Pychiatrist choosing patients

O.k.,, here I am, desperately searching for a psychiatrist who is taking on new pts (& someone with whom I feel comfortable).

I made some phone calls last week & found a psychiatrist who was (apparently) taking on new pts. This afternoon, I saw my G.P. I told her about this particular psychiatrist & she knew her & told me, "Well, I can fax her the referral, but Dr. (X) won't necessarly take you on." I didn't understand, so I asked her to please explain. She told me that this psychiatrist gets the referrals & notes & depending on that, DECIDES as to whether or not she wants to take a pt. on. How moronic is that? Nice "holier than thou" attitude. If that's her attitude, I don't want an idiot doc like that.

I've heard about closed-minded, picky psychiatrists. It infuriates me. When I am seriously struggling to keep myself alive and trying to find a dr., let alone a psychiatrist where I live is so difficult, I really lose my faith in humanity, espec drs.

Sorry to *****, but I'm really pi$$ed.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

Sorry you're having a frustrating time!

Perhaps the psychiatrist wants to limit his patients to those he feels he has the experience and knowledge to help. It may be that by not accepting a patient, he is truly referring the patient to a more specialized psychiatrist.

So, possibly he is descriminating with a keen awareness of his own limitations and in the best interest of the patient.

Good luck in your search! You'll find what you are looking for...and this guy might even be it!

ECHOES

I can relate somewhat to what you are saying about psychiatrists as in my City the average wait time to get to see a psychiatrist at all is about 1 year and that is not for one the "better ones". It is frustrating, to say the least.

Yeah, I thought of that, Echoes.....I guess I'm just more cynical.

I truly hope I find one....a good one.....soon.

Thanks for your post.

Every doctor/therapist chooses patients, that's what specialists are for and a psychiatrist is a specialist but there aren't any other ways to narrow down what they're good at. I remember when I was visiting my GP (a literal GP I was visiting as a teen for my acne so she was playing "dermatologist") and she got a phone call and took it and she said to the person on the phone, "I don't know, I got a "C" in setting bones" and I suddenly realized that doctors aren't good at everything anymore than you and I are. They work with certain types of people and certain types of problems and have certain amounts of time (if he thinks you need 2 years therapy and he only has 6 months, you won't fit). It's a bit like he's a company looking for an employee and you're on a job interview :-) Not everyone has what he needs and likewise, he may not fit YOU!

you know what? i think that is TERRIFIC that the p-doc does that :-)

why do i say that? because i've been through the public system enough to know that when therapists are simply assigned to patients (and when patients are simply assigned to therapists) there are an awful lot of unsuitable matches that can be detrimental to both patients and therapists alike. nothing sucks more than fairly much having to try and work with someone who you simply don't click with (and where the only other option is 'no treatment')

sounds to me that the p-doc has the opportunity to take proper care of themself and also the opportunity to take proper care of their patients.

i know it is hard... really hard... really very hard... my current p-doc was like that too. i chatted to him a bit on the phone and he scheduled our first appoitment so we could 'see what we would make of each other'. he really pushed the notion that it was a mututal sussing each other out kind of thing. it was terrifying to me because i have issues to do with rejection. i was fairly sure he would reject me / try to pass me on with someone else.

but you know what?

he didn't.

he agreed to work with me. and you know what? that is the most wonderful feeling in the world. he actually wants to work with ME! he could have passed me onto someone else or simply said 'sorry i'm all full up' but you know what? he didn't.

if he had passed me on... it would have hurt, yeah. i do think, however, that typically both parties are fairly well aware whether they seem to click or not. it can be important in that initial assessment to make sure they grasp / appreciate that you really are motivated towards making progress on your issues. and... suss them out. do you feel like you would like to work with this person? if so then you really have to tell them 'i would like to work with you'. if you don't want to work with them... ask them for a referral.

i know it is hard. i know it is scary... but when clinicians are able to make these kinds of decisions i honestly think they tend to enjoy their work more which really does make for a clinician who is more emotionally available at the end of the day. i really think so...

:-)

Thanks for your posts, guys.

You have good points. I have major issues w/ rejection, so I guess that plays into my anger, hurt & frustration about the whole process.

I've had a dr. reject me before and it really, really hurt. She basically said to me (in so many words) that I had too many problems for her to treat...she didn't have enough expertise. I appreciate the honesty, but does it ever make me feel even more messed-up and hopeless. If a GP (specializing in CBT) can't help me, than who the hell can? I am still very, very hurt & frustrated from that - and that was four mos ago. It makes me feel as if my situation is completely hopeless & I'm just a useless piece of dirt, unworthy of any help at all.

It's not easy at all to ask for help, either. To have the courage to ask for help, go to an assessment appt & then be completely rejected.......not a good feeling at all. Makes me feel worse & disencourages me to ask for any help at all. ** SIGH **

Depth and complexity are not bad things! Is a sense, you're smarter than the GP who "rejected" you because she didn't have enough expertise. Would you have a conversation with Stephen Hawking? No. Why? Because you don't have enough expertise. You can't get very messed up if you're not a creative person with a lot of depth to them. There are "simple" people out there; would you want to be considered one of them? It was a compliment that your GP said she couldn't treat you. So she's an expert on CBT; you are not a "subject" that one can learn about from books or "training."

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desperado said:If a GP (specializing in CBT) can't help me, than who the hell can?

