Regarding Depression: How many of you have encountered psychologists that don't get it?

[Ladyhawk]

I've encountered a psychiatrist and a few psychologists who thought I could just snap out of it by "turning that smile upside down," by not being so bitter, etc.

By the way, I've thrown away a LOT of anger. Considering the differences between my community, family (mostly Republicans and fundies) and me, it's a day-to-day struggle. (BTW, I've learned that if you never talk about anything important or interesting, it eases relations...but you get bored. :) )

So, I'm not terribly bitter anymore. Upset, yes. Sad, yes. Bitter and angry...not so much, anymore.

Anyway, Mrs. Fundy Psychiatrist was wrong. (Yeah, she's a fundy. In small towns, you hear stories.) The "frown upside down" psychologist was wrong. She told me to suck it up. I felt like telling her to just plain suck it, but I'm still somewhat cordial with her. Due to my upbringing I tend to see things in black and white. I'm trying to fight that. The last step is to stop bad-mouthing them...but it's SO hard. :evilgrin:

My cousin recently became engaged to a psychiatrist. He's done a lot to ease my guilty feelings. He knows depression is a real illness.

I've done a lot of thinking about why Depression is so stigmatized in our society and I believe that a key ingredient is dualism: the idea that the mind and body are separate. The more modern versions of dualism were delineated by Descartes. For me, that's yet another reason to despise him. Reason 1: Animals are automatons. Dualism is also a very religious idea. If you've read many of my posts, you know how I feel about religion. I think it has hurt humanity horribly. If you believe that the mind and body are somehow separate, it makes sense that you could just think yourself to wellness. It complete ignores the reality that the brain itself is diseased in some way.

Alzheimer's and stroke patients are not stigmatized. I think it is because their brains have suffered measurable and identifiable injuries. Research is just now discovering the mechanisms behind schizophrenia, depression and other "nebulous" mental illnesses.

/musings

[elleng]

1. Not I;

my internist DIAGNOSED it, and sent me to a shrink for best meds. (Brother and daughter, on the other hand . . .)

HOW THE HELL could a shrink NOT KNOW?

Peace

[Ladyhawk]

3. How could a shrink not know? She's a fundamentalist. That's how. nt

[elleng]

6. Not paying attention to medical profession's demands, imo.

Seems like serious malfeasance to me. THAT IS, to me, shrink = psychiatrist = MD. Psychologist something less, and can be ok, but certainly don't have the same professional standards.

Good Morning! (Had a bad night! Off to my meds!)

[Ladyhawk]

7. It's worse than that.

I've heard through the grapevine that she has actually tried to push Jesus on her patients. The experience I had with her (telling her about my trials as the lone atheist) makes me inclined to believe the rumors.

[elleng]

8. In my opinion (NOT professional)

she should be reported to whatever medical/licensing authorities exist. Patients, and would-be patients, should not (MUST not) be subjected to her as a real psychiatrist while she's NOT, she's pretending.

[Ladyhawk]

9. I've complained about her.

The problem is the shortage of licensed psychiatrists in the United States and especially in rural areas.

If you want even more bad news, the fundy pscyhiatrist is in charge of in-patient care. I've been there. It's not pretty. :( I swore I'd never go back, even if it kills me someday.

Medi-Cal patients are not allowed to seek psychiatric care in other counties. I'm stuck with the status quo. If I'm ever hospitalized out-of-county, I'll be shipped back to suffer under the fundy psychiatrist.

There are only three other psychiatrists in the county. One is actually worse than the fundy. Another is a little on the stupid side. (I saw him for years.) The third is impermanent. The psychiatrist in the temporary position is offered the job for three months and if he/she likes it, can stay. So far, I've been seeing a new psychiatrist every three months. Continuity of care is non-existent.

BUT

I'd rather see someone new than the psychiatrists normally available.

[elleng]

10. Oh Lady, it gets worse every time we 'speak,'

and I was already feeling lousy.

[Ladyhawk]

11. Then let me say something positive.

Luckily, my cousin recently became engaged to a psychiatrist. Legally, he can't treat me, but he can offer advice. At least I have that. I really feel for all the patients in California who are being screwed over by Medi-Cal's stupid in-county rule, which (incidentally) only applies to mental health.

I wish there was some way to get the rule changed. But I'm too busy trying to cope.

[Odin2005]

2. I agree with you about Dualism completely. the BS notion of "Free Will" is a problem too, IMO.

It's a criticism I have about how "cognitive behavior therapy" is often done. It smacks of "blaming the victim", that "The Secret" rubbish, and other BS that are based on what I consider the philosophically baseless concept of Free Will.

[mopinko]

4. i think our behavior is very much genetically determined

evolutionary psychology is a very interesting concept, which i find very useful to understanding human behavior. it especially helps in understanding the tension that we have between needing other, being social animals, and the ideal of the individual. we are social animals. only a few of us are really complete within ourselves. the rest of us need a tribe to feel safe, to feel complete, to feel cared for.
the idea that we can just make it all up, make life into anything that we can conceive, that there even is such a thing as complete freedom is just nuts, imho.

[Droopy]

5. I don't see a psychologist now days, but I continue to see a psychiatrist

and I always will. I've been to see 3 psychologists and I have no idea why you have to have a Ph.D. to do that job. Maybe it helps some people, but I can talk to you guys and get about the same level of treatment. I guess it's possible that they were just duds. To their credit, they all took my illness seriously.