Distrust of professional diagnoses !?

Question

What if I don't believe the labels that psychologists have given me?
To sum up, apparently:
- I have ADHD (Inattentive type, not Hyperactivity)
- I am gifted ("Very Superior" intelligence)
- I have a learning disability (memory, processing shite)
- I have clinical depression.

By a simple multiple choice Internet-quiz-like test, my psychologist said I had ADHD. What?!? how does that work?

Mostly I don't believe the learning disability (LD) bit.
Did the psychologist even consider the other problems as being the causes of those wonky results, not simply some weird genetic flaw?

What do you think?!

+ I have a cousin who's a doctor who thinks kids are called "learning disabled" too quickly, especially then prescribing dangerous drugs to them.
He himself was said to have an LD as a teen, but he puts it down to depression affecting his academic output.

I don't know how to see myself, how much am I disabled, how much am I just depressed, how much am I gifted? madness.

I had read "ADD" wasn't the proper term anymore, maybe they're wrong ?
I don't know the term they're using now, but okay.

Answer 1

I don't always have "blind faith" in doctors either. And when something medical starts to be a "fad"...like ADHD and bipolar etc.....they want to stick it on every patient that crosses their path. Maybe you can try the medicine and see if it helps you. If it makes you worse...get off it immediately. If it doesn't help..no need to take it. A family member has been thru this. They've given him some medicines that made him fall in the car floor screaming. He has the hyper kind. But this summer he passed summer computer/type "virtual" school with flying colors. He is very smart. But at school he gets his mind on what the other kids are doing. He's very high in Math and Science..way above his grade level. If you're "gifted"...are you sure it's not because you're bored...because the material isn't hard enough for you to keep you interested? He said that even though it looked to the teacher like he wasn't paying attention..he heard and comprehended what she was saying. He just didn't do good on classroom tests. Part of the summer he went to summer school at school in a different situation and did great and finished before the time he was supposed to. Just pay attention to how YOU feel. If the medicine helps you ....good. If it doesn't..don't take it...or change doctors. You know how you feel inside...the doctor doesn't.

Answer 2

You are entitled to a second opinion, I would ask for one.
You are obviously very bright, unfortunately this can be a disadvantage when dealing with psychologists and psychiatrists. You might have a higher degree of intelligence than them.
If you do have clinical depression it could account for the other symptoms. Yet so could a hormone in balance.
Some doctors are obsessed with categorising or putting things in boxes, (this of course is another condition!).
They aren't god, even if they're good. So seek another opinion and maybe you'll find a professional with a greater mind.

Answer 3

I work in the field of education. I agree that too often the label of adhd is placed on a child before in depth testing is done to see if that is the actual disorder. There are site that are listed in the web search that deal with specific areas of your concern. Also look for back issues of Time Magazine. There have been different articles that address the problem of children and adults who were thought to be adhd, but actually were not. Perhaps some of the information will help you to identify other sources. Or look for a support group in your area.

Answer 4

I don't much trust Psychologists either and some of your "problems" seem almost mutually exclusive to me. Learning difficulties and high intelligence for instance.

We had a lot of trouble with my son when he was at school and innumerable psychologists, psychiatrists and Social Workers made innumerable diagnoses about learning disabilities and his inability to ever hold down a good job or learn a foreign language etc.

As soon as he left school he enrolled at night school and taught himself enough French and Spanish to have a couple of holidays in those countries-on his own. He also studied electronics and now has a Higher National Certificate and is working towards a degree (part time). He works as a service engineer for a medical equipment manufacturer and goes diving and travels all over the world bird watching in his spare time.

Not bad for somebody the experts wrote off is it? I often wish I could meet a few of the people who used to give us such grief but of course they never stay in one place to see the results of their misdiagnoses do they?

Take my advice and ignore them.

Answer 5

A CPN came to my house once and through a tick list of answers decided I was a manic depressive. I went back to my doctor feeling very down as I thought I was bipolar but he took a look at my notes and said I was just depressed and prescribed some pills which really helped.

No one I've spoken to thinks I'm bipolar as I don't get the highs, just the lows. Don't let professionals use tick lists to label you, more often than not they're not accurate.

Answer 6

Psychologists are trained to look at specifics and come to a conclusion.
They are not particularly capable of thinking outside the box.
Think of them more as a G.P. for the mind. They know a little about all of the things going on in your head, but if you want accuracy, you should all ways seek a specialist re feral from any diagnoses they make.
I had a G.P. tell me my Autistic Son couldn't have A.S.D. 'as he wasn't tall enough'
A Consultant Paediatrician 4 years later confirmed what I thought.
That the G.P. was a ****...

Always ask for an expert if your not happy with the 'laymen'
p.s. 'Inatentive' A.D.H.D. is A.D.D

Good Luck.

Answer 7

I used to work as a counselor in a mental-health facility, and one of the first things I noticed was that EVERYONE was diagnosed ADHD. Everybody was on Ritalin, Adderall, Dextroamphetamine, or something like that. The best part was that this was determined by our psychiatrist after a ten-minute verbal interview.

The quicker we realize that the drug companies rule the field, the sooner we will realize that not all diagnoses are true.

Answer 8

The problem with any Doctors opinion, is that most Doctors are over worked, and they are giving an educated opinion.
How do you feel? We all already have names, labels are for soup cans! You are the only person that can be you!
Look in the mirror, and say " I'm fantastic, I'm going to be the best me I can today! " (I 've heard of a PHD using their own printed test, but one off the net? I saw a set of those, and it appeared to me that if I kept taking those net tests I'd become a hypochondriac!)

Answer 9

I would go with what your cousin says...these days...dr,'s are too quick to diagnose these disorders only later to find out that they aren't correct...I had a dr. say that about a grandson of mine..what did I do?..gave my grandson coffee with cocoa in the a.m. and sent some to school in a thermos for lunch..guess what?...it worked...all that medication is are stimulants anyway..if you are truely add or adhd?..then this is a good sign that if this works..you probably don't need any thing else...go to another dr....but, listen to your cousin the dr...

Answer 10

you are right ADD is not used very often anymore as it all comes under the ADHD now in the UK. my daughters consultant told me that as she isn't hyperactive. I think you should get a second opinion as its always good to get one. take care good luck