I think I'm on to a rant...you've been warned.

Your story is the exact reason why I refused to see a doctor for so long about my problems other than depression.

My oldest sister was diagnosed alternately Manic Depressive/Bipolar and Schizophrenic. Personally, I think it MPD, but that's just my observation. Anyway, watching what she went through: hospital to clinic to group home to mental HELLth facility made me afraid for many years to even bother getting any help for myself. Her experiences (and being dragged along to the scenes of the drama by my mother because I was the youngest) made me very cynical about "mental health care" from an early age.

It seems like "doctors" -- as opposed to professionals who are trained to shut their yap and listen to you -- are more than eager to slap labels on you that correspond to what samples the last pharm rep just left. I feel very lucky to have a PCP that actually gives a crap and listens to his patients, not to mention my evaluator was very patient and courteous. It seems that my cynicism is shared by those who are paid to render the services. It burns me up. :angry-fla