I have questions that are really messing with me about how diagnosis are made. My misunderstanding of how you go from symptoms and diagnosis is really causing me a lot of distress and I don’t have anyone to explain it to me.
1). I had been rapidly taken off of a very long stint (15 years; very high dose) on an atypical antipsychotic at OSU Harding Hospital and was has having withdrawal symptoms according to other doctors (MD). When I went inpatient there the psychiatrist said there is no such thing as withdrawal from antipsychotics. I pointed out peer reviewed journal articles to the contrary and he said his experience indicates otherwise and I should shut up. Could someone please explain to me how psychiatrists use established science vs experience? I’m very scared to take things from a psychiatrist because I’m not sure if I should trust experience over what is in JAMA and some explanation would really help me right now.
2). Along with #1 I was given a diagnosis that matches almost none of the symptoms in the DSM but all the commonly accepted symptoms for withdrawal. I asked why and the psychiatrist said the DSM is a very rough guide and a psychiatrist can add or subtract any or all of the symptoms to make a diagnosis and I should shut up. How is the DSM used in diagnosis? Is there another tool to map symptoms to disorder? I’m very confused about the whole thing.
Could someone please explain to me how diagnosis are made? No one seems to be able to explain to me and it’s bothering me a lot
Thank you.