Some Doctors Are CLUELESS about Depression
Posted on July 24, 2008
Filed Under depression, doctors, health care, healthcare, idiots |
Today, I was talking to someone who was going through a tough time and was considering an anti-depressant. He knew what he needed and discussed it with his doctor. Sadly, the doctors reply was “you don’t look like a person who needs an anti-depressant”. When I heard this, I nearly wrecked my car. Is that guy serious? What is a depressed person supposed to look like? Homeless? Slumped Over? Glazed, Dazed, and Confused? My question for doctor “I can look at you and tell you what you need without assessing you” is “how many of your patients are sitting on the edge of their beds this moring looking at a gun or a bottle of pills becuase you have a licensed for something you are CLUELESS about?”
Why am I fired up? I have lost two very good friends to suicide. They were two of the most outgoing, seemingly happy people you could ever want to meet. Both of them would do anything for you - and neither of them looked depressed.
Folks, depression is serious. If you are struggling with depression call someone - anyone (you can always call 1-800-784-2433 (SUICIDE). I will be real with you, I have personally danced with the demon of depression and thanks to God, and some Xanax, Paxil, and Wellbutin (not all at once of course), I am well. My wife still questions whether or not I need some “seratonin support” every now and again, but after all, she is a licensed therapist.
In this day and age, we need to be educated consumers when it comes to our medical care because no one is paying doctors enough to care. Sadly, most of them aren’t going into medicine for the right reasons anymore and would make better gardeners than doctor. If you are a caring, competent, and compassionate doctor, then you won’t be offended by this - you will give me a “high five” or an “AMEN!”. If you are a doctor and you are offended - CHANGE!
(Dedicated to Rob & Mike, who went on to a better place far too soon - I miss you guys, the world has a void where you both once existed).
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8 Responses to “Some Doctors Are CLUELESS about Depression”
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I’m really sorry to hear about you losing your friends. And it truly is a shame that doctors don’t listen sometimes. At minimum that was a cry for help by a still-rational person.
Depression is something that many doctors have no clue about. If they have never had to deal with it, they are CLUELESS!
Tinu - Thanks for stopping by and for your message.
WAHM Tara - It’s sad, but true and that is the case more often with women as well. Many time they might be having a true hormonal issue (i.e. Thyroid is very common), and they are literally taught to dismiss their claims and give them psychotropic meds. This came from a doctor in Texas - Dr. Hotze.
It took my nurse practitioner almost a year to convince me that I had depression. Problem is I had to convince myself that I had it and stop denying it.
I got irritated with a professor when she asked the class what depression is and I gave the psychological term and she told me that although she appreciated my answer that it was too technical of an explanation for a freshman level stress management class. I was like WTF this is a class on stress management and you think these kids really want a watered down nice version of what it is YEAH RIGHT!
After that I was like screw it if she wants me to dumb down then I guess I will and then she got the nerve to tell me at the end of the semester that she thought I could have done better in the class. So I guess I should have taken the stress management class first before I took the psychology class so I could look stupid with all the other freshman.
I have since come to terms with my depression and am on Zoloft. Glad you sounded off on this Anthony THANK YOU!
Thanks for sharing Joe, in the past it was so taboo for people to talk about it. BTW, Zoloft does a great job and I understand it has the least side effects of most anti-depressants. I remember once a few years back I was at a wedding, and a friend said “you seem overly happy.” I said “I should, I am taking happy pills” and I smiled. This person later pulled me aside and asked me if I was serious because they were feeling guilty for considering taking something to help them through a really helpful season. I was able to help her and her husband realize that normal, intelligent, everyday people take meds to help them cope with life.
I was talking to someone recently who found out that a doctor they knew took an anti=depressant. He commented “he is such a successful doctor… it wouldn’t seem that he would need one”. In reality, one of the reasons he “seems” so successful is because he is smart enough to know his limits and to take meds to keep his neuro-transmitters balanced.
No one would ever tell a diabetic not to take insulin, so I don’t know why people get crazy when it comes to psych meds. I have heard that insurance companies try to discriminate against people to take them… don’t get me started on that one.
Cheers!
I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your friends.
It’s true, depression is not always something that can be seen on the outside in everyday interaction. There are many affected by dpression, that do not display signs of it at all. In fact, to the contrary. Depression is frequently expressed in ways that are anger based, and has been known to bring people to murder.
I agree that the doctor shouldn’t have said the person didn’t ‘look’ depressed. It sounded invalidating to me. So now there’s not only depression, but a sense of invalidation? That’s a shame. We need higher quality doctors, quality insurance to actually help pay for them, and built awareness of depression.
Well I have been dealing with depression for over 8 years now. I did not know before that I was. I was bulled at school all my life and when I left I became a Chef and the drinking soon started!!!
I have over the past 8 years been on and off the drink. I’m now down to about 60 units per week (was on 189+) and this happens very time I try and cut down I become depressed. And I don’t find the pills work for me! As soon as I stop them it comes back even worse and start drinking again to make myself happy!
Last time I was on the pills I was given What I thought was Prozac, but I put the pill on in my mouth and it was sugar I tasted it strait away. So have not talked about it with any doctor since.
But know after about 3 months of wanting to kill myself (thinking of what could hold my weight, the pain killers my mum takes, sitting on the sea front at 3am in the morning, the train tracks, and if it was easy to get a gun in this country I would be dead now) I’m going to see him in the morning. Yes I know the drink does not help and I think the doctor thinks that it’s because of the drink I get depressed. But I think it’s a lot to do with my life.
And the last I was there I saw the computer screen and sure I saw “this man is a asshole” I work 40 hours or more a week and look after my disabled mother.
So wish me luck hope this one takes the time to listen
Ross. Thanks for sharing. I would keep in mind that you know more about how you feel than your doctor does. If your doctors doesn’t get it, find a better doctor. I don’t know how medicine works in the UK, but I am sure there are resources.
Don’t give up on yourself, your friends, your colleagues, or your family.
Most of all, know that God has a plan for your life. Maybe you can’t see it right now, but I am sure it has something to do with helping others that struggle with the same things that you struggle with. Most people can identify with people who have walked in their shoes.
Will keep you in our prayers.
Anthony