Rant on Doctors who don't believe in Psychiatry
It gets my goat when people don't think that mental illness is a real disease. I read this article in Psych Central that really got me hot: Psychiatry v Anti-Psychiatry. There's an actual doctor who doesn't believe in mental illness. He must think we're all lazy and stupid, too.The stigma that surrounds mental illness is unbelievable. When I was newly diagnosed with Bipolar I had to see an OB for the care of my pregnancy. He actually told me that if I was 32 and I hadn't committed suicide yet that I had nothing to worry about and, therefore, I shouldn't be taking my medication!
I guess the world takes all kinds, but I'd like to see doctors take more care with their patients and their feelings. Mental Disorders are not made up entities. Just because the tests that one does to diagnose bipolar aren't physical tests like blood work doesn't mean that mental disorders are any less valid than physical concerns.
Psychiatry is a science just like medical science is. We're learning more about how the brain works everyday. Just recently we learned that Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder share genetic roots. I think we will even find a way to medically diagnose the problem some day. Until then doctors who don't believe in psychiatry should keep their mouths shut. They're bound to be really embarrassed some day when science proves them wrong!
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Not just docs. Tom Cruise, too! "Matt...matt...matt... you are so glib!"
Wow...I've never understood the arguments against the existence of mental illness. Quite frankly, when folks make that type of argument, it often sounds to me like they, in fact, meet criteria for a cluster B personality disorder themselves. Regardless, making such statements completely invalidates the experiences of individuals suffering from mental illness and completely contradicts mountains of empirical evidence. It takes a truly narcissistic person to do that.
Also, with respect to the doctor who told you that there's nothing to worry about post age 32 in terms of suicide risk, perhaps he should take a quick glance at demographics data regarding suicide risk. Folks above the age of 65 (particularly white men) are the demographic at the greatest risk. At last check, 65 comes well after 32. Removing effective care based upon some arbitrary date should be grounds for losing your license.
I could rant on this for hours, but I'll leave it at that for now. Thanks for posting this!