Perhaps it's not that people have a "problem" but they are just following the lead of their mental health practitioners. I have been to two different therapists and they both referred to the people who come to see them for therapy as "clients." Who am I to insist I am their "patient" and that therefore they are part of the medical model? I follow their lead. The pdoc is an MD and part of the medical model. It is completely understandable to me that pdocs would think of the people they treat as "patients." Over in kim_johnson's thread, I asked about her situtuation, which wouldn't be clearcut to me. She sees a pdoc, but for therapy services, not medication services. What are the terms used in this situation?