How can they diagnose when you're not at your worst?

Maybe I word this question wrong but idg how you can be diagnosed other than when you’re at your worst? That’s the true indication. Maybe prognosis plays a factor? But I see my new pdoc saying “you don’t have mental illness!” I will say “call up my parents if you want a second opinion on that sir”. Sz and szas can have good prognosis too but I have a feeling he’ll downgrade my diagnosis because I’m so stable. What are your thoughts? My pdoc never saw me truly psychotic, I was always on meds when I had apts with him. Well I shouldn’t say that, once he saw me very psychotic but still don’t understand how they diagnose us by just talking and looking at us. It baffles me.

That’s why it’s so difficult, and most prodromal phases pass as depression. The amount of antidepressants prescribed for prodromal is too damn high, but it’s very difficult to know if the person will develop sz or not.

Then there’s the second part of it, when the person actually has sz symptoms, if I were to tell a psychiatrist sooner about my symptoms I would be diagnosed a loooooot sooner too.

It depends on the person, the pdoc and the illness.

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This is an issue for me, too. I don’t tend to see a doctor when I’m at my worst, because when I’m at my worst, I don’t view what’s going on as something that needs a doctor. It’s only after the peak passes that I gain insight.

In your case, you don’t need to be diagnosed. Have your files transferred and your new doctor can read all about it. In my case, I’ve had doctors suggest getting off meds because I seem to be doing well, but they listen when I tell them what’s happened when I’ve done that before.

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