Concerns With Diagnostic Overshadowing Scale (CDOS)

I could not tell whether my symptoms were due to a physical illness or my pre-existing mental health condition.

I worried that it was my mental illness that was making me physically unwell.

I had difficulty separating my physical symptoms from my mental health condition.

I believed that my symptoms were a combination of physical illness and mental illness.

I avoided mentioning my previous mental health issues to medical practitioners.

I tried to keep my mental health diagnosis a secret from health professionals.

I avoided telling doctors that I had previously been treated for a psychological condition.

I worried that medical staff would not focus on my physical illness.

Medical staff told me that I was physically OK when I knew that I was not.

Health professionals seemed to be preoccupied with my pre-existing mental health condition.

My requests for medical intervention were ignored or dismissed.

Health professionals did not take my symptoms seriously.

I did not receive adequate help in managing my physical illness.

My physical health was ignored by medical practitioners.

Medical staff diagnosed my symptoms as signs of an underlying mental health condition.

The doctors did not believe my symptoms were real.

I was made to feel that the symptoms I experienced were somehow my own fault.

I felt that I had been labelled as 'mentally ill' by medical staff.

I felt that my independence was compromised by the medical system.

I felt helpless when it came to my health care.

There seemed to be a disconnect between the physical health care system and the mental health care system.

I felt misunderstood by health care professionals.

I believe that my physical health needs were not met because of my mental health diagnosis.

The health system did not treat me with respect.