Dangers of Self Diagnosis

RETRODOLL wrote:Any adult with half a brain functioning, of mediocre intelligence is able to read a bunch of symptoms and know whether they fit them or not. it's common sense if you ask me.

Amen.

I'm not gonna read all the pages but...
Another reason I found that it's a bad idea to self-diagnose is that I might feel differently on different days. The score I get from a self-diagnosis quiz one week might be completely different another. One week you've got this disorder, another week you've got that...this can't be right. I can know how I'm feeling now, but I can't say for sure that's really *me* or how I really am.
Not that I'm interested in getting officially diagnosed with anything. I've seen counselors/therapists a few times, but it really wasn't my kind of thing

-- Sat Jul 21, 2012 8:43 pm --

I'm not gonna read all the pages but...
Another reason I found that it's a bad idea to self-diagnose is that I might feel differently on different days. The score I get from a self-diagnosis quiz one week might be completely different another. One week you've got this disorder, another week you've got that...this can't be right. I can know how I'm feeling now, but I can't say for sure that's really *me* or how I really am.
Not that I'm interested in getting officially diagnosed with anything. I've seen counselors/therapists a few times, but it really wasn't my kind of thing

I think I might be an avoidant, but I haven't been diagnosed.
I don't want to rush to a conclusion because I don't think I'm qualified to do so, however, the symptoms match. I feel like I should go to a doctor and get proper diagnosis and treatment but I am really afraid of doing so.
I know of people who have diagnosed themselves but they didn't really have what they thought they had, that's why I feel it's dangerous.

How would I go about seeing a doctor without having to tell my parents? They already think I'm screwed up. I've told them I think I'm this, I think I'm that etc and I actually was clinically diagnosed with depression though no one did anything about it. I think I may have Avoidant Personality Disorder along with traits of Schizotypal and Schizoid PD. Probably mostly avoidant though. Help? I tried the Schizoid forum, but you know schizoids.. emotionless. I'm hypersensitive on the internet but irl I'm not really sensitive to criticism or praise... I'm so confused right now. And I'm still slightly hurt from the schizoid forum's response.

GraeSkies wrote:How would I go about seeing a doctor without having to tell my parents?

This is a tough one, I was in the same position as you, wanting to see a doctor, but not wanting to tell my parents (I still have not told them that I have AvPD).

I think the biggest issues will be financing and transportation. Do you have a car or access to public transportation to get to the doctor without telling your parents? Do you have health insurance or independent income? Usually there are doctors that accept patients on a sliding scale, based on your income. This is all based on my experiences in the United States, if you live in another country it is likely a different system.

rootbeer wrote:
I think the biggest issues will be financing and transportation. Do you have a car or access to public transportation to get to the doctor without telling your parents? Do you have health insurance or independent income? Usually there are doctors that accept patients on a sliding scale, based on your income. This is all based on my experiences in the United States, if you live in another country it is likely a different system.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem. Yes, I have a car and I drive, but I don't have money to do so... I don't even really know where to go or how to get there if I did. I suck with directions. (bad memory and all you know..)

Paranoid: High
Schizoid: High
Schizotypal: High
Antisocial: Low
Borderline: Low
Histrionic: Low
Narcissistic: Low
Avoidant: Very High
Dependent: Low
Obsessive-Compulsive: High

The difference between a psychologist and me is that I know how my brain functions.
Heh, two have said I have an equal amount of knowledge in psychology in the area of behavioral patterns and traits. I guess unless you're a moron, don't self diagnosis.

The problem is that morons don't know they're morons.

on the diagnostic quiz at similarminds.com, my highest result was for paranoid personality disorder (74%, average web score is 50%). that was a surprise as i see myself as more avoidant.

my "official" diagnoses from professionals are depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. i don't have an axis II diagnosis, at least not that i know of. but i guess sometimes they don't tell you about these.

also took the test at 4degreez and these results were similar to the first:
Disorder | Rating
Paranoid: Very High
Schizoid: High
Schizotypal: Low
Antisocial: High
Borderline: Moderate
Histrionic: Low
Narcissistic: High
Avoidant: Moderate
Dependent: Low
Obsessive-Compulsive: Low

so at this point i am a bit confused.