I don’t have too much respect for psychiatrists generally. My current psychiatrist is always 1-2 hours late for every appointment. I don’t know why he is so late, as he only spends ten minutes with me. He’s a nice enough guy, but he just prescribes meds. I wish I could just go to my GP, as he is much closer to me. I’m on Medicaid, so I can’t expect too much.
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It was discovered some time ago that if the brain was removed, the mental problem went away.
Granted they toned it down a bit and just proceeded with an “ice pick” lobotomy. But sure enough the mental problem went away due to much of the patients mind having gone away as well.
And for making this incredible breakthrough of sheer cruelty, Egas Moniz received the Nobel prize.
http://mentalillness.umwblogs.org/20th-century/labodomies/
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1949/moniz-article.html
wow, that is just rude that he is ’ that ’ late.
take care
I tend to have a good relationship with psychiatrists.
I haven’t seen a psychiatrist personally for several years. That is, currently, I get my psych meds from a Nurse Specialist, and before that I got my meds from a Nurse Practitioner. I find these gals caring, competent, articulate, educated, and easy to get along with.
I find doctors and lawyers about the same intelligence, education, and social class as myself, and I tend to communicate and get along with them relatively well.
On the other hand, it’s not hard to find an ■■■■■■■. I’ve tended to travel relatively long distances to see my med providers rather than just choosing the closest ones. For example, when a doctor I like moves his practice 20 miles away from where it was, that doesn’t make me pick a new provider.
Jayster
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I had one that almost never talked. For 5 years I walked in, blabbed for 45 minutes and left. He just sat there looking at me. He looked a little like a young Sigmund Freud. I liked him.
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1 [quote=“CarolineC, post:21, topic:5880”]
don’t have too much respect for psychiatrists generally. My current psychiatrist is always 1-2 hours late for every appointment. I don’t know why he is so late, as he only spends ten minutes with me. He’s a nice enough guy, but he just prescribes meds
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Wow, late like that !? I’ve never had that problem with them, but from my perspective I just see them as people who prescribe meds too. The ones I’ve seen (I don’t have a regular ongoing one) seem to just go by a textbook diagnoses and leave everything else up to the psychologists or LCSW’s.
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I’ve had some duds, we all have. But I like the guy I have now. He’s been with me for a few years now and he takes me seriously. I feel I can talk to him much more openly these days. He’s got an associate who is getting to know me and we’re getting along better as well.
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I’m not pro or con psychiatrist… My son’s pdoc and workers are late for most appointments. I expect to wait sometimes more then an hour to see his pdoc. We usually stop and get a coffee first. I don’t blame his pdoc or workers for being late. They have pretty big case loads and I know that some patients are not doing very well and need more time. Same as when my son is not doing well and takes up more time. His workers apologize when they are late sometimes letting me know that one of their clients is in crisis. They probably can’t tell me more then that due to confidentiality laws. I’m not sure the exact difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist other then I know that if I/we want someone to just talk to then we need a psychologist or therapist.
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Psychiatrists are MD’s they went to medical school, they deal with prescribing medications, - meds.
Psychologists, especially clinical psychologists usually practice some form of talk therapy - CBT, DBT, etc…
Psychologists do not prescribe medications, except in certain states, I think
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I don’t link my psychiatrist.i don’t feel like he really cares about me.
Sarah, then request a different Dr, it’s imporant to work with people you are comfortable with
It’s really hard to find one where I live. They are all booked up. I’ll just take what I can get.
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Same here, I am still looking and not having much success.
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i have seen a nurse practicianer twice now, I like her, but I’ve seen her twice. she can prescribe meds, she seems more laid back than any psychiatrist I’ve ever met, I met several now. the psychiatrist just slaps a lable on me, and forces a pill down my throat, I hate them.
I just wanted to add that it is not the primary role of a psychiatrist to be caring or nurturing. I have had my fair share of bull shitters, who come on smiling, joking being charming - I dont need this. What I really want and deserve is getting good medication treatments for my illness. There has to be more competent psychiatrists - professionals that do their job and do it right. All that other warm and fuzzy stuff - nurturing, caring, smiling, charming comes secondary
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I think they have selective hearing. They never have the time to acutally listen, though. They just ask questions and listen for key words. I’m sure they don’t mean to, but they come off as a bit cold when they speak.
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Doctors tend to say that it is wrong to emotionally connect with a patient. With that being the case, it tends to reduce the depth of communication and understanding between the patient and the psychiatrist.
Thus an emotion connection, if any exists, is between the patient and the doctor, meaning it is a unidirectional emotional connection only.
With that being the case, a barrier, of sorts, is born. The barrier sits between the psychiatrist and the patient.
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Very true. My doc is a good guy. He’s not a gooey, fuzzy guy. He’s very clinical. But he does take my wishes into consideration, he does treat my family with respect when they have input, he does listen to me.
My main therapist is warm and fuzzy, in fact, so is her office.
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I’ve dealt with psychiatrists as both a coworker and a patient. I’ve seen some great ones and some that I believe shouldn’t be allowed near a person with schizophrenia.
But, at the core, I respect them. Sure, they might not come off as caring and nurturing, but that’s not entirely their fault. Most psychiatrists start their careers working in inpatient (hospital) environments. They see patients at their worst. And they see many patients who aren’t helped by even the best available treatments.
This forces the clinician to detach emotionally from the patient. It’s simply too emotionally draining to be caring and nurturing to a full patient load of severely ill individuals. In a matter of self-preservation, a clinician must remove their emotional responses in order to keep practicing psychiatry.
That was my hardest task in being a psych nurse. Finding a balance between nurturing and my own sanity. Working with severely ill patients for long shifts, day in and day out, was very emotionally exhausting.
Some days, I didn’t have any more empathy to give. And I think this is the case with many psychiatrists who work with schizophrenia. I don’t blame them for it, because I’ve been there myself.
Thankfully, my psychiatrist, whom I’ve been with for 5 years, IS caring and nurturing. I think he’s Superman lol. He’s been practicing for more than 30 years. But he hasn’t lost his empathy or humanity. So I have enormous respect for him.
Bottom line: there are good and bad docs out there. It’s up to US to find one that treats us with the respect and dignity that we deserve and desire.
I’ve fired many a doctor for not meeting my needs! We all have that choice and right.
I know it’s hard to find the right one, but once you do, you realize the effort was SO worth it!
Blessings,
Anthony
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In Extreme Distress
Once while in extreme distress, I called a 24 Hour Prayer Line in the midwest. A man answered the phone and said, “How may we pray with you?” I said, “I’d like to talk to you.” Immediately, he hung up,.
Therefore, I called right back and the same fellow picked up the phone. I asked him if he’d hung up on me, and he said, “Well, this is a prayer line and you said you wanted to talk to me.” I knew what to say. “I want prayers for Guidance and Protection.” Thank God I knew what to say!
And they had been so nice to me a few times before!
When my Mom died, I was again in extreme distress. A lot of my support systems crumbled at the same time. Therefore, I called the Prayer Line again. I told them my Mother just died, and they prayed with me. Then, I called three days later, and again a volunteer prayed with me. Then, four days later I called, and the woman was really rude. “You should learn to pray by yourself,” she said.
What do you folks expect? Do you expect psychiatrists to more compassionate than volunteers on a prayer line in Missouri? I don’t think so. But I hope I myself might be.
Jayster