So today I had a hospital appointment, for something entirely un-MH related. However, in the process the subject of my MH diagnosis and self harm came up.
This was a new doctor, who I'd never seen before, and he was fine, until I told him that I took an anti-psychotic, then he changed. Completely.
He said "I don't judge", but then said that often while psychotic people don't realise that they cause conditions themselves. I tried to explain that I didn't take it for psychosis, but he didn't listen.
He treated me like a child, as if because I was mentally ill I couldn't understand him, and then when he saw my scars, which are old, he told me that he didn't understand why I'd gone to see him for a skin complaint, because I clearly didn't care what my body looks like.
I don't feel he took me seriously, and I'm not convinced that he treated me properly, because of a mental illness.
Basically, I needed to get this out, but I was wondering, do you tell medical professionals from other disciplines about your MH issues?
Have you had any good or bad experiences from said professionals?
And finally, should I complain, or put it down to experience, and has anyone ever made a complaint about things like this?
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Make us all feel wonderful. We'll never forget."
I've had the whole been accused of being psychotic and so being unable to understand anything thing before. Even though I'm not psychotic the woman basically saw DID on my file and asked what it was so out of politness I replied and she missunderstood and decided I had "voices in my head" which "made me do thinga" though to be honest that wasn't too bad.
Almost every time I go to see any doctor about anything thogh they seem to bring it up half the time I have no idea why. Everytime they see my scars they also decide that I've done whatever I've gone to see them about to myself, even when it makes no logical sense for me to have been able to to let alone to have done it.
I've only made a proper comlaint once, and it didn't go too well... but I've written a few things on this site - http://www.patientopinion.org.uk/ which is annominous so easier
Aww hunni, I'm so sorry that they treated you like that!! *hugs*
I've personally never had that experience, but only because I've not been seen by non MH people. I definitely think that you should complain, that was not the correct way to have treated you.
xx
"Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living."
Thank you for your responses. Shadow Light (Hazel?) I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. I'm going to look at the website.
I just feel like I shouldn't have told him. I don't know. I guess it's the first time I've really had to face outright stigma and discrimination and it's come as a shock.
Thanks again
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Make us all feel wonderful. We'll never forget."
and then when he saw my scars, which are old, he told me that he didn't understand why I'd gone to see him for a skin complaint, because I clearly didn't care what my body looks like.
that's quite a judgmental and unnecessary thing to say in my opinion.
i don't tell other types of professionals about my mental health unless i think it's really necessary.
xx
Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do you want?
Yeah, I'm trying to complain. It's not the sort of thing that I usually do, but it made me feel really awful, and I don't think that as a doctor he should act like that. What if I'd gone to see him about my scars?
The process seems really difficult, I don't know, I've never made a formal complaint before...
Thanks for your support, people.
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Make us all feel wonderful. We'll never forget."
I had to tell my bloody dentist that I'm paranoid schizophrenic because of the meds I take (before I had anaesthetic for fillings). He gives me the look sometimes.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
Sorry for the length but I felt I had a good amount to say about this since it's an example of something that happens frequently. I added the bolded sections to break it up into more readable chunks.
Complaint / Contacting Him?
First of all, I think it’s good that you’re filing a complaint. Hopefully the hospital will talk to him or even better, talk to all the staff about this sort of issue.
If you have or can obtain any contact info for this person, maybe you could write him a (cogent and polite) letter explaining that you thought his behavior toward you was harmful and unwarranted. Doing so might help him realize that you (like most mental patients) aren't an incoherent lunatic
I’m not sure in what sense you mean “treated” in the relevant line, but if you don’t think your “skin complaint” was treated properly or fully, you should go and see someone else so whatever it is doesn’t worsen.
Giving MH Information
I don't physically self-harm or take antipsychotics but:
If I'd been in this situation, I would have been honest about my mental health history and would have politely but firmly pointed out that the treating doctor wasn't accurately understanding my mental problems. And that these particular wounds weren't self-inflicted, and that having a psychiatric condition doesn't make me any less vulnerable to ordinary injuries and illnesses than people without such problems.
I think it's important to give as complete a medical history as possible when you're asked for that.
I don't mean that you need to bring up all your problems (psychological or somatic) every time you see a doctor if they don't even ask. And you're justified in asking them to explain why they need a given piece of information about you.
However, withholding information or lying about things can be dangerous. In particular, I'd never lie about what medication I'm on if I were going to be given drugs by medical staff, since bad interactions can occur.
I wouldn't lie in other situations either because that's just not how I am. Also because I feel that I shouldn't have to lie due to stigmatization of mental illness, and that hopefully by honestly explaining things I can to some small degree help to reduce that stigma. That's just my personal choice; I'm not saying anyone else needs to take that position about discussing mental health issues.
