Diagnosis can sometimes be one of the most difficult parts of the counseling profession. It is very hard to take a look at the list of symptoms that a client presents with and come up with one comprehensive diagnosis. Sometimes in order to capture everything that the client is dealing with there must be multiple diagnoses applied to one person. This can be very discouraging for the client.
I'm here to remind you that diagnosing is just a tool to help aid counselors communicate better with other counselors, psychiatrists, doctors, and insurance companies. These diagnoses feel like labels and can make people feel frustrated and embarrassed but they are nothing to worry about. Having received a diagnosis does not change who you are as an individual. It does not define you.
It also does not mean that you will fit 100% of the criteria for the diagnosis. According to the DSM-5, which is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by nearly all counselors, one only needs to fit the criteria for a percentage of those listed in order to qualify for a diagnosis.
Diagnosis can be extremely helpful in figuring out what medications are right for you and which counseling theories will be most beneficial for your particular issues. If you were misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder but you really have bipolar disorder then you could be given the wrong medications which could actually lead to an increase in symptoms. The same goes for counseling, if you are misdiagnosed then the counselor may attempt to use an intervention that is unhelpful for you or even detrimental to your recovery.
Keep an open mind about diagnosis and always remember that it is primarily a tool so that everyone is on the same page about what you're working with. Don't take a diagnosis offensively, we're doing it to try to help you! Come to therapy with ideas about the diagnoses you have received in the past and we'll discuss this together.
