar to the signs or symptoms of a mental illness (including personality disorders and developmental disorders), but it does NOT mean they have that condition. You would have to have all the necessary traits, PLUS problems in functioning and significant distress for the diagnosis to even be on the table.
And when it comes to Personality Disorders, you can't just look at the DSM page for the signs/symptoms/traits of a single personality disorder, you have to also go back to the beginning of the chapter where it says that before looking at the individual personality disorders, you have to first meet a bunch of criteria in order to have ANY personality disorder. If the person doesn't qualify based on those criteria, there's no use even turning the pages to Narcissistic PD or Antisocial PD.
Anyway, that's my public service announcement. I hope one or two people learn something from it.
LOL! I just did a search for "flu" and came upon this. As someone with a bit of MH background (RN, worked in a MH center for a short period of time, and hey, all health care involves some MH), I agree! You see this a lot in the parenting forum as well. Usually the other posters are diagnosing the parents as "projecting", being "passive-agressive", "depressed", etc, but sometimes they try to diagnose the kids as well.
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