The situation of misdiagnosis is our major problem in life; or if any one thing is making our lives unmanageable, it is this.
Our support group exists for us with a dual purpose perhaps of being a place where we can express ourselves honestly (even to the point of what others might interpret as complaining, that is to say, without holding back on the darker or weirder parts, or the parts more indicative of real suffering), and to hold ourselves and each other accountable for making positive change in our lives.
We Are Not Other Support Groups
There are some (those involved in other forms of support groups such as Dual Diagnosis Anonymous) who would caution their fellow members against joining our ranks or supporting us as peers. They might take a very opposite view of the word “situation” and take issue with idea that we aren’t sufficiently internalizing the hopeless situation of misdiagnosis into our identity as individuals or group identity. “How irresponsible of you!” they might admonish, “To identify as misdiagnosed and not immediately and unquestioningly accept any and all diagnoses that are thrown your way, especially by authority! There is no such thing as a situation of ‘misdiagnosis’ and those say such things are merely not yet accepting their real illness or infinite number of illness and making peace with it!”
To this we ask: is it the aim of support groups to only support those persons who are at peace, or to include support for persons who can (while complying with the basics of group etiquette) contain the occasionally unpeaceful processes by which greater sense, and ultimately greater peace, is forged?
Taking responsibility for our thoughts includes taking responsibility for the thoughts we have that question the validity of diagnoses that imply biochemical causes without biochemical proof, including the aspects of these thoughts that are merely desiring a world that makes sense. As we take more responsibility for our thoughts, we are more equipped to see the world as it actually is, and function more responsibly in the world as it is.
We Are Not Primarily Mad
There are some (those involved Mad Pride, or in Mad Activism) who may believe that because of what might be implied by the word “situation” that we shouldn’t be thinking about improving our lives, our individual lives, our (compared to their righteous political ambitions) small lives of feeling and need that may deeply effect only us and our close circle. “If what you’re saying is that you aren’t the problem, then why are you thinking about self-improvement? Shouldn’t you instead be focused on changing or helping the world? Instead of being primarily a support group, if what you care about is the collective situation, shouldn’t you be primarily an activist organization?”
The world and its relationship to our lives and lifeworld and perceptions, it’s funny.
It’s tragic too, sometimes. Like when we’ve counted on psychiatry or misdiagnosis culture to change with us and it doesn’t.
Or answer is that self-improvement is a phenomenon that can very much happen.
But, we are not a self-improvement organization.
We are a support group. An anonymous 12 Twelve Step support group similar in many ways to others in this tradition.
Our answer is in creating and accepting structures (such as primarily our regular open and welcoming support meetings), we affirm a balanced view that not all positive change comes from opposing order, and that journalism and activism can be balanced with collective spaces for listening and voice and introspection. Misdiagnosis might be society’s problem, but until society changes, it is ours too. As misdiagnosed persons it is specifically ours. And if we aren’t regularly in personal contact with persons like us in suffering, what right do we have to believe we are on a mission for our collective rights, who even are we?
We are Occupying and Defining a New Middle Ground
We believe there is immense power in following the middle path.
We are not a religious organization, but do draw inspiration from the Buddha who rejected a life in pursuit of furthering opulent wealth and comfort, as well as a life of abject poverty, and pursued instead a middle path.
This is not to say we are against in any way following serious thought to its logical conclusion, as ones’ own logic or even as a group’s logic flows. For this reason, we are the creators of a new and positive cultural and political theory we call Misdiagnosis Theory which comes from the perspectives and suffering of misdiagnosed persons, but can be read and applied by anyone to make greater sense of our current cultural and political climate.
Reading Misdiagnosed Theory is never required to attend and receive support at our meetings. Anyone who might be interested in attending our meetings is welcome. Identity as a misdiagnosed person especially for those who have had traumatic experiences of misdiagnosis is encouraged but not required.
If you or a loved one resonates with our words and knows just how trapping and disempowering the situation and trauma of misdiagnosis can be, we hope you will join us.
Misdiagnosed Anonymous 