Diagnosis and Treatment Mental illnesses are very hard to diagnose because there are few physical tests for symptoms.  Instead, the doctor must rely on the patient to "tell him where it hurts."  Since patients often are unaware that their symptoms are abnormal or are reluctant to tell the doctor about every symptom, diagnosis can sometimes take years.  And often, symptoms overlap so it's hard to tell exactly what is causing what. In my case, it took nearly ten years from my first psychotic episode to diagnose me with schizoaffective disorder, and far longer than that to diagnose my depression.  Once I was aware that some of the things I experienced every day were not normal, I could then seek help.  And once I finally admitted all of my symptoms to my doctor, he was able to make an accurate diagnosis and treat my illness. I have been diagnosed with the following ailments (although some may overlap): depression, ADD, OCD, social anxiety disorder, and schizoaffective disorder.  I was also diagnosed with MPD by the freaky shrink (Juliana), so I'm not sure how accurate that diagnosis was. I'm currently on three psychotropic drugs: Zoloft (for depression and anxiety), Welbutrin (for anxiety and OCD), and Risperdal (for psychosis).  I see a psychiatrist every 6-8 weeks to monitor my health. If you're ill, please tell the doctor all of your symptoms, even the ones you're embarrassed about.  That's the only way you can be properly diagnosed and treated.