A Defense of Some of His Behavior
I don't think all his behavior was justifiable, but I don't think he was wrong to bring up the fact that people with mental issues can hurt themselves without realizing it, or despite realizing it, and present themselves for care without admitting the real cause of their injuries. He can't know specifically what's going on with you, and as far as he knows you could be the sort who SIs partially or even primarily for attention from medical staff. To the extent that he were to treat you physically without discussing those possible motivations, he would just be reinforcing the behavior.
If I'd been the person treating you, I would have asked whether what you were being seen for was the result of self-injury, but wouldn't have assumed it was. However, I would have been more suspicious that you were lying about the cause of your injury than I'd be of someone who had no recorded history of psychiatric issues. Obviously I wasn't there but I think he might have been admonishing you about harming yourself because he couldn’t be sure that you weren’t lying about the cause in this case.
If I were in his position I would have said something to the effect of: “I don’t necessarily disbelieve you about this case, but if you’re still injuring yourself occasionally you really need to figure out how you can stop that, or at least keep it minimal enough not to need professional treatment. There’s enough strain on the emergency care system without people injuring themselves, and to the extent that you can control your self-injury but choose not to, I think it’s irresponsible. Of course you should seek treatment if you’re hurt though.”
I realize that might not be something you or anyone wants to hear, but I'd feel irresponsible if I didn't say something like that. If such a statement motivates even a small portion of people to stop harming themselves as severely, I think it's worth it.
I'm hypocritical in this respect. Not in this specific way, but I struggle with things (OCD essentially) that currently make me more dependent on others than I or they would like, and over which I feel a limited degree of control. Having someone tell me that I shouldn't get tied up in obsessive thoughts because doing so burdens and inconveniences other people isn't (by itself) going to stop it from happening. But I don't resent people for telling me that (which they regularly do), unless they do it excessively often or try to insist that I am "just not trying hard enough" etc. (which they rarely do).
Mental Illness != Diminished Capacity
I wouldn't have assumed that taking antipsychotics meant that you currently had a diminished intellectual capacity or a distorted sense of reality. Doing so is inexcusable and just reflects the public's generally poor understanding of mental illness.
My (minimal) Experiences
I've rarely been seen for acute care so I don't have a lot of experience with this myself. My general doctor (who referred me to my current psychiatrist) of course knows about my mental health issues.
I got flu vaccinations back in November and while talking with the administering nurse she asked me where I was going to school, at which I explained how I was on a leave of absence largely due to OCD issues. She said her son who had recently graduated had the same diagnosis. So she was basically understanding and sympathetic. Mentioning the fact that her son was apparently being successful academically made me feel hopeful about my own prognosis.
I was also seen at a student clinic in September 08 after I cut my head by tripping on my own shoelaces. I filled out a first-time-patient questionnaire that specifically asked about prior treatment for various issues, to which I responded affirmatively for ED (the only diagnosed issue at the time), but mental health issues (other than general school-induced stressed that caused me to rush and trip) didn’t really come up with orally.
@Steel Maiden:
I don't want to offend you but many would say that "He gives me the look sometimes" reflects classically paranoid thinking. Don't get me wrong; I think it's very plausible that he "gives you the look" due to his prejudices about mental illness.
But I also think that sometimes what we read on peoples' faces has more to do with what we assume they're thinking than what they're actually thinking. Sometimes I've been sure that people are expressing dislike for me until I talk to them and realize that they're not. Of course, maybe he's communicated his thoughts about you more overtly as well, such that there's not really much room for doubt.
Navas, thank you very much for your response, it's given me a lot to think about.
I understand what you are saying, in his defence, and I do, to some extent accept that self harm can cause people to bend the truth, or whatever, however it is clear, to me at least that my problem is no way related to SI. It is something that I picked up in Ecuador last year and is a really freaky rash, I have no idea how I could have done it to myself.
My main issue with the way he treated me is the fact that his attitude changed as soon as he realised that I had MH problems. I just felt that he treated me negatively because of that, and dismissed my concerns, because, because I have scars, an ugly rash does not matter.
Anyways, I very much appreciate you taking the time out to write.
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Make us all feel wonderful. We'll never forget."
Yeah, if you don't think you were treated properly you should go back and get a second opinion. If you still have trouble with people believing you it might help to show them documentation of your travel to Ecuador (plane tickets, receipts, photos, etc.)
What did he think it was?
I guess it could just be an allergic reaction but it's not out of the question that it could be any of various tropical diseases. I don't want to scare you by saying that of course; it's probably nothing too bad but it also doesn't sound like the sort of thing you should just leave alone and hope to go away.
Going off at a bit of tangent here but...my pharmacist felt that, having somehow been told of my recent suicide attempt, that it was acceptable to lecture me (in front of other customers) that i was only young and what a waste of life it would be. Good intentions but still!
the woman basically saw DID on my file and asked what it was so out of politness I replied and she missunderstood and decided I had "voices in my head" which "made me do thinga" 
