Getting the proper and professional diagnoses for students is one of the most important aspects of healing. Many people have struggled with being misdiagnosed, which has had the possibility of making their symptoms worse.
Due to the complexity of diagnosing a student properly, it really helps the professional that is assisting them to have consistent daily contact to continually improve their treatment. Some misdiagnoses can be prevented by more frequent evaluations to further understand their treatment needs.
According to a National Institutes of Health report, mental health misdiagnoses are more common than expected. Among major depressive disorders, for example, about 65% are misdiagnosed.
For bipolar disorder, the figure is about 92%, while for social anxiety disorder, it is a whopping 97%. That is a staggering statistic considering that many people with severe disorders require immediate help to improve their conditions and enable them to live their lives the best way they can.
Misdiagnosing Depression
Clinical depression is linked to several mental illnesses, including social phobia, panic disorder, and anxiety disorders. In America alone, millions of individuals are affected by these conditions.
Depression, clinically known as MDD or major depressive disorder, is a fairly common disorder many doctors diagnose incorrectly. Among adults, over 7% reported having had one or more major depressive episodes in just a year alone.
The problem with depression is that it tends to be overdiagnosed, which means that more people are told by their doctors that they have the disorder than people who have it.
In a study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, only about 38% of the diagnosed participants have the disorder. With almost 2/3 of them taking prescription medications to help with their symptoms.
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders are prevalent among Americans, many of whom suffer from SAD (social anxiety disorder), GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and specific phobias.
Among patients, about 30% suffer from anxiety disorder for the rest of their lives. Many types of anxiety disorders accompany comorbid depression, yet these are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed and, as a result, not treated properly.
Lost Opportunity
Many misdiagnosed patients go through years of unnecessary suffering due to a disorder they cannot seem to overcome or, at least manage. Their lives are often disrupted, their families affected, and relationships are often ruined, often for good.
Patients will begin to lose hope in their condition and will likely refuse to seek further help, especially if they are repeatedly misdiagnosed with the same disorder by different doctors.
Taking the Right Steps Forward
Diagnosing a mental disorder is more than just making a checklist of symptoms and behaviors. It also means working with the patient to determine their thoughts about what they are going through.
Many patients talk about issues they experience that their doctors either dismissed or ignored.
At Elevations RTC, the individual’s experience is prioritized and considered necessary. Professionals at Elevations RTC seem to understand the importance of each student’s point of view. After all, when evaluating a patient to provide answers to their symptoms, who better to ask than the patient?
The staff at Elevations RTC are trained in the complex tasks required to help young people realize their potential by providing them with the proper attention, diagnosis, treatment, and support during their stay. At Elevations RTC, no teen is considered a lonely island, having to face their issues on their own.
According to Elevations RTC’s website, a student’s developmental history is considered carefully, so factors that may have contributed to their current condition are identified and assessed for assistance. The Elevations RTC staff understands that each student’s history can be complex, and they may struggle through different challenges that are unique to them.
Teens who have been misdiagnosed or received inaccurate diagnoses in the past may have already suffered through periods of experiencing little to no progress. Some may have gone through several conflicting diagnoses from different medical professionals who have not helped provide a real solution.
An adolescent’s struggle is even more difficult, especially when facing having to deal with expectations from parents and peers. Elevations RTC prioritizes high levels of residential medical and psychiatric care to address any external and underlying issues that a student may be going through.
Elevations RTC helps students between ages 13-17, as these are critical years for their growth and development.
Elevations RTC is a residential treatment center that helps students of all genders learn to manage and overcome challenges with the proper support. It may be the best option for students looking for complete healing that are on their way to their best selves.