Can a doctor diagnose me?

[gloves123]

Well , I just took a personality disorder test and out of all 10 I was rated very high for borderline personality disorder. I just wanted to know if a doctor you go to for check ups could diagnose me with a mental illness. I was thinking next time I went I could ask if my doctor could and not tell my parents about it if I have a mental illness. So can a doctor diagnose me with a mental disorder?

[Music]

Yes a physician can diagnose mental illnesses although it would be much better to go to a psychiatrist as they are trained specifically in mental illnesses where physicians just get a quick course.

In terms of an online test, those are never accurate, almost never right, are for entertainment and educational purposes only. Everyone shows signs of personality disorders, they're part of personalities after all. I can guarantee you if I took that quiz I would score very high for 3 or 4 of them while I know for a fact I have none.

[WaitingToBeFound]

I would do more research on the illness before going to the doctor as there are many other mental illnesses which are similar to BPD that could explain what you experiencing. If you go to the doctor and express your concerns then (where I'm from) they should refer you to a psychiatrist who may diagnose you and medicate, offer therapy and the best help for your problem. It is a VERY long process though so be sure that you are going for a valid reason because online tests are very often incorrect. Best wishes xo

[musiclife.14]

yes they can but i would reccommend you to see someone that specializes in mental illnesses they could give you a better answer

[i_like_black]

According to the little thingy about you, you're 14 and female.

Just so you know - a lot of what's related to Borderline Personality Disorder in adults is fairly normal for a teenage girl - things like emotional instability and so forth, because your body and your mind are changing and developing, and your personality is not fully developed yet. For this very reason, personality disorders are not diagnosed until a person is finished developing, between the ages of say, 18 and 25.

If you are concerned about your mental health, or you are experiencing distressing things, my advice would be to get referred to a psychiatrist. GPs have a basic training in mental illness, but it's always best to see somebody who specialises in that field.

However an online test is not grounds for having a disorder - most people who take online tests find they "fit" that particular test's criteria for the disorder. And most of them do not have the disorder. As said previously, they are for educational and entertainment only, they are not diagnostic tools.

So theoretically, yes a doctor could diagnose you. But they are extremely unlikely to diagnose you with a personality disorder, because of your age and the fact that you are still developing.

[Storyteller.]

Hey.

From what I've found, doctors tend to only deal with the more common illnesses, for example depression and anxiety which could be dealt with largely with medication. For anything else, a psychiatrist or psychologist is probably the better way to go.

On that note, do you know what can't diagnose you? An online test. As the others have pointed out, these are mostly for amusement and should not be used as the basis for assuming you have a mental illness. Finding out a lot of information about a disorder you think you have can actually cause you to convince yourself that you have it, which can lead to you being misdiagnosed and therefore not getting the proper treatment. So just be wary of diagnosing yourself.

As Jess above me said, personality disorders, especially BPD, are rarely diagnosed at such a young age. While it's plausible that they could be diagnosed, say, when you're just shy of eighteen, it's not logical for them to give you this label when you're still barely a teenager and definitely haven't finished developing. If they did, I bet the vast majority of the teenage population would be diagnosed with disorders they didn't have!

For now, it might be better to focus less on the label and potential disorder, and more on your feelings and thoughts. Even if you don't have a disorder, or are undiagnosed, you can still see a counsellor or something similar, which can be a lot of help. If you took this online test and some of the symptoms clicked with you, okay, then just deal with those instead of trying to fit into the label of having BPD.

You might like to have a look at some information about finding psychiatric services, or people who can help (I realise the latter is for depression/suicide, but it could also be applicable here). I hope that things work out well, and that you start feeling better soon. Take care.

[BigBL87]

Originally Posted by LeapOfFayth

Yes a physician can diagnose mental illnesses although it would be much better to go to a psychiatrist as they are trained specifically in mental illnesses where physicians just get a quick course.

In terms of an online test, those are never accurate, almost never right, are for entertainment and educational purposes only. Everyone shows signs of personality disorders, they're part of personalities after all. I can guarantee you if I took that quiz I would score very high for 3 or 4 of them while I know for a fact I have none.

Fantastic response here.

General practitioners (i.e. what most people consider family doctors) can diagnose mental illness, but in my opinion as someone who works in the mental health field, they do it far more often than they should. Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (if there is a distinction in your area from Licensed Professional Counselors) are much better trained in mental illness and diagnostics than a general practitioner.

The only tests that I would rely on heavily are pscyhological tests such as the MMPI, MBTI, etc., which are only administered by a trained professional. Out of all of them, the MMPI is the most extensive and best at identifying personality disorders. Unless the test you took was something like that, while the result may be an indication it definitely isn't the end all-be all. Heck, when I took the MMPI it told me that I had a leaning toward dependent personality disorder, and I can tell you that I am definitely not diagnosed with that and am 99.99999999% I never will be. So, even THOSE tests aren't the end all, be all.

[Batman.]

Well somehow I doubt you'll know from an online test, or your doctor.

As said, Borderline Personality Disorder isn't usually diagnosed until the patient is 18 or older (nor is any other personality disorder, really) because your personality is still developing in your childhood and teen years.

Your family doctor (aka your "GP" [General Practitioner]) cannot diagnose personality disorders. GPs don't have the proper training to diagnose personality disorders, most mood disorders, or many other mental health issues (except Depression and Anxiety, since the symptoms are pretty cut-and-dry). If they were able to, they'd be psychiatrists. Point is, you HAVE to see a mental health professional for mental health issues, which would usually be a psychiatrist. Mental health professionals are the only ones qualified enough to diagnose things like Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and anything else you can think of. Your GP, however, is not qualified.

Third, looking at a list of symptoms, and taking online tests, aren't diagnostic tools. Not even close. If you're worried about your mental health, and/or are causing harm to yourself, you should probably mention this to your doctor (GP). They would need to be involved in the process of being referred to a psychiatrist, if there is need for that (which, for things like Depression and Anxiety, there usually isn't a need to be sent off to be diagnosed).

Hope this helps.

[Kate*]

Online tests can be dangerous things in the sense that they are almost never accurate and can scare people into thinking they have some pretty serious disorders. A doctor can diagnose mental illnesses, but a mental health professional is always better. As an example, I went to my doctor and brought up my suicidal depression, she basically agreed with how I told her I felt and threw medication at me, no questions, no screenings, no nothing. I like her, but that's not how you diagnose mental health problems. If you have a concern, a doctor is a good place to start, but make sure the final diagnosis comes from someone who is trained to assess for a disorder.

[BigBL87]

Originally Posted by Thirteen

Your family doctor (aka your "GP" [General Practitioner]) cannot diagnose personality disorders. GPs don't have the proper training to diagnose personality disorders, most mood disorders, or many other mental health issues (except Depression and Anxiety, since the symptoms are pretty cut-and-dry). If they were able to, they'd be psychiatrists. Point is, you HAVE to see a mental health professional for mental health issues, which would usually be a psychiatrist. Mental health professionals are the only ones qualified enough to diagnose things like Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and anything else you can think of. Your GP, however, is not qualified.

In the US, at least as far as insurance companies are concerned, they can diagnose. Kinda like I said above, IMO they shouldn't be able to, and such a diagnosis is not as reliable coming from a GP as it is from a trained mental health professional.