A totally, completely awesome thread. Thanks, Fuzzy!!

I say this because I believe it is a huge problem in the mental health world. For example, just in the last few years, a number of studies have come out suggesting that bipolar disorder may be overdiagnosed. In the best of these studies (Zimmerman), it was found that around 50% of bipolar 1 diagnoses made in the study were incorrect, based on the DSM 5 criteria. Long story. But I don't doubt it.

My initial diagnosis was major depressive disorder. But nobody ever asked me about manic or mixed or psychotic symptoms--never. Or drugs and alcohol. Had they done that initially, I could have possibly prevented the catastrophe that led finally to my bp1 diagnosis. Maybe not, but it's a possibility.

The human toll of misdiagnosis is almost incalculable. Wrong dx means wrong treatment and probably wrong meds. Wrong everything. What a nightmare.

Psychiatry is the only specialty in medicine that does not rely at least in part on laboratory tests (blood, CSF, stool, lymph, marrow) and/or imaging studies to arrive at its diagnoses. Research is being done, but until we can look at an fMRI and say--aha--schizoaffective disorder!--well then, I believe we are going to be behind the 8ball.

All of which explains why it is so very critical to get the absolute best team you can find and afford to care for you. Smart, talented, well-trained people are probably more accurate than average people. Are more aware of the current literature and potential pitfalls. And they may be, therefore, more likely to keep us out of trouble. So, get some good ones.

In the mean time, we need to do what we are doing. Advocate for ourselves and support each other. At this point, in some ways, that's the best thing we have going for us.