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Well, maybe a counselor, or a therapist, or a psychologist, or a psychiatrist! I would never expect a GP to be able to help with mental health issues. I know mine wouldn't be able to provide any therapy such as CBT and I don't expect them to do that. I would expect at most from my GP, possibly a prescription for anti-depressants (if that was the presenting problem), and a referral to a mental health provider for therapy. The first counselor I went to recommended that if I wanted medication, not to go through my GP for the prescription but to see a psychiatrist (for meds only, not therapy). I'm not sure what services you are looking for from the psychiatrist. If it is meds, I consider it very responsible that your GP referred you out.

Best of luck.

sunny

I know it must be frustrating, but such procedure can be benefit the clients, cause many pdocs over time branch into areas/disorders even though they are licensed Psychiatrists.
The one I go to, has his specialties, Bipolar disorder, and alcohol/substance abuse. At this same office, there are pdocs that have their specialties in other disorders, such as Schizophrenia,ADD,OCD,etc. while they can see any patient in need or referred to them, the pdocs, often choose which pdoc and their specialty is more suited for the patient with that certain disorder(s).
Psychiatry is a huge field, in fact I feel anything dealing with such varieties of disorders is, and having a pdoc whose special area involves what I'm seeing him for benefits me even more.
Try to not feel offended, and realize that this pdoc's refusal to take you on as a new patient may have been a blessing in disguise, in time.
I wish you loads of luck with this process,treatment and innerpeace.
Take care now,
DE

Hi Perna

Thank you for your post.

I'm not sure who Stephen Hawking is.....

I appreciate your message. I just feel like a monster that is too complex for anyone to treat....that's how that dr made me feel. Out of the realm of being treatable. I really wish I was stupid, b/c then, I wouldn't be so depressed. "Ignorance is bliss".

Hi Sunny

Thanks for your post.

Actually, in Canada, (at least where I live in Can), GP's can persue specialized training in psychotherapy. Thus, with these credentials, they can practise as GP's who specialize in psychotherapy. That's what this dr was -- and apparently she had a few years' experience of psychotherapy under her belt.

Yeah, perhaps she wasn't hte right match for me, but it still really hurts, nonetheless.

Ideally, I need a psychiatrist who does psychotherapy...but so difficult to find one who's actually taking on pts in my area.

Hi DE

Thank you for your post.

I don't know what the particular criteria are for this psychiatrist in her choosing pts. However, I did ask my GP (who referred me & knows this dr) what they were & she told me that she doesn't usually see pts who have been seen by other psychiatrists in the same hospital from which she works. I don't completely believe that -- I have read plenty of books & articles whereby actual psychiatrists generally admit to deliberately not taking on certain pts with particular disorders. They find them too difficult to treat & don't want to have to deal w/ them. This is why I feel the way I do. So frustrating.

Take care.

Hi desperado, thanks for clarifying about GP's with a psychotherapy specialty in Canada.

Where are you now in the process of seeing the psychiatrist? Have you seen him/her yet? I couldn't tell from your posts if you had seen the pdoc already and been rejected or you would be seeing him/her soon and were worried about not being accepted as a patient.

If you haven't seen him/her yet, could you go to the appointment and hope to be accepted, and if you're not, just ask for a referral to a pdoc that specialized in your kind of patient? Once you get your foot in the door with one pdoc, he/she might be a really good resource for getting you referred to the right person. I know it takes time and is frustrating, but it could turn out OK and result in a good match. Hang in there!

sunny

> I have read plenty of books & articles whereby actual psychiatrists generally admit to deliberately not taking on certain pts with particular disorders.

I don't know any psychiatrists who refer patients onto someone else in virtue of a diagnosis of depression. Sure, not all p-docs are comfortable working with autism or with sleep disorders or whatever, but that is typically because they want to do the best they can by the patient and that means referring them on to someone who specialises in that area.

> They find them too difficult to treat & don't want to have to deal w/ them. This is why I feel the way I do. So frustrating.

Ah. You are concerned about rejection not just by the p-doc but you are concerned that the rejection will signify something much much greater than merely that one p-doc rejecting you. You are concerned that you really are 'difficult' in the sense that... There is little hope?

I've been there too. Oh yeah, I really really have.

Hang in there. Let us know how it goes.

Hi Sunny

Np re: clarification.

Actually, I'm waiting for the psychiatrist to call me. My GP sent the referral off last Monday, but the pdoc has to look it over & decide whether or not she wants to take me. If not, then no phone call. It's a waiting game.

Actually, I did ask my GP for more resources re psychiatrists. There really aren't too many avenues b/c there is a real shortage of dr's (espec psychiatrists) in Canada. Apparently, a lot of them go to the States - better pay & more malpractice insurance.

The thing that totally ticks me off is that my GP will only refer me to ONE pdoc @ a time. This is a real problem for me, b/c usually (once I find a pdoc that actually IS taking on new pts) - the waiting list can be anywhere from a month or two to a year. So, I have to wait for the appt and only then will my GP give me another referral to another pdoc. I told her that this was very frustrating & politely asked her reasoning. She said that pdocs don't like it when potential pts "shop around" for pdocs....but that is exactly our right! How stupid is that???? That's our right, as pts - to shop around for the right fit w/ a pdoc with whom we feel comfortable. Jeez......I'm so angry just thinking about it again. I need to move to the States.

i guess that your GP doesn't want to ruin the credability of her referrals by referring you onto more than one at a time...

that is a shame because ABSOLUTELY you should have the right to choose...

is this private practice or are you being referred to p-docs in the public service? are you looking for a medication prescriber or a therapist?

I have no idea what my GP is thinking, but it really p***** me off.

This is public service practice. I'm looking for both a med provider & therapist.