Do you ever wonder what its like on the other side of the desk?

[mdmc]

Do you ever wonder what it is like to be a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, case manager, counselor, or advocate?

Knowing what you know, what would you do differently? What would you do the same?

I often wonder what I would do as a psychiatrist. Would I smoke a pipe? Wear turtlenecks? Tell people that I know what they are experiencing.

I wonder how many service providers are consumers of mental health services themselves. My guess is almost all of them are.

[Forkboy]

1. "Please, tell me more about your mother."

I can almost guarantee many, many counselors have been there at least. My father's collects cans of tuna fish. He told my father he has over 800 of them. And that's the counselor. Needless to say my father thinks he's a hot shit.

I don't know what I would do. I think I'd have a real hard time listening to that all day because it would be too emotionally draining for me. I couldn't stay detached enough to do the job properly.

[hunter]

4. My grandma collected burned out light bulbs, among numerous other things...

:scared:

If my OCD ever turns into hoarding of that sort, please, please let there be a nice home for crazy people to send me to.

The very last time my grandma left her house she had to be dragged out by the police and paramedics, and she was biting and clawing and cussing and throwing things in a stand-off that dragged on for hours.

I know crazy, and I don't like it.

[EFerrari]

2. My guess is your guess is right.

All of mine have been and I don't think I drove them ALL to it. :)

[InkAddict]

3. You could join the military.

There you could advise the brass on the best ways to obtain "secret" information from "the bad guys" and silently stand by watching others taking your advise on the test subjects. Well, didn't you always wonder what would happen if...after all, you only got to read about those experiments, after all. Now, you've got a great lab and immunity.

Then you could return from your tour and discuss how painful it was hear from those ordered to participate and hold people without representation for the types of renditions, interrogations, deprivations and 24/7 music choices you've recommended as the best way to "blow their minds" even if you were just doing your duty.

Best of all, you'll know how to re-frame it all so you'll sleep like a baby.

[mdmc]

11. i wouldn't want to do that

[fed-up]

5. I would not make snarky comments like: "she gets her information off the internet" to another

medical "professional" within hearing range

I would not make comments to the patient like: "you don't understand how to read the trial data" (had to tell them I had been a math major at Berkely and just because I was depressed didn't mean I was stupid) or "you have anxiety and that is why you think you are having an adverse reaction"

and "that reaction is not in the pocket PDR"


most of all when a psych doc diagnoses a patient with bipolar for the first time and hands them what can possibly be a potentially deadly prescription I would give them some info about bipolar and adverse effects to watch out for, including taking detailed family history to reactions to anti-convulsants


also it is not good to make any comments in public such as "those people are all wacky"- which I overheard my PA (physician's assistant) state while walking back into a fundraiser I had helped friends put on

also had a psychologist tell me that it wouldn't do any good to come in for counseling "until the meds started working"

so what did he think I was supposed to do in the meantime to control run-amok thoughts????

and that is the same psychologist/counselor that said something about me being a nuisance to my face (granted in a joking manner, but I was in hypersensitive mode that day and didn't take it lightly, in fact it repeated itself non-stop for the next few days) when I went back into the clinic after having forgotten my sweater

and same one that told me to wait for meds to really take effect when I told him I was going manic from antidepressant just prescribed (luckily the PA, listened to me ramble on and watched me pace in circles and decided I was Bipolar and had been given the wrong meds)

also wish docs would screen for bipolar before they hand out ADs like candy without doing a thorough screening


all of which are reasons why I haven't gone back to the clinic, but still need to so I am listed as "compliant" for SSI, somehow I will get through this on my own like I have done so many times before

the patient has to have TRUST in their prescribing doc, and trust that they are there for them in time of need

and these were docs that claimed to "know what I was going through"

[AngryOldDem]

6. Actually, it is encouraged that providers have counselors.

And it makes sense. With all the possibilities of transference and countertransference between provider and client, as well as just the sheer drain of counseling others, some kind of pressure-release valve has to be in place. Otherwise, I don't think counselors would last long in their chosen fields.

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

7. Sometimes its wonderful -- Sometimes it terrifying and depressing

Go down the list of problems on the mental health thread and imagine being responsible for making all these problems better.
Imagine getting paid less than a carpet cleaner for it.
Then go home and realize you have too many of your own problems, anxiety, depression, financial problems, work related problems, relational problems.
Now imagine all the people you meet and your friends being intimidated because they "think" you can see through them and figure them out.
Now imagine being socially and intellectually isolated in "Payton Fucking Place" full of poverty, abuse, exploitation, social, sexual and racial inequality, classicism, child molesters, victims and sociopaths on both sides of the desks.
Now imagine occasional miracles and occasional touching beauty, occasional soul wrenching love and hate for humanity.
Imagine going back and forth between the love and hell of others and the love and hell in your heart like a ping-pong ball forever.
That is what it is like on the other side of the desk.
:hurts: :hippie: :hippie: :mad: :puke: :eyes: :smoke: :crazy: :nopity: :wow: :thumbsup: :thumbsdown: :hi:

[Lorien]

8. I have six family members who are psychologists, and four are also

patients. I took 5 1/2 years of psychology courses in college. I know why I'm depressed, I just can't fix it.

[Tab]

9. I dated two psychologists once (well, not at the same time)

Each had serious problems of their own. Not all are like that, I know some very well-rounded and secure psychologists, but there are also some out there who have major issues of their own. You won't see that as a patient (hopefully) but if you date them you get an interesting insight.

[terrya]

10. I asked my therapist a while back how she deals with listening to her clients problems and issues.

I was just curious. I mean, listening to her clients problems and issues and such. She told me that she has a therapist as well.

I suspect that is true in a lot of cases as you said.