For discussion: Commonly underestimated emotional and psychological dimensions to depression, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric diagnoses.
Dr. Terry Lynch
Continuing professional development (CPD) courses for psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, MH professionals
Psychiatric diagnoses - such as anxiety (e.g. 'general anxiety disorder'); depression; bipolar disorder; schizophrenia; obsessive compulsive disorder; schizo-affective disorder etc - are commonly portrayed as primarily biological entities.
Yet, emotional and psychological dimensions - including trauma and the consequences of trauma - are often prominent within the experiences and behaviours that come to be diagnosed as various psychiatric illnesses.
Based on my experience, many people who receive these diagnoses would benefit if the emotional and psychological aspects of these diagnoses received greater prominence.
What do you think? Does this sound right - or wrong - to you?
I would love to hear your thoughts on any aspect of this.
Best wishes,
Terry.
Mental Health courses for mental health professionals:
Working Therapeutically With Clients With A Psychiatric Diagnosis.
Bipolar Disorder: Cracking The Code.
Author and lecturer
5 年Thank you so much, Terry. ?I could not agree more. It is so horrible, that psychiatrists very often starts on psychotropics from day one, when a person seeks help for for example anxiety or one of the other diagnoses you mentioned. From the association Dead In Psychiatric Care I am aware of so many "stories" of people who started on psychotropics for fx. anxiety. The treatment did not help. The persons still suffered from anxiety but they now had new diagnoses like schizophrenia which was a side effect from the medication. This new diagnoses kept them stuck in the psychiatric treatment system for life. It is so sad, and it is a crime, that no one is held responsible for such maltreatment. My daughter had a "story" like that. She did not survive the treatment.