Let me first say that I'm not a big fan of the "DSM," even though I once suggested "Stanning" should be a listing in it.
With that said, I must admit that receiving a diagnosis can benefit some in that they:
- 1) Give the person diagnosed a language in which they can now approach and alter their condition
- Ex: Knowing that you *might* (I think it's important to remind yourself of the uncertainty) have Bipolar I can change your sleeping schedule for the better if approached in the right way
- 2) It can help the person that was diagnosed find camaraderie in others that share that same diagnosis
- Knowing you're not alone, and that others experience the same symptoms (and may have advice to give), can give you some hope that it won't run your life
So, with all of that, I say use the following readings to get another kind of perspective on how to approach your diagnosis going forward.
It may not solve it, but it may give you a bit of insight into it.
Lastly, DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, or your doctor, I am but an interpreter of these symbols I have years of experience with.
The I Ching, and any other form of divination, is not a substitute for medical treatment.
The Diagnoses
Anorexia Nervosa
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 42.3.4.5 (Gain) > 30 (Separation)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 42.3 > 42.4 > 37.4 > 42.5 > 13.5 > 30
What The Reading Says
Any gains may *feel* like a blessing and a curse, but there's a need to be cautious. Avoid doing and incurring damage, and let yourself enjoy life a little, because you may have some misunderstandings. Don't question the gains you do receive, and amidst any tension, think of the greater purpose here instead of any lesser desires.
What I Say
While one title for Hexagram 30 is "Separation," and it can be about significant splittings (which could be your disordered pattern of eating), it also advises you to stay around what sustains you.
The two trigrams that make up Hexagram 30 are Fire, and what are calories but fire when they're used as fuel for your body.
41 > 32 would be reduction's continuance, and this reading is *not* that. So, I'd say it's not telling you to change your anorexia to binge-eating, but it does indicate you shouldn't question the gains on the scale that *do* happen.
And with hexagram 37 in the mix with hexagram 13, maybe have more meals with those that care about you and want to keep you on track.
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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 22.3.5.6 (Superificiality) > 3 (Confusion)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 22.3 > 22.5 > 27.5 > 22.6 > 42.6 > 3
What The Reading Says
If you feel like you can't tell up from down at the moment, accept your vision's a little crooked, and try to reject what *isn't* right for you right now. Try doing some small tasks, and small forms of giving as you read between the lines that may be some level of a warning sign. You're a bit compromised, so let the superficial be suppressed, and be sincere as you commit, because there's a danger of indulgence.
What I Say
Superficial Confusion being the title of this reading says a lot.
When you're distracted, hopping from one thing to the next, it's unlikely that you're doing deep work.
And when your mind is running wild, you're probably going to experience quite a bit of confusion.
With this reading, I'd say try to get a sense of what triggers your mind to be unfocused, and try to prioritize the more substantial to-dos that you have in front of your face.
By being specific about what needs to be done, you're less likely to sway off-track.
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 38.1.5.6 (Opposition) > 47 (Exhaustion)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 38.1 > 38.5 > 64.5 > 38.6 > 6.6 > 47
What The Reading Says
There's words that aren't believed as things are a bit tapped out, but as others have some delusions, expect superficial matters to be a bit suppressed. Some help can turn your obstacle into an afterthought, but try to be as mature as possible to deal with any conflict over incompletions. Your vision may clear up, and those you thought were enemies may be allies, as you experience the ups and downs of wins and losses.
What I Say
Hexagram 38 is about opposition, while 47 is about distrust, and words not really connecting.
So, communication problems, whether it's you trying to get yourself across to others, or how you're hearing their words, may be an issue for you.
The promising thing is that 38.5 means there's something that cut through obstacles in your condition, but you're cautioned here to recognize that thinking of others as opponents until you learn they're actually allies may cause you some needless ups and downs.
Maybe try to think of the other side's "good" intentions, before you assume they're against you.
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Binge Eating Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 59.1.3.4.5 (Surrender) > 14 (Great Possession)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 59.1 > 59.3 > 61.3 > 59.4 > 9.4 > 59.5 > 1.5 > 14
What The Reading Says
There's a lot here, and it's up to you whether you take major action to add to the beneficial, and avoid the bad. Be selfless and give a little in this relationship with food that can bring out the extremes, and by doing so, you could end up beyond the barrier to a place with a lot less anxiety. Let things clear up over time, and with any interpdependent busyness, try to put an end to the bad.
