I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience, but not all mental health professionals are bad.

I've been IP in a psych hospital 3 times, for a minimum of a month each time, as well as doing a 3 week intensive out patient program. In all my experiences, I've only met one truly bad Dr. and that was in the IOP program, she basically told me she couldn't help me because I was "just an addict" Needless to say we didn't develop a great therapeutic rapport.

But my psych hospital is great. I think it's because it's a dedicated psych and addictions hospital and is a teaching hospital. Working there is considered kind of the cream of psych jobs, so everyone I've interacted with has been amazing. They also have a really strong patient's advocacy body, and an advisory committee that includes patients. I'm on it, and they do take us and our recommendations very seriously.

So don't dismiss all mental health professionals just because of some bad apples.

splitimage