Advocacy is never over. Impairment of mental injury of PTSD from trauma.

My name is Xanthe Wyse.
The difficulty with my speech and cognition is not from substances but is from the mental injury (from trauma), predominantly. My primary diagnoses are post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder (type 1).
I didn't want to continue with advocacy stuff but after seeing so much ignorance on the internet, I feel like advocacy is never over.
Some of this ignorance comes from people with fancy titles 'doctor', 'psychologist' (typically academics, not clinicians), who are spouting their pet ideologies. I am seeing so many people who have no actual impairments being opposed to diagnoses.
Diagnoses aren't perfect but they are currently a way to access funded supports. In my case, that includes paid therapy with a clinical psychologist, for PTSD.
There are currently people (including some 'psychologists') who use their perceived authority to rant that words like 'disorder' and 'impairment' shouldn't be used. That people shouldn't be 'pathologised.'
These people (often making a fortune from peddling nonsense) don't have a clue.
I won't be getting to work today, as my cognition and speech are too impaired for driving and working. It's the frustrating reality of what I deal with. I usually work up to 2 hours per day in a low-paid, low-stress job.
I didn't end up getting to work today.
I am a self-published author and it took a long time to write my books, because of the challenges I experience with my disabilities. I appreciate your support:
www.soarpurpose.com/books.html

[@hrdcpy]

Being dismissed and gaslighting makes me want to scream.

[@BipolarCourage]

From medical profession?

[@hrdcpy]

@@BipolarCourage Yep! Not specifically gaslit or dismissed relating to mood disorders, but being neurodivergent and having experienced those situations while trying to get diagnosed for a new invisible injury (mild TBI/concussion). A neurologist tried convincing me that I'm dissociating and that I don't have lasting neurological damage from the car crash when in fact I'm very self aware and know how I feel when dissociating. Her forcing that opinion on me as truth (during a very vulnerable time) had me convinced it was all psychological and that I was suffering from DP/DR. In turn, I took that diagnosis and formed it into my identity whilst ignoring other possibilities for what my condition was. Quite aggravating. Thanks for sharing your stories online. ❤️✌️

[@BipolarCourage]

@@hrdcpy I've had so many diagnoses over the years (some I see as pretty pointless) that I don't see any as my entire identity now. As for dismissal, one time I told a GP I had never seen before that I had a bladder infection (I has been told so by a guest doctor when visiting a tropical island). This GP begrudgingly did tests & before results came back, she said "you are a hypercondriac". Then later she phoned me, with an apology and said to collect a script. Tests confirmed that I did have a bladder infection.

[@hrdcpy]

@@BipolarCourage That's so aggravating to hear how you've been treated by medical professionals. It makes you wonder why it's like this and what can be done to promote a positive change.

[@BipolarCourage]

@@hrdcpy most doctors I have seen by have been decent & professional. Some have been terrible. What is scary is the amount of power they can have.