Other misdiagnosis stories
I feel like I should add that misdiagnosis happens a lot in psychiatry, a lot of things can create mental health issues.
Brain tumour misdiagnosed as Schizophrenia.
Menopause misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder. Talks about the signs of menopause and the effects related to psychiatric drugs, including Akathisia from antidepressants, which is how I became diagnosed as manic.
Assorted Psychiatric Distortions from Amanda at Ballastexistenz, the experience of misdiagnosis and being a part of the psych survivor movement.
Political Dissendents diagnosed with “political monomania” and incarcerated in China, I hear this is also going on in Russia, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s also happening in the States or here. “The medical report states that at the time of his release Wang was still suffering from these allegedly dangerous psychiatric conditions. While suggesting that he was otherwise quite normal, the report notes: When the topic of conversation turns to politics his [mental] activities are still characterized by delusions of grandeur, litigation mania, and a conspicuously enhanced pathological will.” His treatment was chlorpromazine (aka Thorazine, which was also used on me).
Temporal Lobe Epilepsy can be misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder. This is written from a psych perspective, but I wanted to include it.
Various psychiatric survivor stories.
A discussion of the proposal to include Spiritual and Religious Problems in the DSM, including the history of psychiatry’s prejudice to religion and spirituality.
Abuse survivors misdiagnosed with various illnesses. As a rape survivor let me just say that being forced to spend 6 weeks in the company of a man who keeps attempting rape, well, it doesn’t fucking help now does it!!!
Psychiatric Abuse website including contacts to human rights groups for UK folks.
Will Hal’s Recovery Story and continued work in the psychiatric survivor movement. This story parallels some of mine.
Misdiagnosis and dual diagnosis of gifted children.
Okay, and just a funny side note, right now Itunes is playing Heart’s Crazy On You.