Differential Diagnosis: The Importance Of The Labels We Receive
It is disturbing to discover that we are different from others. Our thoughts, emotions and behaviors differ significantly from those of those around us, sometimes causing us to feel deficient, isolated and misunderstood. Receiving a diagnosis then often helps to alleviate this discomfort.
However, if the label we receive is wrong, the resulting harm may outweigh the possible benefits of an intervention. Hence the importance of differential diagnosis.
Identifying a mental state is not always easy. People are generally slow to seek help. It is therefore not uncommon for a person to receive different diagnoses over time. This is the reason why the interventions implemented are not always the most appropriate.
Do the labels we receive define us?
Views regarding the need for labels are mixed and controversial. Some people think that terms like “anxiety”, “depression”, “attention deficit” or “personality disorder” are limiting, which they condemn.
They argue that the person is often, in the eyes of others and even his own, reduced to the diagnosis he has received. This can then be detrimental to it, or even promote the advancement of a possible disorder.
Receiving an answer that explains the symptoms we are experiencing, however, has unmatched value. Obtaining an accurate diagnosis benefits us on several levels:
- It allows us to make sense of the experience, to understand why we feel, think or act in a certain way, and to clear ourselves of the guilt.
- This helps to identify the possible origin of the suffering and to understand why it arose in the context of our own biological and environmental variables.
- An accurate diagnosis offers the possibility of connecting with other people who are going through the same experiences and thus reducing the feeling of isolation and incomprehension.
- It is above all the essential first step to initiate an adequate treatment. It is indeed after receiving a diagnosis that we can begin to work on the disorder to improve our quality of life.
The importance of differential diagnosis
We can define differential diagnosis as the process used to differentiate a disease from other similar diseases. In other words, the psychological assessment must take into account other neighboring or related disorders in order to identify the one that the person actually presents.
This seemingly simple task does, however, require certain elements. These are the following:
- In-depth knowledge on the part of the professional of the different diagnostic categories and their criteria.
- An individualized assessment in which the person’s background, life history, specific circumstances and symptoms are analyzed.
- The active participation of the patient who must transmit all the relevant information. An erroneous diagnosis sometimes results from the absence of a sufficiently solid relationship of trust between the therapist and his patient. The latter then does not provide certain essential information.
- For example, many people are reluctant to explain that they hear voices.
Differential diagnosis and comorbidity
One of the main difficulties is that it is common for several psychological disorders to overlap. They can occur at the same time or depend on each other. It is then necessary to identify all the elements present and to clarify the relationships between them.
For example, if a person asks for help because of the great anxiety they feel when socializing, we might think they have a social phobia. However, if she stutters as well, her stuttering may be the cause of her social difficulties.
On the other hand, a person with a dysmorphobic disorder (obsession with a real or imagined physical defect) may also suffer from an AT (eating disorder). It will therefore be necessary to treat both pathologies.
Follow-up is essential to obtain a good differential diagnosis
Given all of these complexities, it is important to be able to review and modify the diagnosis, even after it has been established. It is possible that new data appears during the sessions and involves a change of course.
It is also likely, if the intervention is not effective, that an element has not been taken into account. This new element would then direct towards a new diagnosis.
As we said, the etiquette we receive determines our understanding of what is happening to us and the steps to take to remedy it. It is therefore essential that this is correct.
And, for this, there must be a solid relationship between the patient and the healthcare professional. Only this trust will allow us to express and share any relevant data during the process.
Do not hesitate to consult different options when choosing a psychologist to support you in this process. Keep this in mind.
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