What I Say
Hexagram 14 is the perfect hexagram for a lot of food. And 59 is what I call "surrender." And with it, you're often surrendering to connect with something greater, which is a hint at what you should perhaps do if this is your issue.
By giving some of your food to others, you can get it out of your environment, and get past that barrier to a place where the anxiety kind of slips away.
As someone that's dealt with this issue before, the food is often a disguise that things like anxiety and depression hide under. So, by addressing those main causes, and letting them be without trying to change them with food, you can get past your problem.
With 1.5 in the reading, I'd say see someone in a higher position (such as a therapist), that can help you regain control of the ship.
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Bipolar I Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 50 Unchanging (50 uc) (Cooking)
What The Reading Says
There's something cooking here, in a process of transformation. Be patient, allow things to come together, and understand it's not instantaneous. What you may end up with as a result, is a reinvention.
What I Say
As someone with experience here, Bipolar I can be a big pot of mixed causes and effects.
Genetics, trauma, sleep deprivation, food, and sunlight can all play a role. As well as ideas, creativity, and depression to go along with the manic states.
So, allow things to mix together, but remember that you're the one in front of the stove. So, think about what ingredients need to be added, and which need to be removed.
For me, I needed to add a consistent sleep and wake time to get it under control. Your results may vary.
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Bipolar II Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 8 Unchanging (8 uc) (Coming-or-Going)
What The Reading Says
There's some uncertainty with all of this, but consider yourself to be in an in-between state. Because of that, you need to decide whether you're coming or going. But it just might be that the back and forth-ness, contemplation, and indecision, is part of the hand you've been dealt.
What I Say
Hexagram 8 usually always represents one foot in and one foot out, kind of like the Tarot de Marseille "Lovers" card.
If this reading represents your condition, I'd suggest figuring out exactly what your objective or mission is, and get very clear and specific on that, because hesitancy, and going from this to that, seems to be par for the course.
By knowing what you want to accomplish on any given day, hour, or week, you can get to accomplishing what you want instead of being at the mercy of whichever way your foot wants to go at the moment.
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Borderline Personality Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 24 Unchanging (24 uc) (Returning)
What The Reading Says
There may be a little mental back-and-forth if you're dealing with this. But returning to someone or something might be the recommended thing to do here, whether that's physically, or mentally. What you do want to avoid, though, is letting yourself be taken advantage of by people that don't have your best interests in mind.
What I Say
What places might you return? Maybe to the people and places that have given you security, and safety.
You may have to wait for the right cycle (which to me, makes me think of a new planetary transit, or profection year).
But because of your potential dependence on people and places you've been to and with in the past, don't let others walk all over you, or use you to get what they want.
That can easily slip into paranoia about the intentions of others, but knowing the warning signs of what might happen could be half the battle.
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Bulimia Nervosa
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 28 Unchanging (28 uc) (Great Excess)
What The Reading Says
Amidst the physical and mental overwhelm, it's important to recognize that *this* isn't sustainable. The I Ching itself is letting you know that this is all too excessive to be built for the long haul. But the fortunate thing is you can probably locate the door, in this house you built with a caving ceiling, so walk through it.
What I Say
Hexagram 28's text is about a ceiling beam that's taken on too much weight. You may think it's talking about what you see on the scale, but it's actually about the behavior you're using to compensate for calories.
I'd say the roof beams here are your teeth and body.
With the upper trigram here being Lake, I'd recommend talk therapy, and perhaps a Bulimia support group, where you can interact with people that have your best interests at heart. And that can get you outside of your own head long enough for some new ideas to slip in.
It's not easy, of course, but recovery has been done before.
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Generalized Anxiety Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 6.1.4.6 (Conflict) > 60 (Restriction)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 6.1 > 6.4 > 10.4 > 6.6 > 61.6 > 60
What The Reading Says
When it comes to restrictions, consider which are and aren't built for the long haul, and know that some endings shouldn't be prolonged. Seek out the more significant, and state your case for support since you feel you're in a risky spot. The important thing to remember is that ups and downs are both impermanent, and you should allow them to arise and cease, without trying to speak a dream world into existence.
