Posted by allison on December 13, 1999, at 16:45:05
In reply to Re: 20 questions for Fred, Adam, Erin, Noa, Tom, Siri, posted by Morose on December 13, 1999, at 14:24:19
Morose,
Apologies for the previous post. I hit the wrong button.
Your second point interests me. Perhaps I am mistaken, but it feels to me as though you have a somewhat narrow view of a psychiatrist/patient relationship.
I can only comment on my own experience. I don't care for evangelists and don't mean to come off as one.
While I have found my psychiatrist has tons more knowledge/study of the field (as well he should), he assumes no fortune-telling attitude, and I do not **think** that I assume the position of a wide-eyed person awaiting some pronouncement.
When I started seeing my psychiatrist, I was extremely hesitant. I would not have gone at all had I not been at the very end of the rope. I suspended my suspicions, skepticism, cynicism and held my fear at bay to see whether the time spent would/could be beneficial. Over more than two years I have found in my relationship with my doctor (with the exception of reciprocal confidences, which I view as irrelevant) exactly what you characterize as generally absent in a doctor/patient relationship : sovereignty over one’s intellect, good-faith skepticism (on my part), a consideration of alternatives (when skepticism arises), a willingness to explain oneself when asked and an expectation that others do likewise, good manners, common sense, and a reciprocal exchange of ideas.
There is no hidden agenda, no secrets held. If things aren't clear, I make him elaborate. I often ask where my doctor is going with particular lines of thought, accept, reject, or suspend pending further cogitation on the subject. I am trying to educate myself more on the field to see for myself before calling bullshit on any of it. At this point, some things make sense. Others seem obscure. Others I doubt or reject or suspend judgment pending further study. I would like to think that if I can understand more of the field, I will be able to judge for myself whether what we're doing is helping.
At this point, all I can say is that a good number of my doctor's observations and questions have got me to thinking a lot about how and why things are and how they can be. And I feel an absolute, active, and very real and central participant in the whole process.
Your points are interesting and well-made and have caused me to think even more. And although your delivery seems abrupt, I do not consider you an asshole.
poster:allison
thread:16382
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991212/msgs/16852.html