Some people diagnose themselves before they get professional psychiatric help.  I did, and society influenced my “self-diagnosis.”  Just like PE class for children’s physical health awareness, it is crucial to teach mental health diagnosis in schools instead of using buzz words like ADHD and jumping on a bandwagon that might not be yours.  I thought I was ADHD because I didn’t know there was such a thing as Bipolar II – Chronic Hypo Mania.  Big difference.

Here are some red flags to consider when you self-diagnose and/or miss-diagnose:  

POEM: THE LOST OF THE PERSONAL “I”

Is bipolar going to be the next ADAH?

For kids?

The Ritalin’s not working.

Let’s try something else.

We have him on Ativan, Klonopin, Trileptal

Let’s try adding Xanax to his morning pills.

Sometimes a “diagnosis” of ADAH changes quickly

To fit the needs of the family

Or the school.

In the next ten years

Will all the ADHD kids be

“Bipolar?”

More meds

Easier solutions

For those that administer it.

We are heading down

A scary path.

Miss diagnosis and self-diagnosis happens all the time.

Without education we are shaping  a world ruled by

Melding the individual to fit a norm.

When there is no norm when it comes to mental illness.

Woman in the mirror photo available from Shutterstock

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    Last reviewed: 16 Jan 2013