What I Say
The reading is clear that you need to place some restrictions on all of that conflict that exists in your mind.
One way to do it is the 10.4 way of speaking up and being authentic about your fears.
The other way to reel it in is to remember that ups and downs are the natural result of existing in this world. If you look at how they unfold, you'll see they never stay just one way. They're always morphing and changing.
And as 61.6 warns, the stories you tell can take you out of the reality of what is. And the reality is where you want to be if you have any intention of changing your life in a noticeable, positive way.
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Major Depression
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 49 Unchanging (49 uc) (Change)
What The Reading Says
Change is going to happen because change *always* happens. Instead of choosing a form of change that can be a big problem for yourself, and those you love, take a step back. Stay heedful, and try to sort fact from fiction before you go trying to make big decisions.
What I Say
Hexagram 49 unchanging in its most negative form, would be forcing a change in the form of suicide.
But 49 is less about change *you* make, and more about the kind that just happens.
As someone that's been there, it's important to remind yourself that the lows are impermanent. And the proof is all of those lows you've hit in all of the years you've lived up until you read this reading.
So, give it a little time instead of rushing to judgement. One day's depression can be the next day's slice of wisdom.
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Narcissistic Personality Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 20.1.2.5 (Observing) > 41 (Reduction)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 20.1 > 20.2 > 42.2 > 20.5 > 61.5 > 41
What The Reading Says
There's a need to get a handle on emotions and desires, and think about maturity, and small gains. If there's changes of mind associated with potential gains, be circumspect about it all. Ultimately, look inside yourself and do some assessing, because these matters may depend on what others think and feel, not just yourself.
What I Say
A hexagram sentence of "Observing's Reduction" is pretty straightforward when it comes to someone that is obsessed with what they see in the mirror.
The message here is to be self-critical and think of the needs and wants of others instead of making your own the top three priorities. It's simple advice, but if this is the diagnosis you're dealing with, it may be simple but not east.
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 20.1.2.3.5 (Observing) > 26 (Past Experience)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 20.1 > 20.2 > 42.2 > 20.3 > 61.3 > 20.5 > 9.5 > 26
What The Reading Says
Try to aim for some restraint based on your past experiences, and lean towards maturity instead of indulgence. There's likely some changes of mind about potential rewards, but at any crossroads, you might be driven to extremes. Look inside of yourself at any imbalances, and know that your interactions with others may include some negative emotions and minimal resolutions here and there.
What I Say
With this reading, I feel like the main message is to be realistic: whether that's with your own tendencies, the condition, and how it impacts others.
If possible, try to think about times you didn't act out the condition (Hexagram 26, here), and remember the times that avoiding doing so didn't end in disaster.
With a Yin Pattern of Hexagram 35, busyness might be the recurring pattern, but it's helpful to know when to lean into that instead of the Yang Pattern of Hexagram 5 (Waiting).
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Panic Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 17.1.3.5.6 (Following) > 56 (Wandering)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 17.1 > 17.3 > 45.3 > 17.5 > 31.5 > 17.6 > 62.6 > 56
What The Reading Says
There may be some (likely mental) wandering happening here, but allow your mind to be changed from the panicky focus by getting out a bit. The more mature path calling you to pull back from drawing you in may not be that attractive, but you can't rely on some unexpected intervention to help if that hasn't gotten through to you yet. This could be important because following the lead of those not going through this instead of your own drumbeat will likely not lead to the reward you're hoping for.
What I Say
One thing this reading says is to get outside. Fresh air could be just what you need.
But there's a heavy presence of a 'you're not seeing things clearly' warning attached. And when our body is tensing and locking up, it *is* hard for us to see things straight.
That last transitional line of 62.6 is an important lesson, I believe: panicking won't bring you rewards, it'll just keep you locked in place. By learning from someone how to be with those physical reactions charging some of that panic, you can hopefully tone down just how overwhelming it can get.
