Stumbling Blocks in Healing: Curbing the Dangers of Mental Health Misdiagnoses

The internet has made diagnosing mental illnesses more accessible than ever. You can easily self-diagnose with a 20-item quiz posted on social media platforms. However, that should not be the case. Instead, a proper assessment with a mental health expert determines an accurate diagnosis, treatment, and medication path.  

This week on The Radically Loved Podcast, Sarah Fay shares her experience of being diagnosed with six mental health disorders and finding no relief. She also talks about the importance of and flaws of mental illness diagnosis. Listen as Sarah shares her journey to altering the dialogue from mental illness to mental health.

If you want to learn the importance of a diagnosis in your journey to healing, then this episode is for you!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

  1. Learn the pros and drawbacks of a mental illness diagnosis.

  2. Discover the importance of getting a proper diagnosis from a mental health professional.

  3. Find out how a positive attitude about your diagnosis might help you transition from mental illness to mental health.

Resources

  • Connect with and learn more about Sarah Fay: Website

    Episode Highlights

    [01:42] Pathological: The Story of Six Missed Diagnoses 

    • Sarah has been misdiagnosed with six different mental disorders since she was 12: anorexia, general anxiety disorder, major depressive order, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and bipolar disorder.

    • Her seventh diagnosis was “unknown.” This changed her perspective on mental illnesses and diagnoses. 

    • Misdiagnosis does not necessarily mean an incorrect diagnosis. It can simply mean inaccurate or inadequate. 

    • Sarah’s family is the hero in her book — much like the families of people struggling with mental health issues.

    [07:49] “I had identified so closely with my diagnoses that they were very much my identity. So the idea that ‘Wait a second, these aren't stable categories… They aren't really what I thought they were.’ was really shocking to me. So if anyone's listening and feels that way, I absolutely understand.” - Click Here to Tweet This

    [08:32] Identifying with the Illness 

    • Sarah shares that she identified closely with her diagnoses early on. 

    • She researched her illnesses, including mental health diagnoses, history of psychiatry, and other things. 

    • Eventually, this allowed her to disconnect from her diagnoses.

    [09:52] The Importance of Getting a Diagnosis

    • Sarah emphasizes that diagnoses are helpful because people can use them to find relief. 

    • Clinicians can provide treatment, such as medication or meditation, with a proper diagnosis.

    • For instance, people with autism are considered to have a positive diagnosis. They are bolstered and get resources. 

    • In Sarah’s case, her previous diagnoses made her see herself in a hopeless situation.

    [09:55] “The diagnoses we receive are useful because we use them… They're a way for clinicians to get us treatment to try to get us whether that's medication or meditation, it's going to be different for each person.” - Click Here to Tweet This

    [11:36] Pathological: The Movement

    • Sarah started Pathological: The Movement as a public awareness campaign to give people informed steps about their mental health. Visit pathological.us to learn more.

    • First fact: Mental health diagnoses are just designations that clinicians use to get people the treatment they need. 

    • Second: It is recommended and your right to get a second opinion.

    • Third: There is no such thing as a chemical imbalance. Eighty percent of Americans believe that a chemical imbalance causes mental illness, but it’s just a theory and has never been proven true. 

    • Fourth: People can fully recover from a psychiatric diagnosis and a mental illness.

    [17:23] Healing Journey in Mental Health

    • Medication can be tricky. If you’re on it, the world tends to move quickly. Meanwhile, you may think it is a sign of healing if you are off it. If you stop, the withdrawal symptoms can be so awful and horrific.  

    • Medication can be highly beneficial for some people, but it is not for everyone. 

    • Psychosis and psychotic break can be like healing a broken bone. When a bone heals, the break’s point becomes the bone’s most vital part. 

    • People with mental illness are the strongest people on this planet because you must be very strong to be in that struggle.

    [18:45] “I want to get to a place where I was actually healed. [But] okay, do I call myself cured? Do I call myself heal? Do I call myself recovered? Like, what word do I even use? Because we don't even have this word yet.” - Click Here to Tweet This

    [24:13] Daily Practices and Rituals 

    • Sarah used to look for solutions in yoga or eating certain foods. She was striving or straining for perfectionism. 

    • Eventually, she realized it is the daily practices that bring the difference.

    • Daily practices and rituals are essential in healing.  

    • Healing looks different for everyone.

    [27:06] The Flaw in Diagnoses

    • One in five people in the United States have been diagnosed with a mental health condition.

    • Our mental health diagnoses come from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

    • No psychiatric diagnosis has been proven to be genetic or biological. Depression and other mental illnesses cannot be proven in an x-ray or brain scan. 

    • Sarah teaches the importance of understanding that diagnoses can be flawed, but they can be your path to healing.

    [38:36] Mental Health Awareness

    • Look out for yourself and ensure you do not put yourself under a label.

    • Sarah warns that diagnoses have become very accessible through television and social media memes. In fact, it is so accessible that people start and end with a diagnosis instead of looking for ways to heal. 

    • It is essential to seek medical help. Treatment is necessary for healing. 

    • Be active in your path from mental illness to mental health.

    [46:16] Sarah’s Messages to Her Younger Self 

    • Do not form your identity around your illness. 

    • Do not rely solely on the internet. You will get a lot of misinformation from there. 

    • Diagnosis is not the answer. We will need treatment. 

    [47:20] Key Takeaways

    • Use your diagnosis for yourself and not against you. 

    • Everyone wants healing and treatment. We all want to be relieved from mental and emotional pain, which will come from knowing the truth through diagnosis.

    [48:29]”We all want to relieve mental and emotional pain for ourselves or for others, and that'll come from knowing the truth about these diagnoses.” - Click Here to Tweet This

    About Sarah

    Sarah Fay, Ph.D, MFA, is an award-winning author and mental health advocate working to improve how we think and talk about our mental health. Her book, Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses, shares her personal experience of being diagnosed with six different mental health disorders and finding no relief. 

    She also launched Pathological: The Movement, a public awareness campaign aimed at empowering individuals to make informed mental health decisions. 

    If you want to connect with Sarah, visit her website. You can also go to the Pathological: The Movement website to know more. 

    Enjoy the Podcast?

    Our journey to mental health does not stop from diagnosis. Healing takes time, and it differs for everyone, from your treatment method and medication to how long you’ll need to get better.

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    To feeling radically loved,

    Rosie

    Rosie Acostameditation teacher, mexican american teacher, BIPOC Mindfulness Teacher, Mindfulness Teacher, Author