The foot specialist came today. She does a good job on my feet, but she speaks to me in an exaggerated manner as though I’m a bit simple .
When people do that I pretend to be stupid in an exaggerated way, then snap back to a rigid smart way of acting and say, “I’m actually not an idi ot” pr something similar to throw them off.
4 Likes
Not usually, but one time when I was viewing a house I told the person I had sz, he switched and he started talking to me like I was a 3-year-old with a nice drawing. 
That stuff really annoys me.
3 Likes
I think it might be because my stepdaughter set up seeing the foot specialist for me. Perhaps the foot specialist put 2 and 2 together and thought "The answer is definitely 5 ie he’s lost some of his marbles " .
1 Like
Yeah I kinda play along for a bit then say something out of the blue that proves I’m no idiot. And then they will slowly work their way into talking to you as if you’re intelligent rather than rather simple as firemonkey would say.
3 Likes
Yep. Sometimes I get mad and outright ask why they think I’m slow.
2 Likes
Yes. That is annoying.
They did that when they thought i had autism. The psychiatrist told me i was autistic, that this explained why i didnt like that she scolded me for no reason, and from that moment she started to talk really loud and with exaggerated pronounciation and simple words. It seemed a little odd to me.
Some people i meet at work do it too…I met an ex-social worker during a business meeting. When she and her colleague realised i was an ex-patient they switched to a baby voice: “isnt it nice that you have a job now too?”. As if i was a kid that could play pretend with the adults. My colleague got mad and said with a sharp voice: “we hired her because she is smarter than you and me together and she is actually really good at her job.” 
(I do not believe i actually AM smarter than her, but it was good that she told them off).
2 Likes
My husband does this. His voice is a little louder more pronounced. He speaks slowly and usually says it twice and it burns my a s s up.
I reply with a slow deliberate exaggerated voice to let him know it’s not ok. But he does it anyway. It pisses me off when anyone talks to me like I have mental retardation.
It’s like it doesn’t matter what your mental Illness is labeled people treat you like your hard of hearing and can’t put two words together grrrrrr
When care workers do that I just like to think positively and think they are being nice. When I was pretty far gone and in the hospital they talked to me like that and I hated it, but looking back they were just being sweet
I hate when professionals assume all patients are stupid.
My sister especially does this.
My pdoc knows I’m well versed from her experience with me.
I started seeing a new primary care doctor and I was worried she would treat me differently due to her knowing I have sza, but she has been really nice to me.
1 Like
I dont think they think we’re “stupid”. I think they kind of reality check us into believing we’re “stupid”.
2 Likes
My ophthalmologist and her assistants were treating me as if I were 10 years old.
This was after I let them know of my bipolar diagnosis.
During my eye exam yesterday.
I once had a lady at customer service speak to me and wen I mentioned sz her tone and mannerism suddenly became more polite and friendly than before. So not exaggerated but just more friendly for some reason 
Lol I guess she didn’t want to anger the potential assassin lol. Jk
2 Likes
Yes maybe haha.
It was such an obvious change though it was quite intriguing
The only time people have talked to me as though I were simple was when I was attending a VA daily outpatient program. The nurses and social workers there talked to us as though we were all about 3 - 5 years old. Most of us were all very sick there. At least I was, at the time.
Family members talk to me this way. In my head I don’t understand it. I know I’m sick, but I haven’t become less intelligent. I just avoid family gatherings as much as possible.
Yes my sister talks to me as though I’m simple. It’s embarrassing but I don’t blame her because I was a huge baby with her when I was really ill. I’d really like her to stop though 
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.