The Power of Diagnosis
Ask 100 mental health professionals their opinion on diagnosis and you’ll get 100 different answers. Some people are tied to diagnosis- if we can name it we can tame it. Others feel diagnosis is unnecessary and as long as there are interventions that help people feel better, then the label doesn’t matter. The real answer is somewhat more nuanced. This week we’re exploring these perspectives. What is the power of diagnosis?
The power and purpose of diagnosis is closely often dependent on the client. As mental health providers, it’s our job to navigate how much or little to focus on diagnosis by paying attention to how much is will help or harm a particular client. That is not to say that we don’t form clinical impressions and don’t diagnose. And, as clients, you are entitled to know what that diagnosis is. In the ongoing work, you and your provider can work collaboratively around how much you focus on the diagnosis itself and how much you focus on symptoms. You get to be a key player in that conversation.
Why might diagnosis and focusing on diagnosis be helpful? Well, as I stated earlier, there is a common saying in the mental health field, “if we can name it, we can tame it”. For many people receiving a diagnosis can go a long way in feeling like they’re getting answers and that they’re not “just crazy”. Additionally, having a diagnosis can be helpful in providing and learning language around what a person is experiencing which can be key in finding informal supports (like support groups, information online, message boards etc). Learning language around their diagnosis and having a diagnosis can also help a person (or their loved one) advocate for themselves and speak to what specific challenge might be happening and why. Formal diagnosis also (sometimes unfortunately), can open the door for services for a number of diagnoses including autism spectrum disorder and adhd.
Focusing on a diagnosis can also have drawbacks. For some people, focusing on diagnosis can be remarkably disempowering. Rather than having the intended impact of giving someone language around what’s happening for them and helping someone learn to advocate and find community, it can serve to create hopelessness and demotivate putting in work to feel better or manage symptoms differently. Diagnosis can feel permanent and for many people, looking at the rest of their lives and potentially having to navigate something painful or challenging for the rest of their lives is overwhelming and can be paralyzing.
When it comes to navigating diagnosis and your life, you get to be part of the conversation. Diagnosis is imperfect. There are plenty of symptoms that are not included in current DSM criteria but continue to exist in people. There are diagnoses that are no longer included (cyclothymia comes to mind) but still continue to exist within people but are now accounted for by different labels. If you are seeking answers, challenge your provider. Ask them to walk you through their thought process. If you disagree or feel like the full picture isn’t being captured- say that. Voice your concerns. If you have ideas of your own about what may be going on, bring them up and see what your provider thinks. If you’re struggling with coming to terms with a diagnosis and feel like it’s impeding your ability to otherwise “do the work”, say that. There is no reason in traditional talk therapy to hit diagnosis really hard if it is unhelpful and hindering your from coming to terms with what it means. If your provider does not listen to you, it’s okay to go elsewhere.
Ultimately, your diagnosis/es are only a part of who you are. They do not need to be your entire identity. Remember that you contain multitudes and your symptoms and their title are only a portion of that. While working through your diagnosis/es and learning how to manage your symptoms, it’s just as important to continue nurturing the other parts of you and giving yourself the opportunity to remember all of who you are.