Why would psychiatrists give us "phony" diagnoses?

I've read some of the topics here, and seen an awful lot of anger at inaccurate diagnoses. I'm sorry, but I've got to speak my mind here:

Why would they give us a false diagnosis? Psychiatrists have spent years trying to understand the nature of the human mind. Truly, this is most probably the most difficult task one could attempt to accomplish, next to "Why are we here?". We still do not know all the answers, surely. We may not ever do so. But neither do we know how to cure cancer or AIDS. But we strive to find those answers. And until we do, psychiatrists can only do the best they can.

The fact that the human psyche is so complex also makes the job that much harder, and it is a tough job. So then, isn't it possible that some psychiatrists get it a little wrong sometimes? I know that this may not be particularly acceptable, but fine, we need to make sure they are kept up to date with psychiatric findings, or even made to review things they should already know.

I know it is true that there are some misguided people out there just in the profession for the money. But surely they don't make up the majority. People will go into that career for the same reasons doctors and nurses will-to help people. For the feeling of having helped your fellow man, for that is far greater than the feeling of having deceived a troubled mind out of a few quid.

I am certainly not pro-drugs. Perhaps as a last resort, but never as the main remedy. Some cases may be related to a lack of (or an over-production of) a substance in the brain. Or perhaps, like one poster quoted, something like a lack of sodium could perpetuate adverse mental conditions. I certainly don't like the thought of having chemicals administered to my body every day with pills and such, but there isn't an alternative in some cases. If we could find a natural healing method, that would be wonderful. But as it is, we don't, so we make do.

If you don't like what psychiatrists are doing, that's fine, just don't sit and whine that someone has done something to you. Hell, if you're that upset, become a psychiatrist yourself, change the system. If the sun has set on that option, help fund research into psychiatric medicine. Or of course, if you come up with an alternative, let's hear it. I'm sure all those who were serverely traumatized as children and those who have lost their way in amidst the confusion and pressure of life would love to hear it.

Some illnesses are really hard to diagnose, some people do get the wrong diagnosis sometimes and that's a sad thing.

I know one illness that is hard to diagnose is BPD, my friend was mis-diagnosed with another illness and had to rule out several others before getting the BPD diagnosis.

It doesn't happen alot, but it definatly does occur.

I don't think they just give a false diagnosis just to give someone one. I think they need to rule out the possibilities of others before the correct one can be diagnosed.

You are right we don't have a cure for cancer and AIDS and yes the doctors can only do the best tat they can.

I don't think there are alot of people that are in it just for the money. I would hope not anyways...

I would suggest medication ONLY as a last resort if other things did not work out for that paitent.

Thank you for posting this, great post.

I know alot of people have had hard time with their doctors, like i've said in many posts before I have been lucky to find the right doctor for me, she is a psychiatrist and she has done nothing but good for me. I'm on meds, because right now that's the best option for me. I have no regrets.

Finding the right doctor can be the hard thing, you need to trust that doctor and be comfortable with him or her...

Cheers.

I wanted to be a psychiatrist once Because I wanted to help people,cure people.I still do,but not as a psychiatrist.There are many alternatives to psychiactric medicine which are safer,and show excellent results.For something so mysterious,there has got to be a reason.A cure.If I wanted to run in the sun and be free of all things weighing me down,there has got to be a way.

Today a neighbour was taken away by ambulance.He had been turned into an absolute zombie by psychiactric medications.I know his wife is lost and traumatised watching her husband slip away.Why does psychiatry make someone sicker?I wish I could send my dreadlocked hubby over to offer them some alternatives .He would get better.

Of course there has got to be 2 sides.There is good and bad in everything.Im sure there are really good,careing psychiatrists out there and anything bad said here is definatly not intended for them.Your right.These are the doctors who could learn about alternatives and look for other reasons.

For me personally,as an onlooker not a patient, iv only seen the bad ones.Im sure to my sick husband they seemed careing enougth at the time which they were.So empathetic.But to me behind his back they were angry,disrespectfull,and nasty.Like wolves in sheeps clothing.They made me hate them because they werent listening,and they made him sicker and sicker.But in their minds they believed they were making him better.I find that disturbing.

This is NZ however.I dont know what things are like in other places?

For me personally,as an onlooker not a patient, iv only seen the bad ones.Im sure to my sick husband they seemed careing enougth at the time which they were.So empathetic.But to me behind his back they were angry,disrespectfull,and nasty.Like wolves in sheeps clothing.They made me hate them because they werent listening,and they made him sicker and sicker.But in their minds they believed they were making him better.I find that disturbing.

It's impossible to comment on this specifically without a whole lot more information, even then it could be difficult. I do know that many doctor's just aren't "people persons". They love the challenge of medicine, but probably wish they didn't have to deal with people in order to practice it. <grin> ironic, eh? One of my bosses was the most wonderful doc a person could ask for. He knew his stuff, was chief of staff at a large local hospital, had studies published in medical journals, etc etc. His bedside manner was impeccable - caring, compassionate, respectful.

But man what an arrogant ass to work for! The whole god-complex, impatient, intolerant, downright rude at times, and of course NEVER wrong. I disliked him intensely as my boss, but I'd go to him in a heartbeat if I had a gyn problem.

Point is, the caring doc you saw with your husband, and the "angry, disrespectful, and nasty" doc you saw when your husband wasn't present are the same guy. Like all of us humans, it's not black and white. Being irritable with you doesn't mean he didn't care about his patients, and being caring and kind to patients doesn't mean he felt that way towards all humans all the time. Does that make it right? No, but all of us do it every day in interchanges with people.

I've had probably close to 10 different psychiatrists over the years. The one thing I've concluded is that they're a strange lot. Out of those 10, 2 or 3 acted what I would call normal. The rest were just weird - can't explain it really. The weirdest one kind of scared me. Luckily, she wasn't my doc. I worked with abused children where she did evaluations, and she actually had me sit in on a couple of sessions with her, because I was doing a psych internship. I was really uncomfortable and thought she was wrong to have me sit in considering I didn't even have my BA and these people didn't know me from Adam, and especially considering that her last words to me as we walked in were "If I have to leave suddenly, you take over." <gulp> excuse ME?!?! She was married to a psychiatrist, also, and we often wondered about that marriage. I try not to judge how people raise their kids as long as they're not abusing them - but this lady was still nursing her 5 year old.

Anyway, I don't have any words of wisdom for you, except it might be helpful, for your own peace of mind, to remember that they're just people, too, and they've gone to school an extra 10-12 years beyond high school to do what they do. I don't think they take it lightly, and I'd bet there are easier ways to make money without putting that kind of investment of time, money and effort into schooling.

I hope that helps you a little.

saffron

I think most of them really want to make accurate diagnoses and do the best job they can, but this is such a new field, with many mental illnesses having overlapping symptoms. In the future, I hope for more accurate diagnostic criteria. I also hope for 'smarter' or better anti-depressants.

Luke fone Fabre

I'm going to close this thread, it's gotten abit off hand a bit and I have noticed you haven't posted much lately.

If you'd like your thread re-opened for discussion please contact me via pm.