2nd misdiagnosis worries?

Question

im awaiting a second opinion, and im worried about what i'll do, if the psychiatrist says i dont have a mental illness again. when i strongly feel my symptoms are the result of an imbalance or mental illness. im 29 now and have been suffering since 15. ive gone on for so long without any help. i have a cpn now. my moods are constantly low, i feel lethargic, i have feelings of hopelessness, despair, emptiness, helplessness everyday..ive socially isolated myself in my flat. i have incredable amounts of anxiety which stop me from going out. when i have to go out, i have panic attacks, and sweat, i cant concentrate on what im doing. and i get inner rage feelings which are overwhelming, its like im fighting to stay in control. in the past, ive lost control countless times in crowded public places, and acted out, barged and knocked people over. my perception seems to become distorted, i feel numb and detached, i have paranoid ideas to. i have alot of anger towards people to. because

i feel everybodys got a happy life and im isolated and alone. but it worries me and upsets me that i have all this inner rage and that i struggle to control it...every day i suffer with disorganised thinking, racing thoughts flooding my mind. a thought comes in my mind. poof. its gone. then 10 more random unwanted thoughts, come floding in all the time and i cant control them or stop them. i have bleak and dark morbid thoughts constantly...i know theres a mental illnes involved here or an imbalance...i dont wanna get told again i have a personality disorder with no mental illness or depression, because my symptoms tell me different

Answer 1

Derek, does the psychiatrist you are seeing tell you to see a therapist? It is very important you do this rather than suffer any longer. The therapist can recommend you to a more experienced psychiatrist; from what you are telling us this one sounds utterly incompetent. What did he tell you he thought the problem was? It sounds as if you are suffering from terrible anxiety and depression, both of which I have been through myself. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I promise you, but you need to seek it. Talk to your primary physician. It is possible your symptoms are indicative of a mental illness as well, but I am not a doctror. Is the psychiatrist refusing to give you medication? There are often reasons for this - were you an addict in the past? Do you have a health condition which would be affected by the medication? If the answer to both of these is no, then you need to ask your psychiatrist what he proposes is going on with you. If it is some ridiculous answer, please - get to a therapist as soon as possible. Even a social worker. These people are trained to deal with mental illnesses and they have the connections you need.

The racing thoughts are absolute torture, but they too diminish. Three years ago I was near suicide due to the extent of the suffering. Today I can honestly say that when help is sought, it is most often found. Don't let anyone tell you that you don't deserve a normal life. It is awfully important you get that rage in control before you really hurt someone. Make phone calls, think about joining a DBT or CBT group in your area, and allow others to aid you in your fight. Mental illnesses involve a chemical imbalance heightened by our experiences, they are NOT your fault. Believe me, Derek, everyone else is not happy. Many are putting on a good front much like yourself. There are ways out of this. Personality disorders are almost always caused by underlying fears and grief. You need to try again, but ask your doctor, a social worker, and/or a therapist to help you. It's their job. You deserve a happy life.

I wish you all the best on your journey.

Answer 2

You definitiely need to see an expert in adult psychiatric illness. Some of the symptoms you are describing could be related to some of the following (Depersonalization Disorder; Post Traumatic STress Disorder; Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features; Schizophrenia; and Schizoaffective Disorder; to name a few). To get a better idea of diagnoses go the the NIMH website (National Institute of Mental Health) and please discuss this with a professional. I know that Psychologists often conduct psychological testing (which psychiatrsists do not often do) and that certain tests are designed to rule-out certain types of disorders. What you are describing seems to exceed the typical personality disordered characteristics, and I would guess that you probably do have a neurochemical imbalance, but of course I am not in a position to make any type of diagnosis. If your current clinician is not helping you then I would request someone different or go out of town, to a larger city where there are more professionals available. Univeristy Hospitals that train medical students in psychiatry are a good place to start on an outpatient basis. Going there doesn't mean you will be admitted into an inpatient facility, but rather, many outpatient clinics do operate within a hospital setting.

Answer 3

Derek,
I used to have some similar feelings to what you describe.
I was told there was nothing wrong we me although I new something was not right. It seemed that no help was available.
But I kept looking and one day came across Dianetics. It has turned my life around completely. I used to feel that I never had a happy day. Now I rarely have bad days and am happy most of the time.
You can buy Dianetics (book) for a few pounds/dollars to see if it is right for you. The therapy costs a bit more but believe me it is worth it.

Good luck - I hope you get what I got from it

Answer 4

Have you ever thought of having a Pastor come to talk to you? You do likely have a chemical disorder in your brain and then with an over secretion of "flight or fight" adrenal hormones you get your anxiety problems. You should have a complete medical check up with a doctor and then see through a battery of test if you've got a physiological problem that's hindering your normal life.
Can you get someone to go to these appointments and tests with you? Surely you're not alone in your problems but they can be overcome.

Answer 5

I'm not trying to undermine that you have physiological problems but perhaps the symptoms you are experiencing are complicated by physical manifestations of a biological problem. Have you been checked thoroughly by a GP? A friend of mine was having severe panic attacks and it was eventually discovered that he had something called Gilbert's Syndrome. I am not saying that this could be the root of your problem, but while you wait for referral you could ask your doctor to check you for any hormone imbalances, and vitamin deficiencies (such as B12) and your liver function.
http://www.gilbertssyndrome.com/

Answer 6

You sound like you've got a phobia of leaving home. Go with someone you trust, dont think of bad things happening, and you'll see its all in your head :) good luck.

Answer 7

What are you, crazy? Everyone does that now and then. You are totally normal. Why spend your money going to a psychiatrist when you can get perfectly legit answers here?

Answer 8

Text book, chapter, and verse...good reading! Next!