Diagnosis

Diagnosis Video

A diagnosis is a working hypothesis.  It serves as a guide to putting together a treatment plan.  In some cases, the diagnosis of a mental health condition seems very clear, but sometimes it can be difficult even for an experienced mental health professional to determine the right diagnosis.

Some individuals have symptoms that suggest more than one mental health condition. Others have symptoms that evolve and change over time.  Still other individuals have symptoms that do not meet formal criteria for a specific mental health diagnosis.

In cases where it isn’t possible to arrive at a clear diagnosis right away, treating the symptoms (for example, anxiety or insomnia) can be a reasonable approach to take until the symptoms either respond to treatment or develop into a more easily identified condition.

Correctly identifying a mental health condition is very important:

• An accurate diagnosis is necessary to determine the right kind of treatment
• Misjudging a diagnosis can lead to selecting the wrong treatment – or to no
  treatment at all in situations where treatment is needed
• The wrong choice of treatment could have very serious consequences
• The right treatment can make a hugely positive difference in a person’s life

This page is adapted from David Mischoulon, MD, PhD and Edward Messner, MD, “The 8 Habits of Effective Mental Health Consumers,” unpublished manuscript.