Summary: <p>Happiness Isn-t Brain Surgery:<br> What is Diagnosis<br> Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes<br> Executive Director, AllCEUs</p> <p>Continuing Education (CE) credits for addiction and mental health counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists can be earned for this presentation at <a href="https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/search?q=differential">https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/search?q=differential</a></p> <p>Objectives<br> – Define Diagnosis<br> – Identify the Reasons for Diagnosis<br> – Discuss the Drawbacks to Diagnosis<br> – Personification<br> – Symptoms are common in multiple disorders<br> – People fall through the cracks when they don-t -fit- a diagnsis</p> <p>What is Diagnosis<br> – Short hand for a cluster of symptoms<br> Why is Diagnosis Necessary<br> – Insurance reimbursement<br> – Makes it easier for providers to communicate<br> – Gives providers a starting point for understanding<br> – Your symptoms<br> – What may be causing your symptoms<br> – A variety of different things can cause someone to feel -depressed- that is, not find pleasure in most things<br> – Neurochemical imbalances<br> – Nutritional deficits<br> – Exhaustion<br> – Illness (Chronic fatigue, chronic pain)<br> – Thyroid or hormone imbalances<br> Drawbacks to Diagnosis<br> – Personification<br> – When you have the flu, you don-t say I am the flu. You say I have the flu.<br> – Something you have is something you can get rid of<br> – Something you are is a part of you and more enduring<br> – When you have identified as being -depressed- or an -addict- for a period of time<br> – It becomes part of you like being a -student- or a -mother-<br> – Letting go of that role involves adjusting to a new -self- and grieving the loss of that part of you.<br> – -If I am not an addict anymore, what am I- (lots of pressure there)<br> Drawbacks cont-<br> – Symptoms are common in multiple disorders (physical and mental)<br> – Sleep Disturbances<br> – Eating Disturbances<br> – Difficulty Concentrating<br> – Racing Thoughts<br> – Fatigue<br> – General achiness<br> Drawbacks cont-<br> – People fall through the cracks<br> – Prevention is far more effective and efficient than treatment<br> – People do not seek help until they nicely -fit- a diagnosis<br> – Minimizing the problem (I-m not depressed *all* the time)<br> – Insurance will not reimburse<br> – Problems in relationships, mood, work etc. Will continue to get worse which makes the mood disorder or addiction worse.<br> Summary<br> – Diagnosis is a necessary evil<br> – It provides a starting place for exploring a cluster of symptoms<br> – It is part art and part science.<br> – It is important for you to remember that the symptoms are your body-s way of telling you something is wonky.<br> – You can help your care team by understanding (and communicating) your symptoms and what makes them worse and better for you</p>
