I want to start a blog about those who are denied treatment

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I've gone through years of under diagnosis (adjustment disorder instead of PTSD/ being said I have slight Asperger's). I've been trying to get treatment for my bipolar or at least a diagnosis for my symptoms, whatever that may be, but though my doctor doesn't deny I have them he seems to skirt around his reason for not giving me a proper diagnosis and medication. The medication could probably save my life and even make it possible for me to have a basic job.

I know I'm not the only one who has to go through this. I hear all the time about 'we need more mental health awareness or more services' but I think even with more services it wouldn't matter as long as there still remain incompetent, biased and just unhelpful doctors for the people with real mental illness to deal with.

So, I want to do something about that. I think a single site that has testimonials (a few short paragraphs or a blog post each sharing personal accounts) from people who have been jerked around by doctors when they're in desperate need of help.

You can PM me if you're interested in being part of it, or write something here. You can either have your name published, or your screen name on WP, or another pseudonym.

I know musicians who put on shows to raise money for certain mental health charities but I don't think it does enough. I think if they knew the truth they would help spread awareness.

I think the most important thing to do is talk about mental illness, break through the stigma and things just might get better for us.

Sounds like a good idea to me. I have a lifetime of stories to share about being told there was "nothing wrong with me" and I was "clearly just seeking attention" by trying to get help. Doctors telling me I was "too young" to experience depression and I should just spend more time praying to God to help me feel good in my life. More doctors saying a 5-year-old "can't" experience sleep disruptions, so I must be lying about not being able to sleep. 15 years of psychologists listening to me describe the exact symptoms of autism while I sit in a chair stimming and not making eye contact, and pronouncing me perfectly normal. And this experience yesterday with the psychologist telling me it's not bipolar disorder if you can sleep 2 hours a night, and the best way to deal with it is "just don't worry about it."

I don't know how helpful a blog would be on an internet overpopulated by blogs, but it can't hurt to have another source of information out there. I'll start writing.

Thanks. I'm having a bit of an 'off' day but I'll keep this blog in mind. Just got Christmas present shopping out of the way and that was pretty stressful.

I need to think of a good title for the blog too. I like 'Diagnosis Pending' but it might not be catchy enough. I'm usually good at coming up with names so I might keep trying to think one up.

I'm interested too. Heck, I've been jerked around a lot.

I'm starting to like the sound of 'Diagnosis Withheld' or 'Withheld Diagnosis.' Just thinking out loud here.

I wonder who I should go through? Wordpress?

My experience with this is that I was too readily diagnosed with depression and that all my symptoms were from being depressed, not that being depressed was a symptom of something else. B12 fine and thyroid fine? Can't possibly be anything else wrong with me, ya right!
Basically most doctors not taking ANY of my symptoms seriously enough, mental and physical.

I hate doctors, I hate the medical field more for being funded, seemingly, solely by pharmaceuticals. I hate it all.

I'd go with diagnosis withheld. I'm suggest calling it "Psychiatric doctors and there stuck up idealist BS" but it doesn't seem catchy.

As to where to go, no idea. Wordpress, blogger, tumblr?

Every free blog service has its pros and cons. Blogger is great, but you're at the mercy of Google and all their evil shenanigans. (I've personally known someone who had their account deleted for no reason, and I've heard many other similar stories.) Tumblr is nice but no convenient feedback mechanism. blog.com has really great tools, but their server is constantly going down for no reason.

I also went through times of forced treatment, denied treatment and missdiagnosis.
I guess that's sadly pretty "normal" having to do with psychiatrist. I don't get help in the psychiatry in my town anymore, my experiences there were too horrible and even traumatizing.
I've a normal psychiatrist I see every 6 to 8 weeks, but I don't really care for his opinion anymore. He is quite alright actually, but some of my experiences with psychiatrists and psychiatric institutions in the past were just too horrible.

I could give you an earful about the trouble I have getting antidepressants when I need them. I've even gone to the ER and told them I'm on the verge of being suicidal, I know the meds I need and could the nurse practitioner that I'm talking to right that second PLEASE write me a script for them because I cannot afford to go to the doctor and the one "mental health center" we have in this county has a three month waiting list, and I'm told nope, if I'm suicidal I need to go to North Harbor in Tuscaloosa and they will keep me for 72 hours and then possibly give me the meds. However, doing that doesn't work because they won't give me the meds that work, they want to give me something completely different because if the meds worked I wouldn't be almost suicidal - nevermind that I hadn't had them in months, but if they had worked I would also be med compliant which I'm obviously not because I'm not taking them at the moment, nevermind that I had to stop taking them because either I couldn't afford the refill or I couldn't afford a doctors appointment for another six month refill. Etc, etc, etc.

And then the osteopath that I went to see up in West Blocton who tried five or six other ones before she finally broke down and gave me the two that actually work because "We don't give people drugs they ask for by name - that's called drug seeking". WTF???

If you are interested in some of the crazy crap that goes on down here about mental health treatment, PM me and I'll be glad to bend your ear.

Sounds good.

I'd like people to write their own posts if they can, so it's in their own words.

I put some information on the about page.
http://diagnosiswithheld.wordpress.com/about/

I think the first post will be my story. I just need to see if I start it today.

And here is my post:

http://diagnosiswithheld.wordpress.com/ ... tis-story/

This may seem like a stupid question, but how do I post?

Also, is it okay if I share the link on other sites? I know a few places.