Posted by yznhymer on August 5, 2007, at 11:12:08
In reply to Re: Is this even remotely possible? » Guy, posted by Phillipa on August 3, 2007, at 20:25:52
I'm rarely so strident in my advice but go with the consensus here and ditch this guy ASAP. Run, do not walk. Not only does he sound like he won't do you any good but I'd say he sounds like he's going to cause you a lot of grief, and in fairly short order.
I've been seeing medical and mental health professionals to manage life-long depression and anxiety and I can tell you from an extensive experience base that the odds of hitting a really bad one are not that remote. Most of the psychiatrists I've run across have been fairly mediocre. I've been fortunate to hit upon a couple of really good ones and stuck with them as long as was possible. But when I've run across losers in the mental health field, they were losers big time. One social worker I ditched after a few sessions some years later blew up himself and his whole house making bombs in his basement. When I was about 21 or so, the first doctor I summoned up the courage to tell about my major depression dismissed the whole thing with "just quit your job." Less than a year later he was arrested on a hit and run charge. Kaiser fired him. The psychiatrists weren't quite so colorful. The bad ones were either worthless or in one case outwardly hostile to me because, I presume, I was leaving my wife and this raised some issues of her own. At least that's my best guess.
Anyway, everything you've reported about your new pdoc raises red flags. There is no indication that he has any concern or empathy for you as an individual. He seems more wedded to a personal theoretical treatment approach than your particular needs. He gives every indication that he doesn't even hear what you are telling him about your situation and trivializes your experiences. Rest assured you'll only get more of the same.
Furthermore, his proposals make no sense. Most people understand that psychotherapy and meds both produce varying levels of success, but when used together the results are generally even better. Who in their right mind would suggest pulling out the support you receive from medication BEFORE you've resolved whatever issues you may have and show strong signs that you can manage without the meds, especially with the risk factors you report? And how does he know at this point that you're one of the (minority of) people for whom therapy can be a complete cure?
And, by the way, I've been using the same .5mg of klonopin for at least 15 years to help me sleep and get through particularly distressing periods with no ill effects or addiction issues. So my guess is that not only didn't your psychiatrist listen to you during your session with him, he's not listening to the experiences of his other patients either. I'm sure the potential for benzo abuse is real, but again, isn't that a very individual thing, and don't you want your doctor to be treating you (as opposed to a theoretical patient) based on your needs and experiences?
Best of luck to ya. Psychiatrist shopping is not the most enjoyable task, but its better to cut your losses early on and keep looking till you're happy with your choice.
Y
poster:yznhymer
thread:773751
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070730/msgs/774109.html