Getting a Diagnosis

Knowing warning signs can help let you know if you need to speak to a professional. For many people, getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step in a treatment plan. Without a positive diagnosis, you simply won’t know how to start down the path of wrangling those little monsters.

Unlike some other conditions, there is no medical test that can determine whether or not you or someone you know is experiencing mental illness. Instead, a mental health care professional will use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. The manual lists criteria including feelings and behaviors and time limits in order to be officially classified as a mental health condition. Using this guide, the mental health professional will assess your symptoms to determine if you are or are not experiencing mental illness.

Once this has been completed and you receive a diagnosis, you and your health care provider(s) can start to create a treatment plan.