# Does my counsellor think I have SAD?



## shy girl (May 7, 2010)

I go to counselling so that I will hopefully be able to make friends and be more confident. Although she has never mentioned social anxiety disorder she knows that I can't perform around people, that I get stressed and anxious around people and have no friends. Does she think I have SAD but isn't bothering to suggest a diagnosis because I am already getting counselling, or doesn't she think I have it? 
I know you can't tell but what I'm really asking is would I be diagnosed if she thought I had it?


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## odd_one_out (Aug 22, 2006)

If it is mentioned in your medical records somewhere that you are undergoing treatment for it, that can be considered a diagnosis. However, the NHS sometimes cannot diagnose certain conditions (due to lack of resources) and makes a note they're suspected and treats you accordingly. You can request copies of your records. I'll assume here you're using the NHS.

I wouldn't assume she thinks you have SAD. From my experience with the NHS (and university counsellors), when they are not explicit about a diagnosis that you suspect, they are usually too uninformed to have considered it. Some are also not too bothered about labels, which is slack and not conducive to informed consent.

If you give me more details about the type of counsellor and therapy, whether it's with for example the NHS, a college, or a charity, I might be able to give an informed guess whether she suspects or not.


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## shy girl (May 7, 2010)

odd_one_out said:


> If it is mentioned in your medical records somewhere that you are undergoing treatment for it, that can be considered a diagnosis. However, the NHS sometimes cannot diagnose certain conditions (due to lack of resources) and makes a note they're suspected and treats you accordingly. You can request copies of your records. I'll assume here you're using the NHS.
> 
> I wouldn't assume she thinks you have SAD. From my experience with the NHS (and university counsellors), when they are not explicit about a diagnosis that you suspect, they are usually too uninformed to have considered it. Some are also not too bothered about labels, which is slack and not conducive to informed consent.
> 
> If you give me more details about the type of counsellor and therapy, whether it's with for example the NHS, a college, or a charity, I might be able to give an informed guess whether she suspects or not.


It is from a youthwork group that come into school. I don't think it has anything to do with the NHS. Thanks for your reply though, I didn't know that.
I forgot to say that I haven't mentioned it to her although I have described the way I feel in certain situations. I don't want to mention it because I would find it embarrassing to talk about.:um


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## Delicate (May 23, 2008)

I think you already have mentioned it enough. SAD is just a label as the previous post said. You've said the situations you're uncomfortable in and she knows you find it difficult to make friends so I think you've gone into enough detail you don't need to mention the words "social anxiety" in my opinion. I've never been given a formal diagnosis they just mention anxiety and know the situations I'm anxious in like you've said. I don't think it should make much difference as long as the therapy's helping which I hope it is. Good luck.


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## odd_one_out (Aug 22, 2006)

shy girl said:


> It is from a youthwork group that come into school. I don't think it has anything to do with the NHS. Thanks for your reply though, I didn't know that.
> I forgot to say that I haven't mentioned it to her although I have described the way I feel in certain situations. I don't want to mention it because I would find it embarrassing to talk about.:um


I can't tell what her credentials are; it's possible she doesn't know much about it or hasn't heard of it. Maybe you could find out subtly such as by asking whether she considers you (or anyone she sees there) to have an anxiety disorder and, if so, which one.

Being formally diagnosed depends on their credentials and whether it's in a medical record somewhere.


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