New Psychiatrist Yesterday--not Happy.

[CindyN]

I recently started getting help for my PTSD, panic disorder, anxiety disorder and agoraphobia. I saw a psychiatrist who recommended therapy also. He recommended a therapist and I feel like I really "clicked" with her--she is awesome!! She suggested that next time I see my Psychiatrist that I mention to him that my panic attacks are still really bad and daily and he would prescribe something to help me with those.

I've seen him twice since then and each time he just increases my Zoloft and nothing else for the panic attacks. Saw my T last week and she suggested that I might want to switch to a new psychiatrist since this one is not really willing to address my other issues. I did as she suggested and saw a different psychiatrist yesterday--she did give me something for the panic attacks (Ativan) BUT she was absolutely horrible.

I sat there the majority of the time crying because of how she was making me feel. I was abused as a child, mentally, physically and sexually which is where the PTSD comes from....she said (and I quote her) "your issues as a child were then--this is NOW--you just need to forget about that and focus on today". She said "stop blaming everything on your childhood issues, you just have panic attacks, they wont kill you". Then she proceeded to spend the rest of the time talking to me about how people like me will not get disability--EVER. She said "look at you, you are well groomed, your hair is done, you have make up on, you can function, you just dont want to". I was in such shock I didn't know what to do other than sit there and cry. She was like Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde personality.....she didn't address the abuse, she didn't address the PTSD or the agoraphobia or the anxiety--just the panic attacks.

I dont think this was a good session but being that I've never been through this before maybe I dont know what to expect from a psychiatrist...is this normal behavior?? My 1st psychiatrist wasn't like this.

I would love any feedback you guys are willing to give me regarding this. She wants to see me again but I'm not so sure I want to see her again...

Thanks,
Cindy

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Hi Cindy, I say run away from this one and find another one who will be compassionate and empathetic and help you. This reeks of the abuse of power. I am so sad you had to go through that awful experience. My heart goes out to you. It is too bad you cannot make a complaint against her for the way she talked to you and the way she treated you. i am here if you need to talk. Big hugs. It is not your fault. You did not deserve that at all. It was wrong and a big abuse of power over you. Just my opinion.

 

[BloomInWinter]

If it were me, I'd file a formal complaint against this one with both her workplace and with her state licensing board.

I've done this against some colleagues who were victimizing patients. I didn't feel empowered at the time...but now I'm proud of myself for it. Time has borne out that my feelings at the time turned out to be sadly prescient. I sure wish I had trusted my feelings a lot more all these years.

Your response could teach her a valuable lesson that may benefit many others.

She seems to, at best, have a terrible bedside manner. She may also have her own issues but it doesn't matter why she was so inappropriate, only that she NEVER do that to you again.

You have every right to tell your facility 'Please put a note in my file that bans (that P.) from ever participating in any part of my therapy.'

If it were me, I'd write some brief note to her employer like this...

I greatly appreciate the care I receive at your facility. It has been very helpful and professional, up until now.​

​

I wished to make you aware of an incident that has negatively affected my well-being. While seeing [P.], I said [factual account with no emotional embellishment]. She responded by saying/doing the following [her words, demeanor, and hostility.]​

​

When she [behavior], I felt like my concerns were being dismissed. I felt disrespected and unheard. I felt that she was giving me advice contrary to all my mental health specialist's and supporter's advise. I'd like to mention that I think a mental health authority telling an abuse survivor to 'just get over it' is unhelpful, unprofessional, degrading, and unkind.​

​

I don't know why she behaved in this manner and it's possible she was having a bad moment. I truly hope she has never treated any other patients in this manner. If she is having personal issues, I hope she'll seek help. But I would never recommend any patient ever see her. I wish to have written verification that she never be involved in any of my care at any time.​

​

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.​

​

Warmest Regards,​

We need far more letters written about bad T.'s like this.

I helped get a T. removed due to her sexual abuse of a patient that our university tried to cover up. Now, though, she's working on her own in a private practice...but she gets no referrals of our college students anymore.

Trust yourself. Your feelings aren't wrong.

 

[RubyTaco]

I agree with what the others said. I would seek out someone else. So sorry this happened to you.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Cindy,

I am SO sorry that you had to experience one of the bad psychiatrists! No, not all psychiatrists are like this, or even the majority of them. Some are quite great, but they need to be hunted down, I'm afraid! I agree with Bloom in that you should file a formal complaint against this practitioner.

I have been told almost the EXACT same thing about my looks, in that I don't LOOK the part of a mental patient so I didn't deserve to receive services. It felt like a slap in the face. Nobody WANTS to look the part of someone with a mental illness. I suppose that's why I take my time to do my hair, my makeup, dress well, etc. I didn't realize that I needed to look mentally ill in order to BE mentally ill. But in all honesty, this is PURE ignorance! I like to think that I "scrub up well", but don't get me wrong. I still have my down episodes where I don't leave the house, shower, or even get out of my pj's for four days straight. Of course, NOBODY sees this so nobody knows it happens. It's bad enough living with this disorder without bringing extra attention on myself by going out in public when I'm in such a state.

I am on SSDI as well. I don't know about the looks factor in all of this as I never had a face to face anything before being approved. I was in a trauma unit of the hospital both during the time of initial application and during the submitting of follow-up paperwork, so i never had an interview or met with someone at the SSDI office. Please don't let this ignorant psychiatrists comments influence your decision on whether or not to apply for disability if you really are unable to work and need the assistance in order to survive.

Glad you're here on the forum!

 

[Loralie]

Hi Cindy,

What a crock! I'm wondering where this women got her education and license to practice? Gives me the chills. Saying the following to someone with PTSD....

"your issues as a child were then--this is NOW--you just need to forget about that and focus on today". She said "stop blaming everything on your childhood issues, you just have panic attacks, they wont kill you".

...sounds to me like she thinks she's found the cure. A friend of mine recently said something similar to me, "all you have to do is not think about it." I just sat there dumb-founded. Didn't know what to say to her and, of course became immediately aware that she had not read the information I had provided for her on this condition.

Thank goodness my sense of humor kicked in and I took it like this... "Alert the press! Call all the doctors and the millions of sufferers of PTSD. My friend has found the cure! Just don't think about. Duh, how could we have all been so stupid as to not see this before? Just don't think about it! Wow!"

We, the people that endure this condition due to something that was done to us or something that we've been through, we know that it is not that simple. If it was, we'd have cured ourselves long ago. ;-)

Hang in there and find a doc that didn't major in how to abuse a patient.

 

[Jen93]

I sat there the majority of the time crying because of how she was making me feel. I was abused as a child, mentally, physically and sexually which is where the PTSD comes from....she said (and I quote her) "your issues as a child were then--this is NOW--you just need to forget about that and focus on today". She said "stop blaming everything on your childhood issues, you just have panic attacks, they wont kill you".... She said "look at you, you are well groomed, your hair is done, you have make up on, you can function, you just dont want to". I was in such shock I didn't know what to do other than sit there and cry. She was like Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde personality.....she didn't address the abuse, she didn't address the PTSD or the agoraphobia or the anxiety--just the panic attacks.

I dont think this was a good session but being that I've never been through this before maybe I dont know what to expect from a psychiatrist...is this normal behavior?? My 1st psychiatrist wasn't like this.

Sounds like your psychiatrist and my ex therapist should get together and have coffee sometime to discuss how much better their making their patient's lives. :coffee:

Is this normal? Here's a tip: I finally ditched mine and found a better one.