My labels (according to the good old DSM-IV)

I'm not a big fan of labels, especially when it comes psychiatric diagnoses. I mean, even the most healthy people will display symptoms of some "disorder" at some stage in their lives, and there's also a lot of cross-over between the different diagnoses which can make it unclear what a person actually suffers from. But I do find it interesting to read through the DSM, look up my own diagnoses, and see how many of the symptoms I actually have.

Borderline Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image and affects, as well as marked impulsivity, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

1. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-injuring behavior covered in Criterion 5.

2. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation.

3. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.

4. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., promiscuous sex, eating disorders, binge eating, substance abuse, reckless driving). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-injuring behavior covered in Criterion 5.

5. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, threats or self-injuring behavior such as cutting, interfering with the healing of scars (excoriation) or picking at oneself.

6. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).

7. Chronic feelings of emptiness.

8. Inappropriate anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights).

9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation, delusions or severe dissociative symptoms.

I can honestly cay I fit every single one of those criteria, although number 9 is rare for me (I think I've only dissociated from stress once or twice in my life), and I am getting much better at controlling my anger in number 8.

Major Depressive Disorder (Major Depressive Episode)

A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either

(1) depressed mood

(2) loss of interest or pleasure.

Note: Do not include symptoms that are clearly due to a general medical condition, or mood-incongruent delusions or hallucinations.

(1) depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.

(2) markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others).

(3) significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.

(4) Insomnia or Hypersomnia nearly every day.

(5) psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).

(6) fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.

(7) feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick).

(8 ) diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others).

(9) recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide .

B. The symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode.

C. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).

E. The symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.

The diagnosis for Major Depressive Disorder hinges on the critirea for a Major Depressive Episode (above), which I fit to a tee. I've experienced around several of these episodes every year since I was 12 or 13, so my actual diagnosis is "Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder" or something like that.

Substance Dependence

A maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period:

(1) tolerance, as defined by either of the following:

(a) a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve Intoxication or desired effect.

(b) markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance.

(2) Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:

(a) the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance (refer to Criteria A and B of the criteria sets for Withdrawal from the specific substances).

(b) the same (or a closely related) substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.

(3) the substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.

(4) there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use.

(5) a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance (e.g., visiting multiple doctors or driving long distances), use the substance (e.g., chain-smoking), or recover from its effects.

(6) important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use.

(7) the substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance (e.g., current cocaine use despite recognition of cocaine-induced depression, or continued drinking despite recognition that an ulcer was made worse by alcohol consumption).

Specify if:

With Physiological Dependence: evidence of tolerance or withdrawal (i.e., either Item 1 or 2 is present).

Without Physiological Dependence: no evidence of tolerance or withdrawal (i.e., neither Item 1 nor 2 is present).

My benzo and meth addictions both meet the criteria for "Substance Dependence With Physiological Dependence".

Gender Identity Disorder, which I technically have, is also listed in the DSM. But I won't bother adding that here because I don't think being transgendered is any more of a "disorder" than being gay!

 

Earlier versions of the DSM had homosexuality as a disorder.That's where the Kinsey Scale came from!

 

Yeah, I figured homosexuality was probably listed in the earlier versions. Hopefully in later editions, Gender Identity Disorder will be removed too! I definitely don't consider it a mental disorder.

 

I think the tide is turning in that direction, but it'll take a while yet for that idea to become commonplace. Where I live, gender reassignment was recently de-listed as a covered health care service. There was maybe a week or two of half-assed protests by the LGBT community, which was basically received as 'them damn queers is acting all uppity again'. AFAIK it's still de-listed, and people need to either travel a long way, or pay tens of thousands of dollars just for the surgery, not including any hormone therapy. Lame.

 

Very interesting blog sweet P. About six moths ago,I was put into a psychiatric clinic for 1 month. The psychologists there diagnosed me with the Borderline Personality Disorder "label". And I do fit all the criteria for it. Yesterday I went to see a private psychologist. He refused to take me on. He told me that if we delve into psychotherapy it might prompt me into another relapse. His professional opinion was that I need to go back into another clinic and stay for a whole year where I can get psychotherapy and rehabilitation for my drug abuse.I left his office feeling rejected.
Now I do not even wanna see another psychologist. The reason why I even chose to see one was to get help and a better understanding of who I am and why I do the shit I do. I know I need treatment for my drug problems. But I urgently need help with my depression and my mood swings,impulsivity,apathy etc. All the typical symptoms of the borderline disorder.
Anyways. I did a terrible thing today. I used heroin, and I have been clean for over 3 weeks now. I feel like an asshole. But at the same time I am happy. I did just a small line. I'm thinking I will throw away the rest. I have only ever chucked heroin one time in my life. My husband made me do it and watched me as I flushed it down the drain.
I wonder if I can really do it? Throw away perfectly good heroin. I'm afraid if I leave it in my room, I will do it all, be sweaty and cranky tomorrow...and worse yet.....fall right back into my old shitty patterns. What kind of a fucking idiot am I to do this to myself again???

 

I am addicted to self diagnosing with the DSM. I am a psych major, and I have been doing this since Into to Psych... oh and doing this is strongly not advised by every single one of my psych professors lol.

 

Dave i never saw anything about that on the news but then again i don't watch the news much . Was that decision for all across canada or just in Alberta? Alberta is very right wing compared to the rest of canada so a decision like that would not surprise me. Granted under the conservative government canada has become way more right wing in general which is pretty sad really.

I don't know why gender identity disorder would be considered a mental illness really. I mean wtf who cares? leave people alone already and let them do what they wanna do.

Anyway thats enough ranting in your blog Sweet P lol. If i want to rant i'll go rant in mine. I'll talk to you sometime soon i hope.

 

Just Alberta. The fucking bible belt of Canada. Par for the course really. I just really hope that the Wild Rose nutjobs don't get in-- those guys really scare me. They make the PCs look socialist, not to mention the whole veiled separatist angle. /shudder

 

Hormone replacement therapy is funded by the NZ government, fortunately, but sexual reassignment surgery generally isn't. Special funding is available, but usually only a small number of people (i.e. the most desperate) are granted it for that. The vast majority of transgendered people have to save tens of thousands of dollars to have the surgery done in Thailand.