Psychiatric Labels: What They Mean to You

Article | Psychotherapy

You would think that receiving a diagnosis from a doctor would, to some extent, be a relief but for many people who are struggling with mental health problems, it is both surreal and, at the same time, claustrophobic. From this moment on, your entire life will be confined by a psychiatric label but what does it actually mean to you.

The names actually come from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and is published by the American Psychiatric Association and to say that is a bit ephemeral would be a polite understatement (Frances, 2013).

Task forces and working groups get together to discuss symptoms, in secret, (protect by non-disclosure agreements) and then vote on the name that they give to this particular aspect of human suffering (Spitzer, 2008).

You can go to a mental health professional in the morning and be diagnosed with “Depression” and, if you had the money and the energy, go again in the afternoon to a different psychiatrist and be diagnosed with “Anxiety”. What is worrying, is that you would be given different drugs for each diagnosis (Davies, 2013).

What most people don’t understand is that these labels were invented by committees to make the job of psychiatrist easier, they do not reference any biological abnormality (Kirsch, 2010).

There are two different ways of thinking about the mind: theoretical and practical and the theoretical models are always changing and expanding to include more behaviours.

Third wave psychotherapy deals with how the mind is actually experienced by you and how to heal the causes of your distress.

So in conclusion, it is your symptoms that matter and they will be contextual. Some days you may feel depressed but some days that gives way to fear and anxiety. PTSD is one of the most contextual disorders in the book (Cloitre, 2009)

Don’t get hung-up by diagnoses and their labels and be very careful what drugs you take. I got a prescription from a psychiatrist but luckily the pharmacist was vigilant and wouldn’t fill it because of the dangers to my health. Of course, this is an extreme case but “informed consent” means that, ultimately, your life is in your hands, so use your common sense.

Davies examines DSM development and institutional forces.

Davies, J. (2013) Cracked: Why Psychiatry is Doing More Harm Than Good. London: Icon Books.
Davies, J. (2017) Sedated: How Modern Capitalism Created our Mental Health Crisis. London: Atlantic Books.
Frances, A. (2013) ‘DSM-5 is guide, not bible—ignore its ten worst changes’, Psychiatric Times, 30(6). Available at: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/dsm-5-guide-not-bible-ignore-its-ten-worst-changes
Frances, A.J. (2010) ‘Opening Pandora’s box: The 19 worst suggestions for DSM5’, Psychiatric Times, 27(2). Available at: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/opening-pandoras-box-19-worst-suggestions-dsm5
Kendell, R. and Jablensky, A. (2003) ‘Distinguishing between the validity and utility of psychiatric diagnoses’, American Journal of Psychiatry, 160(1), pp. 4–12. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.160.1.4
Kirsch, I. (2010) The Emperor’s New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth. London: Bodley Head.
Kirsch, I. et al. (2008) ‘Initial severity and antidepressant benefits: A meta-analysis of data submitted to the Food and Drug Administration’, PLoS Medicine, 5(2), e45.
Spitzer, R.L. (2008) ‘DSM-V transparency and disclosure’, Psychiatric News, 43(5), pp. 1–3. Available at: https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org

Author: Miguel Antonio Sebastian

23 April 2026

What are the benefits of a free consultation?

Getting to know the psychologist: You can talk to the psychologist to see if they are a good fit for you in terms of their work style, personality, and specialization.

Defining the problem: You can describe your problem in detail and get qualified advice from the psychologist, which will help you better understand the nature of your problem.

Developing a plan of action: You can get recommendations on how to solve your problem, which methods and approaches may be the most effective.

Feeling supported: You can get emotional support and feel that you are not alone, because the psychologist will listen to you attentively.

Who is a free consultation suitable for?

Those looking for a psychologist: A free consultation can help you make the right choice, as you can talk to several psychologists before making a final decision.

Those who are unsure whether they need psychotherapy: A free consultation can help you understand whether psychotherapy can help you solve your problem and whether it is right for you.

Those who have a limited budget: A free consultation is an opportunity to get qualified help from a psychologist for free, to see if you need further psychotherapy.

Those who may be nervous or hesitant to start psychotherapy: A free consultation gives you the opportunity to overcome your fear of the first meeting with a psychologist, get answers to your questions, and feel more confident.

Important:

A free consultation is not a substitute for psychotherapy.

In a free consultation, the psychologist cannot give you a final diagnosis or prescribe treatment.

The purpose of a free consultation is to help you determine if a psychologist and psychotherapy are right for you, and to give you the first steps to solving your problem.

Potential benefits of a free initial consultation

During this first session: potential clients have the chance to learn more about you and your approach before agreeing to work together.

Offering a free consultation will help you build trust with the client. It shows them that you want to give them a chance to make sure you are the right person to help them before they move forward. Additionally, you should also be confident that you can support your clients and that the client has problems that you can help them cope with. Also, you can avoid any ethical difficult situations about charging a client for a session in which you choose not to proceed based on fit.

We've found that people are more likely to proceed with therapy after a free consultation, as it lowers the barrier to starting the process. Many people starting therapy are apprehensive about the unknown, even if they've had sessions before. Our culture associates a "risk-free" mindset with free offers, helping people feel more comfortable during the initial conversation with a specialist.

It's important to note that the initial consultation differs from a typical therapy session:

It can last from 15 to 30 minutes, with the specialist determining the appropriate length for this introductory meeting.

The free initial consultation is not intended to be a full therapy session. It is an opportunity for the client to learn more about the specialist and their approach to therapy, and to decide whether they want to work together.

The specialist should set clear boundaries for the free initial consultation, including the length of the session and the topics that can be discussed.

The specialist should be prepared to answer questions from the client about their experience, training, and qualifications.

The specialist should not give specific advice or recommendations during the free initial consultation. This should be done during a paid session.