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Depression
Good Doc/Bad Doc
Good Doc/Bad Doc
When you have
emotional problems whether they be great or small you need at some time
to seek the help of a professional.
That professional may be a therapist, social worker, counselor,
or if the difficulty calls for it, a psychiatrist.
In my experience, I have learned that there are good
psychiatrists and then the rest. Finding
a head doctor that you are comfortable with is very important, as is
being honest with them about what you are feeling.
They generally are the Doctors who will prescribe psychopharms.
That is medicines that help you restore the correct balance
within your body. They will
use for example an anti-depressant to help someone like me who suffers
from chronic depression that is generally caused by chronic pain. The
Psychiatrist may also try some non-traditional medication to see if it
will help alleviate the pain.
Back to the subject
at hand and that is how do you know you have the right psychiatrist for
your needs. One way to do
that is find a support group in your area that deals with your specific
problem and ask them about their experiences.
The other way is the way I did it.
I was referred to a Psychiatrist who saw me the first time and
then dropped me off to his resident or fellow who actually was very
good. The Resident was the
one who dealt with my suicide attempt.
He was called the day after I tried it and was very concerned.
He called me at work and talked to me for a long while and
scheduled me to see him the next day. When I went to see him I was honest with him and he was
concerned enough that he brought in his boss.
I talked with both of them but was no longer comfortable.
Their demeanor was at least at that time threatening.
They were going to put me in a unit in the hospital where you
cannot leave until they say so. Needless
to say, the 4 days I spent there were no fun.
Now comes the good part. I
have an appointment with the first Dr. I arrived about 10 minutes early
as is my custom, and sat, and sat and sat. Finally he came to the door
and asked me if I wasnt supposed to see the resident.
I told him that the card said that my appt was with him.
He grumped, said he would be right back and shut the door.
After waiting another 45 minutes, He finally came back.
Now you have to remember that I had just been released from the
hospital for a suicide attempt and my self esteem was not at its
highest. He stood in the
door and said to all who could hear,
Well I guess I will have to see you today. He spent 10 minutes and told me to reschedule with the
resident. What did that do
to the self-esteem; I assure you it didnt help it. I would have to
label this guy a bad doc; professionally he is a very bright man but his
manners in dealing with a subject as important as depression and suicide
certainly lacked the compassion that I would like to have.
I felt that he was seeing me out of a sense of obligations rather
than because I needed some help.
Now
for the other side of the spectrum, the psychiatrist I have now was very
interested in my well-being and was very compassionate.
He asked me questions, acknowledged the suicide attempt and tried
to get to the bottom of things.
He changed my medications, followed up with me between appoints
got me in to see the best therapist I have ever seen and generally
followed both my pain problems and my emotional response to it.
He changed some medications and found a combination that helps
control the arthritis pain and also levels out the ups and downs a bit.
Based on his evaluation and referrals to both a therapist and a
physical therapist, I began to feel much better about myself and started
learning , with the help of the therapist how to defuse my anger and how
to more calmly deal with daily frustrations.
Between the prednisone mood swings and the depression, I was not
a pleasant person to be around. The
difference between the two doctors was not their medical knowledge or
ability to diagnose and treat. The
difference is that one cared about what happened and the other didnt
give a darn. The reason for
this long tale is to try to point out a couple of basic things.
First you dont have to accept whatever the Dr. says without
challenging him/her. Secondly you are entitled to be accorded some respect.
You also are entitled to know about the medications that the
psychiatrist gives you because many of them have tremendous side
effects. Know you and know
your medicines. The only
difference between the two doctors was that one was not interested in me
as a person and the other one cared.
Good dock, bad doc. which would you rather have.
You are entitled to the best.
Remember always that the doctor works for you and you can
terminate that employment at any time you become uncomfortable with it.
It is your right to find a doctor that you are comfortable with.
Not only will it help you physically, the trust will go a long
way toward helping you. I
found one I trust and am well on the road to recovery.
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