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DEBATE- Is anxiety/depression over diagnosed?

I myself suffer with severe anxiety and depression therefore this post is nothing against sufferers or trying to undermine anybody. I’ve noticed that so many people have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression but seem to manage okay whereas I struggle to do literally anything.

- how severe do you have to be to receive a diagnosis of anxiety and depression? How do doctors measure MH?

- are GPS qualified to diagnose MH?

- are people being diagnosed with A&D because they are just going through a rough patch and temporarily displaying symptoms ?

- are people being diagnosed with A&D because they do show symptoms but it is a very very mild case - which explains why some people seem to breeze through life and make severe sufferers look like idiots

- are people being diagnosed with MH because the doctor can’t figure out what’s wrong?

- are people being diagnosed with MH because they just want sleeping tablets or other medicines?

- are people trying to be diagnosed with MH because they know they can get time off work and it isn’t that difficult to lie to a doctor?

- are people claiming to suffer from A&D even though it only effects them at certain times and not on a daily basis? (Eg fear of flying)




The rare occasions I’ve told someone I suffer from anxiety and depression I’ve had so many people say OMG ME TOO! Yet they seem to breeze through life. I know MH is invisible but I’m talking about people who clearly do not have MH problems at all. Therefore they don’t understand me when I’m explaining how poorly I am.

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Reply 1
I think they are overdiagnosed, but for multiple reasons.

- They use the PHQ9 and the GAD7 to assess someone for depression and anxiety respectively, if you score enough you apparently have depression and/or anxiety.
- I don't think they're qualified enough in MH to deal with people who have MH issues, but most people never go to secondary care to get help as you have to be really quite ill to require their help (or have issues that a GP can't deal with, or both).
- Potentially.
- In the ICD11 there is "mixed anxiety and depression," which is a disorder where someone is impaired enough to need help with both anxiety and depression like symptoms, but wouldn't be severe enough to diagnose separately. Most people seem to be diagnosed with this?
- Yes. I know for my physical disability people are often told they're just neurotic and depressed, because the doctors can't see what's right in front of their faces.
- Perhaps.
- Maybe.
- You don't have to constantly be anxious/depressed to have anxiety or depression, it just has to affect you the majority of the time within a specific time period.

I think physical causes for depression and anxiety symptoms are overlooked. I do think that perhaps the increase in people with MH issues is partly due to the fact that people feel more able to reach out for help now than they did in the past.

I have MH issues myself, too, so I get what you mean when you see other people able to function with the same diagnosis/diagnoses and you feel frustrated that you can't. But that's how life is. Not everyone is affected in the same way by whatever they're dealing with, same goes for physical health issues.
Well afaik GPs cant diagnose anything other than D and A so sometimes they diagnose it as a sort of meantime diagnosis (to enable you to get services at uni for example) as the waitlists to see a psychiatrist are really long and they would sooner you have some support in the meantime than none. Then when you see a psych the diagnosis is revised to whatever you have. This is what happened to me but obviously cant speak for everyone
It is over self-diagnosed though that's for sure.
Reply 3
I can't answer all of your questions as I'm not a GP/therapist etc., but as for only being affected at certain times of the day / those who say they have it and seem to breeze through life (which seems to be a factor for your other questions anyway), for most people it really doesn't show that easily around others. Particularly around ones you don't know well. In all your everyday interactions would many people be able to tell that you had anxiety and depression? A lot of people who do have it put on a 'regular face' as if nothing was wrong. (I guess due to some self phycology). But, for a small few I'm sure some who don't know much about it who have simply felt a little down or worried about their exams etc would describe themselves as anxious and depressed - but not in a medical way

Take care
Original post by Anonymous
I myself suffer with severe anxiety and depression therefore this post is nothing against sufferers or trying to undermine anybody. I’ve noticed that so many people have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression but seem to manage okay whereas I struggle to do literally anything.

.


Bear in mind that there are high functioning and low functioning types though. I myself am high functioning (have been told this by professionals am not just pulling it out of my arse) and achieve well academically but really struggle at night and when i dont have routine for instance. Just cos you dont see someone struggling externally doesnt mean that they arent internally
Also in terms of what you say about sleeping pills am not sure that would be a reason since GPs are extremely reluctant to prescribe sleeping pills as they are addictive, they only prescribe 6 at a time and not regularly at all.
Reply 5
Being with my mental health, I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Not even the people I don't like. I often downplay mental health in conversation like "Yeah it's not really a big deal" or "It's actually kind of fun"

and as polarising as it is, I then break down twice in one week, screaming, laughing and crying thinking what a joke my life is.
Reply 6
Original post by ofdro
I then break down twice in one week, screaming, laughing and crying thinking what a joke my life is.


xD but freshers hasn't even started yet
Reply 7
No... There are different levels of anxiety and depression in each person...

