How do you know if you need to see a Psychiatrist? Read the Psychiatrist bible titled “The DSM-IV diagnostic manual”. In this manual you’ll find anything from Generalized anxiety to Borderline Personality Disorder. A word of caution to the would-be patients of mental-illness out there though. Just because your experiencing a few of the listed symptoms, doesn’t make you mentally ill. Realize any psychiatrist, however objective they are, still has a vested interest in treating you.
Say you’ve had a death in the family, just went through a divorce, and are experiencing panic-attacks. The most resilient among us may suffer the same thing, if we had been put under this much stress. If the attacks persist, then you might consider a medical-doctor’s advice. And that’s the key, if the symptoms persist, seek help. The DSM-IV’s criteria is if you have several key symptoms of the illness in question for a set amount of time.
I’m not necessarily schizophrenic, if I’m paranoid and delusional under stress. There is a possibility I could be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs that help induce these states. Yet if I was sober, and experienced these symptoms for a few consistent months then I may have an incentive to seek help. I’m all about seeking help from family and friends, but do your own research first before seeking psychiatric help. It may turn out that your just stressed in need of a vacation. The pharmaceutical agency is happy to prescribe you meds, but realize they treat symptoms not causes, ask around for treatments on the causes of your symptoms. Careful though, they may just declare you ‘Normal’.
