I don't think I've ever been formally diagnosed

[Rockysocks]

I've sought help over the years and seen a couple of psychiatrists but I have never been formally diagnosed.

I actually really tried. I had issues beyond anxiety and depression and tried to explain it but was dismissed by a psychiatrist after a quick session as having recurrent depression.

Things have somewhat settled for me but I just think it's a big shame that I actually reached out a couple of times and was completely honest but wasn't taken seriously enough.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

[Dougella]

You may want to ask your GP to check your notes incase there was a diagnosis made that you weren't told about. That can happen occasionally especially if a psychiatrist is a bit dismissive. If not you can ask to be referred to mental health services now to find out if they would diagnose you with something.

I was diagnosed with a "serious social phobia" by a mental health team when I was a teenager, but they didn't tell me! I saw it in a letter later on and then started finding out about it more when I was older.

[Bluebear]

Originally Posted by Rockysocks

I've sought help over the years and seen a couple of psychiatrists but I have never been formally diagnosed.

I actually really tried. I had issues beyond anxiety and depression and tried to explain it but was dismissed by a psychiatrist after a quick session as having recurrent depression.

Things have somewhat settled for me but I just think it's a big shame that I actually reached out a couple of times and was completely honest but wasn't taken seriously enough.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

I can relate

[MissKatie]

I never saw the point in being diagnosed with anxiety. Especially back when, mental health was a major stigma where a GP might've said "everyone has some anxiety and you can function in life"

I didn't see the point in being diagnosed with something that was so incredibly obvious I had and would've received little or no practical help.

(I tried DBT years later and found it only pissed me off and didn't help)

[firemonkey]

Late 1973- On anafranil. No definite dx.
1975-c1983 Schizophrenia, schizophrenia with disorder of gender identity
c1983-2005 Schizoaffective mixed type mostly/occasionally bipolar disorder
2005- ? PD NOS
? -2018 Paranoid pd
2018-2019 Most likely schizophrenia and ASD
2019-2020 Schizoaffective and ASD
2020- Schizophrenia and ASD

The anxiety/social anxiety is seen as secondary to those diagnoses.

[indignant misanthrope]

it may sound counter intuitive but it often helps to do a lot of homework and try to establish what you think is wrong with you, or go from what you suspect could be wrong with you. counselling will help if there is something in your past that happened to you that could still be affecting you now, talking through your problems and anything that is going on in your head with a counsellor will help to narrow things down a bit and from there you might be able to take some leads. also make detailed notes of things which you think count as evidence for your case as and when they happen. tbh I think just walking into an appointment with a psychiatrist and asking them what is wrong isn't really enough and you might leave disappointed. you need to be as honest as you can about yourself and any weird things that are going on with you, really laying it all bare. sometimes that can be difficult to be that vulnerable, but it is necessary to get to the bottom of it.
as for what you will get from it, that will depend on what they say, but mostly it will mean you can access medication or perhaps a type of therapy. although both of these aren't actual cures in themselves and offer no guarantees of progress. I suppose one big plus is that as long as the diagnosis is correct you will have some important self understanding which may help you planning your life and understanding your limitations.

[Amara 94]

Originally Posted by MissKatie

I never saw the point in being diagnosed with anxiety. Especially back when, mental health was a major stigma where a GP might've said "everyone has some anxiety and you can function in life"

I didn't see the point in being diagnosed with something that was so incredibly obvious I had and would've received little or no practical help.

(I tried DBT years later and found it only pissed me off and didn't help)

What if anxiety is a symptom of another issue. I think good diagnosis can help a person find treatment that is catered to the issues they deal with on a more accurate level than getting therapy without a formal diagnosis.