I started seeing an APRN for my psych medication 8 months ago. I recently discovered I am Facebook friends with her son.(for over 5yrs) He was in my graduating class in high school. I discussed this with my therapist (not the APRN) and her reaction was disturbing. She said you should delete him right away. Her reason, I do not want my APRN looking at my Facebook page. I said I don't post my life on Facebook. She said I should still delete him. I know the real reason is they don't want you in their life outside of therapy. In general, I think they judge people with mental illness and I know there is the confidenciality issue. If I were facebook friends with her it would be a bigger issue. The thing that disturbs me is she did not come out with the real reason, she tried to make it seem fully beneficial to me. This was more harmful to me, whether she meant it to be or not. She did not even discuss the issue with confidentiality.
We have discussed this in the past when she avoids acknowledging me at the grocery store. No one knows her as being my therapist at a grocery store. I have run into her twice and she won't even say hi. She just looks at me horrified and then looks away. She has said both times that she felt awkward because she had not showered. First off, this is clearly a go to line. Secondly, her reaction makes me makes me feel even more uncomfortable, like I have done something wrong. I tell her so much about my life, her reaction in the grocery store is offensive as was her reaction to the Facebook incident.

Anyway having to (used loosly because I feel like I have a little control over this) delete him from facebook is causing mental havic because I feel like I am seperated from the rest of my graduating class by a restriction they do not have. Though I know millions of people have a mental illness, it does not help when I feel seperated and distanced from people already. This makes me feel ostrosized and in some ways shuned. I wanted to know how others would react. If you made it through my long post and have some wise advice to offer or just want to share a similar incident that would be great.