Medicine's big new battleground: does mental illness really exist?

[TM99]

131. Actually my case is not that unique.

I have met hundreds via online forums and in person who have had the same experience.

What it comes down to is insurance and age. Young man, sure, if the insurance is good, you get the extra screening tests. Thyroid is over tested and in my case was, but obviously not the problem as it came back normal every time. My tumor was in a location that did not affect the thyroid.

Reading is one thing, the reality is often quite different. Patients rarely go directly to a psychiatrist. They go to the 'gatekeeper' (the PCP) first. Pushing middle age, weight gain, mood changes, insomnia, loss of sexual desire, etc. and they give you the it is stress speech. If you make it past that, then you get the referral, go to the psychiatrist, who asks a few questions, reads the notes from the PCP, and starts you on a psychotropic of some sort - for anxiety, depression, bipolar (is suspected), etc. Depending upon the insurance, you might get sent to a Nurse Practitioner instead of a psychiatrist. If you refuse to do so, as I did, then you are a 'problem patient'. It is all 'in your head' but you just won't accept it and allow them to medicate you.

I finally turned to alternative medical professionals. We have licensed NMD's in Arizona so I was fortunate. And it was this NMD that had the insight and courage to think outside the box. Once a urine and blood test came back, then and only then did the PCP and psychiatrist 'believe' that I was not depressed or had another mental illness.

The system is broken on the whole even if there are those who get relief and wellness from psychotropic medications.