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 46.2.3.6 (Advancing) > 23 (Removal)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 46.2 > 46.3 > 15.3 > 46.6 > 2.6 > 23
What The Reading Says
There's a peeling away of layers that needs to happen here, but recognize that you may need to make a fair sacrifice if dead weight on your shoulders is pushing you down. You're free to move ahead now, even if there's a little misguidedness, and not a lot of potential for big rewards when it comes to the trauma. If you forge ahead amidst the uncertainty, a battle between two elements may lead to some repairs that you should assess as time goes on.
What I Say
I think the big message here is to move forward and the stripping away of trauma will happen along with it.
You may be moving through a ghost town of sorts, with problems that still haunt you, but you shouldn't expect to see how everything will unfold. Or predict how stable that trauma will actually be.
One element of Hexagram 23 is about a give-and-take. And that could very well represent the give-and-take that comes with therapy.
I won't say that time heals all wounds, but it sure does help. So does moving forward into the future.
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Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 8.1.5.6 (Coming-or-Going) > 27 (Nourishment)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 8.1 > 8.5 > 3.5 > 8.6 > 24.6 > 27
What The Reading Says
Dealing with this condition will deal with sustenance, and an ending will actually make more sense, and be better for you as a result. Stick to principles and let things come and go without your interference, and know when to pull back after making any returns that result in rewards. If you're lacking direction, at least know that a full return is likely going to be a bad idea.
What I Say
From what I know about PMDD, your diet can play a large role in just how bad it gets for you. And I also know that going back to old dietary habits can make things a bit more difficult.
I'd say if you were dealing with this condition, checking out Reddit and seeing how others are managing it will be of value to you. There's a lot more valuable voices about it than my male one.
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Schizophrenia
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 9.1.3.4.5 (Accumulation) > 64 (Incompletion)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 9.1 > 9.3 > 57.3 > 9.4 > 59.4 > 9.5 > 6.5 > 64
What The Reading Says
Expect some incompletion, and keep in mind that with readjustments made here and there, you can get back on the right track. If any "truths" are causing tension, avoid poking and prodding too much into it. If you do that, anxieties may pass, you may move beyond these barriers, and the conflict with any outside "parties" may actually end up being a good things.
What I Say
These lines speak to interpersonal tension, and I'm sure that's bound to come up if you've been diagnosed with Schizophrenia. But another important aspect is avoiding overthinking.
If you don't have one, picking up a meditation habit that helps you focus your mind a bit might be the most helpful thing in stopping the scatterbrained-ness, and your overthinking.
And reframing the conflict as a good thing might help you see things from a more positive perspective.
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Schizoaffective Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 52.1.2.4.5 (Stilling) > 1 (Potential)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 52.1 > 52.2 > 22.2 > 52.4 > 26.4 > 52.5 > 14.5 > 1
What The Reading Says
There's bound to be a lot of "potential" and busyness, so try to still yourself in hopes of improvements. There may be a superficial pull between two elements, so try to balance mental stability and movement, and use some tried-and-true wisdom to deal with things as you wait. Besides that, choose your words and commitments carefully, especially if they're involving anything material.
What I Say
Stilling's Potential tells me that keeping your thoughts from jumping here and there is at least a possibility.
Hexagram 52 is associated with meditation, and picking up that habit if you don't have it already, is likely going to be the best move for you. And even if your thoughts are jumping around, try to keep your words from doing the same.
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Social Anxiety Disorder
What should someone with this diagnosis know about how to manage their condition?
Reading: Hexagram 53.4.6 (Gradual Development) > 31 (Attraction)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 53.4 > 53.6 > 33.6 > 31
What The Reading Says
There may be some attraction, or a give-and-take involved here, but what you may not be seeing is the potential change of mind that can cut through obstacles here. If you think there's only two ways this could go, I'm here to tell you, there's at least three (and you're not understanding the third one). By seeing things for what they are, you could pull back from all this in a way that it opens up a new opportunity for yourself.
What I Say
Seeing as how many forms of social anxiety arise as a result of potential love interests, it makes sense why Hexagram 31 is here.
But this reading is telling you how quick fear can turn into fun, and that you're not seeing every scenario - usually just the one where you 'look stupid'.
I'd say let things happen without thinking you can predict it all (you can't), because it's possible to turn someone into a friend more than it is your executioner.
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