I always seem to be the exception to this case. It's just the luck of the draw, so to speak, that I was assigned to the psychologist I currently see. Like all of us I was skeptical at first and had no trust in her. I have to say that I was wrong, she proved herself to be a caring, informed, and conscientious doctor. As a psychologist, she couldn't write any scripts for meds but always asked if I needed to see someone for that. She would have recommended a doctor at the clinic I go to for that. If not for her, I know that I wouldn't be here now.
I still believe and say that you have to be a good consumer and if you're not satisfied with the treatment ask for another doctor. It's your right to do that. You can't fight against the system but have to work with what you have. Just to be clear, I don't and won't let anyone shit on my head at the VA, they know that everywhere I go. But I do try to work the best I can with how the system is. We all know it needs to change and be better but in the mean time you still have to work to get what you need.
So, what I'm saying is the treatment in therapy that I received helped me. It helped because in part I worked like hell at it. I did everything my doctor assigned me. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. But that's the drill, if it was easy we wouldn't need it. We all know there's no cure and I'm certainly not, nor will I ever be. But I'm better than I was and I work at it every day. In the end it really comes down to that, we have to take what we learn and apply it to our lives. Meds can help with somethings but not all. And I agree that doctors, not just at the VA write scrips for too many conflicting things.
Just like the entire medical establishment, the VA is looking for that 'one treatment for all' kind of thing. It doesn't exist and never will. If you have a good doc, they will help you to find the treatment that's best for you. There again, the optimal words are 'good doc'.
Even with the shit storm at the VA now I really don't think much is going to change. Sadly, it's always going to be a struggle to the death for us to get the proper care.
