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Old Dec 16, 2008, 01:52 AM
SaintMelangell SaintMelangell is offline
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Member Since: Dec 2008
Posts: 3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Simcha View Post

I'm actually surprised your doctor didn't offer alternatives to the traditional stimulants, as most doctors wouldn't just send you on your way (I would think). Withholding treatment is just as damaging as withholding treatment in cases of Major Depressive Disorder or Panic Disorder or anything else, and the results can be devastating. I'd call and make another appointment ASAP.
Sad to say, this hasn't been my experience. The first few psychiatrists I went to -- due to a severe bout of anxiety/depression I'd been going through (I hadn't eaten in a week, or slept in days -- not unusual, but I'd hit my breaking point) -- kept brushing me off entirely.

Growing up, if I made the mistake of failing to hide whatever difficult life circumstance I was going through, I'd be singled out like prey (the older I get, the more mystified I am by the adults -- the teachers, especially -- and the sadistic pleasure they seemed to take in yelling at me for being 'lazy' and 'worthless' and whatever else made me an abomination. Strange -- as an adult, I don't look at little kids and think "jeez, you know what would be awesome? Treating a 7 year old worse than a prisoner at Abu Grhaib!").. So, to survive the psychological warfare, I had to feign normalcy/mediocrity with vigilance, *especially* during hard times. Because of this, to this day, the worse I feel, the more pleasant and personable I am to strangers - it's automatic; like a switch that goes on and off. Or on and fades..

So, I guess it comes down to this with the psychiatrists: I was too 'personable' to have any problems; I had to be the 'standard of health,' regardless of everything I described that went against that. And though I have become quite good at laying out the facts, my delivery wasn't adequately fitting their stereotyped image; 'TV Movie of the Week" cliche, to be accepted.. as if this is a carbon copy/cookie cutter world...... Ironic, as this has to make them easy prey for any manipulative sociopath walking through their door (who plans to, and succeeds in walking out with a diagnosis of anything but sociopathy).

Fortunately, I finally found a psychiatrist capable of thinking outside the confines of a teeny tiny, itsy bitsy little box.. but it took a lot of wasted dr visits to get there. So yeah, I advise going Doctor hunting til you find someone who actually cares about their patients, and about practicing medicine--well!