So I have anxiety however I can deal with it better than you can, because mine is less crushing/severe (which I'm sorry about, btw hope it gets better for you). It doesn't mean I don't have anxiety and I don't need it treated.
Reply 8
Original post by CoolCavy
Bear in mind that there are high functioning and low functioning types though. I myself am high functioning (have been told this by professionals am not just pulling it out of my arse) and achieve well academically but really struggle at night and when i dont have routine for instance. Just cos you dont see someone struggling externally doesnt mean that they arent internally
Also in terms of what you say about sleeping pills am not sure that would be a reason since GPs are extremely reluctant to prescribe sleeping pills as they are addictive, they only prescribe 6 at a time and not regularly at all.


PSROM. :hugs:
Reply 9
Original post by Plus7
No... There are different levels of anxiety and depression in each person...

So I have anxiety however I can deal with it better than you can, because mine is less crushing/severe (which I'm sorry about, btw hope it gets better for you). It doesn't mean I don't have anxiety and I don't need it treated.


deal with it is an interesting term here. because I think people with the anxiety/depression are very good at hiding it, you won't even know they have it and might just think they're shy/weird until it's too late.

being anxious and depressed, most people never figure it out. sufferers can't express that earnestly without first punching themselves in the face a thousand times. and by then you're supposed to be laughing too much at how silly they seem so that you forget they have anything at all but a great sense of humour.

it's a trap, and like all good traps is designed to keep you trapped. "escaping" digs the hole deeper, I have no idea how you deal with it better - because the only way to deal with anxiety/depression better, perhaps, is to not have it at all and not indeed be trapped.

perhaps you're taking antidepressants but you don't appear to be depressed to me. sorry if this comes across as a bit rude, but you should be thanking your lucky stars, either way. you aren't looking at trees the same way i do!
Definitely overdiagnosed - it has now become a badge of honour to tell everybody you suffer from depression or anxiety and you get extra kudos for having OCD and bipolar as well (it doesn't need to be diagnosed by a professional of course your own 5 minute judgement on wikipedia will be enough)
Reply 11
Original post by ofdro
deal with it is an interesting term here. because I think people with the anxiety/depression are very good at hiding it, you won't even know they have it and might just think they're shy/weird until it's too late.

being anxious and depressed, most people never figure it out. sufferers can't express that earnestly without first punching themselves in the face a thousand times. and by then you're supposed to be laughing too much at how silly they seem so that you forget they have anything at all but a great sense of humour.

it's a trap, and like all good traps is designed to keep you trapped. "escaping" digs the hole deeper, I have no idea how you deal with it better - because the only way to deal with anxiety/depression better, perhaps, is to not have it at all and not indeed be trapped.

perhaps you're taking antidepressants but you don't appear to be depressed to me. sorry if this comes across as a bit rude, but you should be thanking your lucky stars, either way. you aren't looking at trees the same way i do!


I never said I was depressed. Plus you said people can hide it well. I'm not depressed but I am on anti-depressants for anxiety. When I said I handle it better all I meant was I don't let it overwhelm me. I shouldn't thank my lucky stars because I've had anxiety my whole life, the worst being in my teens when I was suic*dal and unable to leave the house. But I improved, so so can you.
Reply 12
Original post by Plus7
I never said I was depressed. Plus you said people can hide it well. I'm not depressed but I am on anti-depressants for anxiety. When I said I handle it better all I meant was I don't let it overwhelm me. I shouldn't thank my lucky stars because I've had anxiety my whole life, the worst being in my teens when I was suic*dal and unable to leave the house. But I improved, so so can you.


Sorry for presuming, I'm just hrmmm... under a fair bit of stress at the moment regarding this issue. I have until the end of the day to find some "hope"

If I cannot then that is not good.
I believe it is as I experience the same as you. Mine is severe and I also have ocd and also expierence bouts of depersonalisation but I’m on meds and slowly getting better it really pisses me off when people get through day to day life claiming they have it wear as me I can’t leave the house without seeing the world as a boring movie screen which I’m in my own bubble
Firstly, I realise I didn’t make it clear enough that I am not trying to undermine anybody or imply that people are faking.

- I fully understand that MH is invisible and somebody who looks fine could easily be severely unwell

- I understand that people may have a genuine MH diagnosis, but they use CBT techniques or medication which is why they seem fine

- I understand that some people may have issues such as a phobia of dogs. In which case they will seem absolutely fine most of the time, but in dog related situations they might be in a really bad state

- I understand that if somebodies anxiety or depression is less severe than mine it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t share the same diagnosis

- I fully understand that people can suffer very severely but still appear normal


ON THE OTHER HAND


- I have had somebody telling me they have bad anxiety and panic attacks because ‘I hate it when my bedroom is messy’

- I have had people saying they have OCD because I can’t sleep if I know there are dirty pots in the sink’

- People saying they are depressed because they didn’t go out at the weekend

- my personal favourite - oh yeah I have panic attacks all the time when I feel my pocket and my phones not there

