Many of you ask about mental health diagnosis. Whether we have depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, etc. many of you wonder if you have been diagnosed, how to ask what it is, and what to do if you don't agree with your therapist. Today we talk about just that!

In all honesty, diagnosis are important for many reasons. One reason is if it's important to you! Many of you have told me how validating it was to receive a diagnosis and to be able to put a name to all that they have been feeling. If that sounds like something you have felt, then maybe knowing what your diagnosis is could be helpful.

Another reason diagnosis are important is because therapists should be using treatment plans in their practice. When creating a treatment plan having a proper diagnosis can help us figure out which tools and techniques to use. It can also help us know if we need to refer out or offer other resources that can help.

Lastly, and honestly the most common reason is insurance. Ugh, insurance. I know we all hate it, yet need it, and billing insurance is one of the main reasons I give diagnoses. When we bill insurance, they want to know what it is you are being treated for. Just like any medical condition, they want to know what is being done to help us and why you needed the treatment. Therefore, we have to use the DSM and get the code needed for your insurance to cover it.

Whatever the reason, know that you always have the right to ask about it. Especially if it's something they haven't talked to you about, and you would like to know. Also, know that you can disagree or ask for further assessments. Remember this is your diagnosis, and you should not only feel that it describes your symptoms, but also that you understand it and know what you are doing to work on it. I know this may sound silly and simple, but from what I have heard, I don't think professionals always talk about it with their clients. Let's change that! Speak up and make sure that you are getting the treatment you need and deserve. xox

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JOURNAL TOPICS!
Saw this and thought you might like it: "I am my best friend. I need to treat me with dignity and respect, and most importantly, I need to be compassionate with me. I need to accept me in whatever state and condition I am in." ~ Anonymous Thanks Carly!! xox

Hey Kati! I was looking for inspirational/motivational quotes to write down in my recovery journal and I saw this one and thought it would be great to write about in my regular journal because it was so thought provoking for me. “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” When I’m in a bad place this always reminds me that while I can’t control what is happening around me or what is happening to me, I can control my reaction to those things. I can control whether I sit there and do nothing about it or whether I work hard and try to recover from what happened and work to bring myself back into a better state after being brought down by life. Thanks Anna :)

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I'm Kati Morton, a licensed therapist making Mental Health videos - Depression, Eating Disorders, Anxiety, Self-Harm and more! Mental health shouldn't have a stigma attached to it. You're worth the fight!

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