If you suspect that you have a disorder you should do your best to be very accurate on your symptoms, research them and document them.
If you go to a therapist you will be ahead of the game and by knowing and researching your symptoms you may be able to prevent an incorrect diagnosis.
When you visit a therapist they will talk to you and listen to you.
They will search for many signs and disturbances in your thinking patterns.
Therapists will search for symptoms such as: · Vague thoughts · Fleeting ideas · Peripheral thought patterns · Blocking thoughts · Disassociation · Break in reality · Paranoia If the patient displays a disturbance in their thinking patterns, the therapist may consider psychosis.
Counselors will consider schizophrenia or psychosis if the patient shows a break in reality.
Paranoid and paranoia may be misconstrued if the therapist doesn't have a good understanding between the two conditions.
Schizophrenics are often paranoid and may suffer from post traumatic stress in the early stages.
If a patient provides answers to questions that are unrelated, the therapist may consider a potential mental illness.
Another area of concern is if the patient speaks in fragments of thoughts and don't deliver complete sentences or ideas.
This is known as a fleeting thought process.
If a patient is illustrating thoughts that are off the subject, the therapist may also show concern.
Other areas that are considered include language.
Some patients may simply have a lack of education, but they should be able to speak in a comprehensible manner.
It is important that the patient is not misdiagnosed simply because they have poor communication skills.