[herethennow]

I feel so lost.

First off, it's not like as if I dislike my psychiatrist. I like her, alot. It's only been 3 months, but I really like seeing her. She's easy to get along with; I feel very comfortable with her.

But yet, I can't help but feel like as if I'm not human in there. Sometimes I feel like telling her to not view me as a patient, but as a human with a unique circumstance. I am sick of hearing the words "it is part of your symptom" and "it's been clinically proven that..." I don't feel like I'm taken seriously.

Sometimes I wish they could throw away their theories and their textbook-acquired knowledge and just look at me as a human, not as a patient.

Does anyone feel the same way?

[allimsaying]

Its been some time since Ive been in therapy but I think I get what you mean. My thought was always that people should help people. It didnt make me feel better that I felt like I was seeing a doctor for how I felt when I thought what I felt was simple human feelings and simple humans could help out but were to busy or not interested or whatever.

No, I've never had that, but she's trying to let you know that her diagnosis is correct based on factual knowledge. As soon as that is all settled, she will likely be more personally responsive to you; at least, I hope so.

Therapy is a personal relationship in some ways. It's help to see things in a better or clearer way. And it's designed to strengthen your understanding of yourself. Those are really her objectives, in my view.

Take care of yourself in therapy and listen but also say what you really feel. That's the best way to clarify what's happening. For example, ask "why do you feel that it's necessary to give statistics about what I'm feeling? Are you trying to make certain that your diagnosis is correct 100%? Is this an effort to strengthen my belief about the illness that I have and how I am to manage it?" Nothing is wrong with approaching her in that manner. She'll tell you the truth, I think.

Take care of yourself.

[TheRealFDeal]

Psychiatrists don't always make good psychotherapists. They tend to focus more on the medical side and want to make things better with drugs. I prefer my pdoc to be separate from my T.

[Leed]

I agree that psychiatrists don't always make good therapists. I've seen two, and i didn't like their way of dealing with me.

I ended up seeing a psychologist in the end, and she was incredible. She DID talk to me as a human. She didn't throw those platitudes at me, and all those darn statistics, etc. Who cares about that? I want her to talk about me, and what's going on with me. And she did! I got more out of her than I did ALL the other therapists I'd seen thru the years, and there were quite a few.

So I prefer psychologists. Forget the M.D.'s I can get a script from my PC.

[garden gal]

Yeah, I can relate! My current psychiatrist actually has some people skills, which I appreciate. I left my last psychiatrist (who seemed otherwise competent) because he didn't seem to have any empathy or even near-human people skills. It was hard when I was depressed, overwhelmed, and crying in his office... and he just looked at me with this completely expressionless stare, and wasn't able to acknowledge me or express kindness in any way. It just didn't work for me. My meds are complex enough that I need to see a psychiatrist (as opposed to a general practitioner), but I think my standards of how I expect to be treated have gotten higher over the years.

[herethennow]

Ah, unfortunately in the place I live in... unless I want to pay very very high medical bills (and insurance here does not even cover mental illnesses!! ALL of them!!)... all psychologists are psychiatrists. So... my T is my psychiatrist so.. yup.

I feel really fine with my psychiatrist, really! I feel like she has some empathy and all, like how she makes some jokes to lighten the mood... but I really don't know why I'm bothered so much on why they always say the statistics. Maybe it's just me

[montanan4ever]

Oh I hear you! I'm thankfully only on my fourth psychiatrist in my twenty years of continuous treatment. Of those four, only one, the first one, appeared to have real skills as a therapist. They really are two separate skill sets IMO. I've always had my therapist separate from my psychiatrist and prefer it that way.

My previous and current psychiatrists were both very clear from the outset: "I do meds." Previous one was capable of doing both, but had excellent boundaries about not meddling in ongoing therapy. Number two was (with apologies to professionals reading this) still a baby shrink and didn't know how to do much of anything in either department. His listening skills sucked, too. Grrrr.

*ahem* I digress. Anyhow, yes, I empathize hugely with feeling reduced to a diagnosis code and a set of symptoms and chemicals. I've also learned over the years that psych docs speak a different language. Chances are yours is trying to be comforting in her own foreign language, by telling you that you are not bonkers, but your brain chemistry is scrambled, and as the two of you find medication interventions that work, you will actually become more *yourself* rather than being at the mercy of the scrambled brain signals that are currently torturing you.

As with all foreign language communication issues, sometimes having a good translator/interpreter helps. Bummer that we can't just tuck one in our pockets for these appointments huh?

I had the same experience at a college counseling center many years ago. In hindsight I realize that the pdoc was probably a resident and that he was following a protocol. But...I wish I'd had the confidence to say--hey, I have a problem now and need some help! Instead, I just didn't go back. Later in life my therapist recommended that I also consult a pdoc about meds to alleviate ongoing depression symptoms in conjunction with counseling. That combination really helped me a lot. Also, I now know that it's not only okay but also very helpful to ask a pdoc about the process of therapy, e.g., ask why s/he makes the responses you're getting and tell her/him how this makes you feel. Good luck!

[NOS-NOS]

Originally Posted by TheRealFDeal

Psychiatrists don't always make good psychotherapists. They tend to focus more on the medical side and want to make things better with drugs. I prefer my pdoc to be separate from my T.

I couldn't agree more. I wouldn't see a psychiatrist if I didn't need drugs. I think one has to go to see a pdoc with that expectaion.