S
*Sapphire*
Guest
Has anyone experienced a Psychiatrist that does not give the whole picture?
Hi
On several occassions I have been confused as to why Psychiatrists have prescribed some treatments and medication to me without giving me the 'whole picture' as to why they are prescribing it.
I can only talk from personal experience here, and no psychiatrist has given me their point of view, in my experience they dodge the question or validate their reasoning 'in hindsight'. However I am lucky enough to have more than a psychiatrist involved in my care and have been surprised at the differing opinions differing professionals give as to why they have prescribed certain things for me.
For example. I was once prescribed a medication, because I suffered with anorexia. Because i was desperate to get better, I let my psychiatrist know that I was struggling with my anorexic thoughts and this was hindering me in my recovery. My psych prescribed a medication that i did not really question at the time. The premise that they presribed it was that it would help me with my anorexic thoughts. However after discussing it with other professionals they highlighted that it was also because this medication stimulated appetite and helped induce sleep which I was also suffering a lack of. This was never revealed to me by my psych in the first instance when prescribing it. I felt somewhat duped. Maybe I'm wrong but I did.
Again I recently explained to my other psych that I was suffering with lack of sleep and they prescribed another medication. Upon speaking to other professionals involved in my care (because I was hesitant about taking it for other reasons), they suggested that the Psych prescribed it because it would actually increase the effectiveness of another prescribed medication I was taking. In fact they were surprised that it had been prescribed as a sole solution to my lack of sleep, although it does have that side effect. They thought the real reasoning for prescribing it was that it would also help alleviate some other symptoms I am suffering from too.
I am not in anyway dismissing their reasons for giving the medication to me, but I am most upset that they did not reveal their other reasons for giving me that type of medication in the first place and how it may help my other symptoms. I feel that I am an intelligent person and somewhat feel duped by them and somewhat patronised. I feel that they are treating me like a child just telling me what they think I want to hear, without giving me the whole holistic view of why they are prescribing me a certain medication and its effectiveness on other symptoms I am suffering from.
If I go to my GP with a physical problem in my experience they will tell me if any medication they prescribe will have a positive healing effect on another problem I may have. Why do my psychiatrists not treat me in the same way?
I understand that GPs sometimes do not give the worst case scenario when it comes to testing people for things because in most cases it does not come to that and would cause undue worry. However when it comes to my mental health I know what my diagnosis are, why do they not give me the whole picture about certain medications they are prescribing?
To me it feels as if they are on an ego trip. I know this is an extreme view to take but that is how I feel after they have treated me which results in me feeling like an idiot.
Has anyone else experienced the same thing?
Am I alone in this, or is it that I have been most unlucky with my psychs and the way they describe treatments to their patients?
Hi
On several occassions I have been confused as to why Psychiatrists have prescribed some treatments and medication to me without giving me the 'whole picture' as to why they are prescribing it.
I can only talk from personal experience here, and no psychiatrist has given me their point of view, in my experience they dodge the question or validate their reasoning 'in hindsight'. However I am lucky enough to have more than a psychiatrist involved in my care and have been surprised at the differing opinions differing professionals give as to why they have prescribed certain things for me.
For example. I was once prescribed a medication, because I suffered with anorexia. Because i was desperate to get better, I let my psychiatrist know that I was struggling with my anorexic thoughts and this was hindering me in my recovery. My psych prescribed a medication that i did not really question at the time. The premise that they presribed it was that it would help me with my anorexic thoughts. However after discussing it with other professionals they highlighted that it was also because this medication stimulated appetite and helped induce sleep which I was also suffering a lack of. This was never revealed to me by my psych in the first instance when prescribing it. I felt somewhat duped. Maybe I'm wrong but I did.
Again I recently explained to my other psych that I was suffering with lack of sleep and they prescribed another medication. Upon speaking to other professionals involved in my care (because I was hesitant about taking it for other reasons), they suggested that the Psych prescribed it because it would actually increase the effectiveness of another prescribed medication I was taking. In fact they were surprised that it had been prescribed as a sole solution to my lack of sleep, although it does have that side effect. They thought the real reasoning for prescribing it was that it would also help alleviate some other symptoms I am suffering from too.
I am not in anyway dismissing their reasons for giving the medication to me, but I am most upset that they did not reveal their other reasons for giving me that type of medication in the first place and how it may help my other symptoms. I feel that I am an intelligent person and somewhat feel duped by them and somewhat patronised. I feel that they are treating me like a child just telling me what they think I want to hear, without giving me the whole holistic view of why they are prescribing me a certain medication and its effectiveness on other symptoms I am suffering from.
If I go to my GP with a physical problem in my experience they will tell me if any medication they prescribe will have a positive healing effect on another problem I may have. Why do my psychiatrists not treat me in the same way?
I understand that GPs sometimes do not give the worst case scenario when it comes to testing people for things because in most cases it does not come to that and would cause undue worry. However when it comes to my mental health I know what my diagnosis are, why do they not give me the whole picture about certain medications they are prescribing?
To me it feels as if they are on an ego trip. I know this is an extreme view to take but that is how I feel after they have treated me which results in me feeling like an idiot.
Has anyone else experienced the same thing?
Am I alone in this, or is it that I have been most unlucky with my psychs and the way they describe treatments to their patients?

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