Physicians Can't Help Patients Who Can't Help Themselves

I'm not sure about "my" clinic's type therapy these days. But when I was signed up for it (kinda), there were demands. Like I wanted help with really severe depression (and anxiety). They told me they can't help me if I don't get more motivated. I told them I'm way too depressed to even start to begin to want to get better. They would need to help me start somewhere. But they refused. They told me if I deserved be in therapy I had to first fix my depression and a few other problems.

Yea..... it was THAT dumb. It seemed that that clinic only had 2 types of patients, psychotic patients who had to come pick up their daily or weekly meds, and people who had no mental illness but wanted to be in therapy as self improvement.

I hope they changed their ways. That stuff was terrible.

mmm... that oral iron is rough. You know there is an IV iron supplement. It's a lot easier - and a lot faster. Don't know why they are having you muck around with iron.

And, um, yeah, it feels like it's stripping off the insides of your intestines.

What gives?

One of my neighbors had a hematocrit of 12. It should have been at least 38. He asked if he could go back to work and they asked him how he was managing to walk. He regularly gets transfusions and iron IVs. He has tried several different brands of iron supplement, both with and without Vitamin C to help it absorb. No one knows why his levels are so low.

At one point I suggested getting an iron skillet and cooking tomato products in it. I have to wonder, though, if it would be cheaper and easier to get fairly big pieces of iron and put them in a slow cooker to avoid the splattering.

Yea Ellie I thought I had it under control but I can't do it until next test. It calmed down a bit but really started back up, it really kills my stomach. So I'll try to contact the clinic to give them an update. I hope they are OK doing the shots now.

It took me since late 2009 to mid 2012, to really balance out with my issues.... and Yes, they do come back every so often, but not as frequently. I found a great DR/T and she really cares about little me I can call her for any help at any time! If anything, I have come to understand I have issues.... and yes, sometimes meds CAN help.... along with theraphy. But YOU need to give it time.... Took me several years... Hugs & do not give up HOPE

If therapists and psychiatrists want us to be open, do what they ask, and be honest with them, that should be reciprocal and work both ways. For example, a lot of therapists do not have the specialty training or expertise to work well with BPD patients but won't come out and say it. Not all therapists are going to specialize or be good at helping with all things and if they have a patient they feel would be better served by someone else, they need to admit it. It isn't fair to the patient or to them to try to help when they frankly don't know what they're doing. All it does is frustrate the patient and over time anger the therapist who is attempting to put the patient in to a mold they don't belong in.

Also, therapists need to be honest about a patient's diagnosis/evaluation. There have been so many horror stories of patients being diagnosed by their therapists as having BPD but the therapists never telling them or the patient finding out years and years later. This is not fair. Even though it may change treatment or even cause the patient to go elsewhere to find someone who may be more qualified, it is important for the patient to know what they're dealing with, unless, for some reason they don't want to know....

I probably should not have read those articles regarding good therapy patients. I have major problems putting down my guard and allow myself to be honest in therapy. I feel like that article discourages honesty from people like me who are people pleasers and put on a happy and healthy front for everyone while being completely miserable. I can put this front on for my therapist also and pretend I don't have crises, but it would be better to just quit treatment. There is a repeated emphasis on being stable and that will make you a good patient. Instability is a huge reason people go to therapy. People with abandonment issues from being put down their whole lives need to work up their self esteem and this can be done by having a caring and empathetic professional to help along the way. If we could just fix ourselves, we would just skip the time, money, and embarrassment of mental health treatment. I will take medication as prescribed but if I have side effects or I am not feeling any better Im going to be honest even if it frustrates my doctor that the medications are not working. I would love for everything to be easy at my job, but it just doesn't work that way. I have a difficult and stressful job, but I deal with it because I choose to enter the helping profession. When people are in pain, they will get better faster, if those giving them their treatment are kind and empathetic. If you don't want to work with people with issues, go get a job sorting paperwork. Sorry for that the rant this just me discouraged.