A Number of Good Reasons to Question A Psychiatric Diagnosis

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:26 am

Are you REALLY mentally ill? Let's rule out some physical things first. This list is alarming and I found it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis

Please check out the full article if you have doubts about a diagnosis of mental illness!!

Functional causes:

*brain tumors
*drug abuse amphetamines, cocaine, alcohol (among others)
*brain damage
*severe clinical depression
*severe psychological stress
*sleep deprivation
*focal epilectic disorders
*exposure to some traumatic event
*abrupt or over-rapid withdrawal from certain recreational or prescribed drugs

*dementia with Lewy bodies
*multiple sclerosis
*sarcoidosis
*Lime Disease
*syphilis
*Alzheimer's Disease
*Parkinson's Disease

*hypoglycemia
*lupus
*AIDS
*leprosy
*malaria

DRUG INDUCED:

*alcohol
*Fluoroquinolone drugs
*Dextromethorphan
*antihistamines (at high doses)
*Cold medications

*barbituates
*benzodiazepines
*Isotretinoin
*Caffeine (severely abused)
*Anticholinergic drugs
*antidepressants
*L-dopa
*antiepileptics
*amphetamines
*methamphetamine
*methylphenidate

*thyroid disorders

This list is far from complete. Just thought I'd post it because of a diagnosis I have with which psychosis is a symptom!! I've been a sick girl for a long time. Finally, a name for what I have! And it, in my opinion, was never a MENTAL ILLNESS. I'm not posting this out of madness or craziness either. I just found out Monday that I may have one of these on the list. A true medical condition. That's MEDICAL!! Not MENTAL!!

Should I celebrate? Should I cry? Should I be angry? Wow.

All I'm asking you is to PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, rule out ALL medical, physical, biological causes. This list is long, and I know I have left out many and that many are yet to be discovered. Get yourself a good doctor, or a number of them. Hopefully health care will be affordable enough soon enough. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I still don't believe that mental illness can stand alone. There's got to be a reason people have psychosis. Don't label yourself crazy just yet!!! Don't fall victim to the stigma and don't do it to yourself. There are no limits. Some people say the sky is the limit, but the sky is endless, just remember that!!!

Peace and love,
Leah