I might be swayed if confession of a physician’s illness was done cautiously, well after the start of treatment, and on a case by case basis.
For instance, perhaps you are seeing a medical student who has suffered, say, a manic episode with hospitalization. She/he has recovered, is reliable a…
I might be swayed if confession of a physician’s illness was done cautiously, well after the start of treatment, and on a case by case basis.
For instance, perhaps you are seeing a medical student who has suffered, say, a manic episode with hospitalization. She/he has recovered, is reliable about taking their medication but feels hopeless about their future because they were psychotic. And if their medical school is like most others, EVERYBODY KNOWS, and they are already experiencing distancing, eye rolls and other fear based behavior, it might work well to say that you have manic-depressive illness (I prefer this term also; the other makes it sound like a battery). You can also use yourself and your experience to help emphasize the importance of always taking their medication and having a trusted psychiatrist on speed-dial.
This gets even more important if they re-locate and are initially disoriented and overwhelmed—which we all were. It can have a different meaning to them, tho’, that they need to on the lookout for.
Any depression arises, at least partly, from a sense of hopelessness, helplessness and loss. The relocating med student will experience all three. If you have been their most trustworthy support, then ongoing phone contact with you might be important until they find a new psychiatrist.
Heather,
I read your comment after posting mine.
I might be swayed if confession of a physician’s illness was done cautiously, well after the start of treatment, and on a case by case basis.
For instance, perhaps you are seeing a medical student who has suffered, say, a manic episode with hospitalization. She/he has recovered, is reliable about taking their medication but feels hopeless about their future because they were psychotic. And if their medical school is like most others, EVERYBODY KNOWS, and they are already experiencing distancing, eye rolls and other fear based behavior, it might work well to say that you have manic-depressive illness (I prefer this term also; the other makes it sound like a battery). You can also use yourself and your experience to help emphasize the importance of always taking their medication and having a trusted psychiatrist on speed-dial.
This gets even more important if they re-locate and are initially disoriented and overwhelmed—which we all were. It can have a different meaning to them, tho’, that they need to on the lookout for.
Any depression arises, at least partly, from a sense of hopelessness, helplessness and loss. The relocating med student will experience all three. If you have been their most trustworthy support, then ongoing phone contact with you might be important until they find a new psychiatrist.