- people who say they have severe social anxiety and have a phobia of crowds yet they go clubbing every weekend

- people who say they have anxiety or depression but when you talk to them about it you learn they have just diagnosed themselves

- I had one girl who said ‘yeah I suffer really badly with anxiety and panic attacks but no i haven’t been diagnosed or seen a doctor and I don’t need to have counselling or medication because it’s not even that bad you just have to think about something else’

- ‘I have severe social anxiety because I’m shy and scared to talk to boys’

- ‘omg I had a panic attack once when I lost my friends on a night out and I had butterflies and everything’

- ‘Don’t tell anybody we went out on Saturday night becauseI’ve put depression on my sick note’



In the last 10 years I’ve spent more time in hospital than I can bare, I’ve spent a bomb on bus fares getting to CBT appointments, It’s a JOKE how much I’ve spent on my prescriptions, my parents have rang multiple ambulances for me, I’ve been bullied because of the weird behaviours my MH makes me do, I’ve been thrown out of sixth form because I kept running out of lessons due to panic attacks, I’ve had home treatment teams coming to my house everyday just to supervise my medication and help me shower, my mum has taken time off work because I couldn’t be left alone, I’ve been accused of taking drugs because of the way my MH makes me act.

So when somebody looks me in the eye and tells me they have anxiety too, yet they ****ing clearly don’t it drives me mad.

Why is anxiety fashionable? Why isn’t it ‘cool’ to have schizophrenia or bipolar?
Reply 15
Original post by Anonymous
Why is anxiety fashionable? Why isn’t it ‘cool’ to have schizophrenia or bipolar?


Some people lay claim to these too. Mostly bipolar...

Herpes would be a better example, why isn't it fashionable to have herpes?
Original post by ofdro
Some people lay claim to these too. Mostly bipolar...

Herpes would be a better example, why isn't it fashionable to have herpes?

Ikr! Chlamydia is such a nice word...why can’t they use that :confused:
Reply 17
Original post by Anonymous
Ikr! Chlamydia is such a nice word...why can’t they use that :confused:


Maybe they've actually got both and don't want to give the game away
Reply 18
Original post by Anonymous
Firstly, I realise I didn’t make it clear enough that I am not trying to undermine anybody or imply that people are faking.

- I fully understand that MH is invisible and somebody who looks fine could easily be severely unwell

- I understand that people may have a genuine MH diagnosis, but they use CBT techniques or medication which is why they seem fine

- I understand that some people may have issues such as a phobia of dogs. In which case they will seem absolutely fine most of the time, but in dog related situations they might be in a really bad state

- I understand that if somebodies anxiety or depression is less severe than mine it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t share the same diagnosis

- I fully understand that people can suffer very severely but still appear normal


ON THE OTHER HAND


- I have had somebody telling me they have bad anxiety and panic attacks because ‘I hate it when my bedroom is messy’

- I have had people saying they have OCD because I can’t sleep if I know there are dirty pots in the sink’

- People saying they are depressed because they didn’t go out at the weekend

- my personal favourite - oh yeah I have panic attacks all the time when I feel my pocket and my phones not there

- people who say they have severe social anxiety and have a phobia of crowds yet they go clubbing every weekend

- people who say they have anxiety or depression but when you talk to them about it you learn they have just diagnosed themselves

- I had one girl who said ‘yeah I suffer really badly with anxiety and panic attacks but no i haven’t been diagnosed or seen a doctor and I don’t need to have counselling or medication because it’s not even that bad you just have to think about something else’

- ‘I have severe social anxiety because I’m shy and scared to talk to boys’

- ‘omg I had a panic attack once when I lost my friends on a night out and I had butterflies and everything’

- ‘Don’t tell anybody we went out on Saturday night becauseI’ve put depression on my sick note’



In the last 10 years I’ve spent more time in hospital than I can bare, I’ve spent a bomb on bus fares getting to CBT appointments, It’s a JOKE how much I’ve spent on my prescriptions, my parents have rang multiple ambulances for me, I’ve been bullied because of the weird behaviours my MH makes me do, I’ve been thrown out of sixth form because I kept running out of lessons due to panic attacks, I’ve had home treatment teams coming to my house everyday just to supervise my medication and help me shower, my mum has taken time off work because I couldn’t be left alone, I’ve been accused of taking drugs because of the way my MH makes me act.

So when somebody looks me in the eye and tells me they have anxiety too, yet they ****ing clearly don’t it drives me mad.

Why is anxiety fashionable? Why isn’t it ‘cool’ to have schizophrenia or bipolar?



Oh bruh that's just pathetic. I didn't know people that think that existed hahaha. How sad, anxiety is a long term crippling disorder, not a quick adrenaline rush when you can't find your phone ffs. Everybody has that.
Original post by ofdro
Maybe they've actually got both and don't want to give the game away

Ahhhh good strategy ... I LIKE IT.

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