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Seeking Diagnosis - Good or Bad idea?


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Hello,

I am a 26 year old male who has been struggling on and off with mental health problems for the last 8-9 years. I've had substance abuse, depression and anxiety issues. It wasn't until Jan 2021 that I took to seeking professional help in a brief period of Counselling. This really helped me in being able to recognise that I had some big issues with self-doubt and self-sabotage. Around the same time, after watching videos and doing further research, I became convinced I was Autistic. I nearly tried to seek a diagnosis but I guess my self-doubt got in the way and I put it down to trying to find a source/reason for my social anxieties and unhealthy mental habits; in a way latching on to something that gave my problems a framework to exist within.

However, in the past few weeks, I learnt of Pure OCD. I have been researching it a lot and I really feel like I relate to the symptoms. After learning about what mental compulsions are and how they form from alleviating anxieties, I feel like my self-doubt, avoidance, self-sabotage are products of this compulsive behaviour to appease my worries about the past/future and the uncertainty of life. I also have periods where I am obsessively thinking over scenarios in my head related to something I avoided in the past (not speaking to a girl I liked, not standing up for myself more or an embarrassing joke that didn't land) and how I would "do it better next time". Its the first thing I think about when I wake up. I'm meditating and self-educating and slowly learning to be more observant rather than reactive to this side to me and how to better manage it (being kinder to myself, relaxing more).

I'm very aware however of the dangers of self-diagnosis. I'm no expert after all.

I am unsure of whether or not I have "enough" of the symptoms to be diagnosed with OCD. Would a diagnosis give me closure to what's been going on or would make me feel worse?

I just wanted to get some opinions/stories/experiences from anyone who has been through what I'm going through and whether seeking/or not seeking a diagnosis was helpful/unhelpful?

Thanks for reading and any POVs would be gladly welcomed!

Wishing you all good mental health,

Tom.

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