You’d think that when you get a medical diagnosis, it’s tried and true. But, unfortunately, many people receive a mental health diagnosis, start treatment, and don’t get the relief they need or expect. And, unbeknownst to them, it’s due to a misdiagnosis. Getting the wrong diagnosis can be frustrating and lead to a person believing they’ll never get the help or relief they need from professional mental health specialists. That’s why Raul J. Rodriguez, MD & Associates provides misdiagnosis correction for people who have experienced this situation. This way, individuals who may have received a misdiagnosis in the past can discover what their true issues are. And, develop a mental health treatment plan that can truly allow them to better manage symptoms of mental health issues so they can live out lives of better mental health wellbeing.

The Most Commonly Misdiagnosed Mental Health Issues

There are many reasons a person may be misdiagnosed when it comes to mental health issues. It could be due to inaccurate or not enough information derived during mental health evaluation. Or, it could be due to a physician’s inexperience or over-confidence in diagnosis. Finally, misdiagnosis can happen due to a lack of following up with patients about their symptoms and not spending enough time with patients to get enough and accurate information in order to provide a true diagnosis. Whatever the case may be, a second opinion is often something that people dealing with mental health issues may need. So, if you feel that you haven’t gotten the help you need with mental health issues, it could be because you’ve suffered from a mental health misdiagnosis.

There are some mental health issues that are more misdiagnosed than others. Raul J. Rodriguez, MD & Associates can help people dealing with these issues get a true and accurate diagnosis. This way, these individuals can work on developing more accurate and effective treatment plans that better meet their mental health needs.

Some of the most commonly misdiagnosed mental health issues include:

A Wrong Diagnosis with Depressive Disorders

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in the US. So, because it is so widespread and commonly diagnosed, it is also one of the most misdiagnosed mental health issues as well. Depression is a common symptom of many other mental health issues, physical illnesses, and prescription medications. So, this symptom is often perceived as the mental health issue itself, rather than a symptom of something underlying. Therefore, many people may be diagnosed with this disorder. But, in reality, they are struggling with depression as a symptom of another underlying mental or physical health issue. Therefore, traditional depression treatments may not help to address these issues. And, people who are misdiagnosed with this condition may not experience the relief from other symptoms that come with their concurring, underlying health issues in order to live out healthy and fulfilling lives.

Getting a Wrong Diagnosis for Anxiety Disorders

Other commonly experienced mental health disorders are anxiety disorders. And, like depression, anxiety can be the result of underlying mental or physical health issues. When a person is dealing with physical illness, new treatments, and medications, or mental health issues, they’re likely to be stressed and experience anxiety. But, anxiety is a normal, human reaction to change and stress. However, people dealing with anxiety disorders deal with high amounts of stress even when they aren’t presented with big life changes or stressful situations. This is what differentiates anxiety from anxiety disorders.

Misdiagnosing of Mood – Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that’s characterized by episodes of both mania and depression. There are many types of bipolar disorder and they’re characterized by how often these episodes last, the symptoms of these episodes, and intermittent periods of either mania or depression. So, because bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of depression, it’s often diagnosed in the place of depression or anxiety disorders. However, bipolar disorder is specifically characterized by the inability to regulate emotions. So, it is different from both anxiety and other depressive disorders in this way.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Finally, one of the other commonly misdiagnosed mental health issues is borderline personality disorder. This condition is characterized by unstable relationships, moods, and emotions. And, as many people with depression or PTSD have these same symptoms, they can often be misdiagnosed as these conditions. However, borderline personality disorder is severely different from these mood disorders and requires different treatment. So, it’s important that individuals dealing with this condition are given a correct diagnosis.