Did this psychologist act inappropriately?

To answer the question, I believe that the psychologist acted inappropriately, yes.

Sigm wrote:I'm sure there are excellent psychologists out there... but it's hard to find them.

I wonder how many psychologists I'll have to waste my time with until I find one that I can work with.

I don't doubt that you should have the right to the best possible care or treatment, but are you sure that you are looking in the right place? What makes you think that a psychologer or a psychiatric has the answer?

bein' wrote:To answer the question, I believe that the psychologist acted inappropriately, yes.

Sigm wrote:I'm sure there are excellent psychologists out there... but it's hard to find them.

I wonder how many psychologists I'll have to waste my time with until I find one that I can work with.

I don't doubt that you should have the right to the best possible care or treatment, but are you sure that you are looking in the right place? What makes you think that a psychologer or a psychiatric has the answer?

I agree that there are other places to look, I have had a lot of help from my friends, work colleges, minister, and family. Also reading books and thinking about things on my own have helped.

But... there are good things about professional help, confidentiality, training, some form of accreditation (sometimes). i also used to feel really bad about burdening my friends with my problems, but telling them to someone i was paying didn't seem such a problem!

For me I have to be in as much control or command of my treatment as I possibly can be.

When someone says to me, without any openess of what I might in fact need or not need, "You need this" or "you need that", esp. without really knownig me, it feels like they are making a pathological snap judgement of me.

I understand if someone is concerned about me hurting myself or unable to think straight, but I really need a therapist who will treat me like a person who may in fact have the power within her. My power should be encouraged, not discouraged, and when I hear someone say, "You need medication", it feels more disempowering. Also, I think I work better without meds and so many pro's think that meds are the only way or answer tor make us responsive to therapy.

An example: I was going thru a time in my life full of grief of a loss. I needed to process those feelings! Instead, my therapist told me to see a psychiatrist for meds; then he would continue treatment. I did try meds, but they made me more unable to feel and express my experiences!

In fact, I've gone thru periods where I was off meds and functioned better. I was more able to talk and think, so I was more able to respond. Yes, sometimes I did need meds, but when I did, I was the one who decided, and the therapist supported my decision.

For me, a good therapist will make suggestions and/or encourage me to do something, but not judge me or try to blackmail me or intimidate me into doing everything HE/SHE wants me to do. They might say, "Jane, I feel strongly that you may need meds, but I will not force you."

Yes, I do feel that this therapist was being unethical in a way that discouraged the patient from having his/her own power or control over the therapy.

Iamnotmyillness

Yes, they acted very inappropriatly.
If you dont think you need medication you shouldn't take it. And Meds dont make you smarter. They really mess with you. I took meds (not for depressions, for epilepcy) and i couldn't read, because it got blury, and i got so angry at everything. I also took some meds that made things worse! i know it is a different type of medication but still. The body is confusing. Just listen to those depression medication commercials, the warning is more than half the commercial!

You should try a knew doc. You should go get theorpy if you think you need it.

Best of luck
<3

to be honest that psychologist sounds like a fake who wagged themselfs into a career after doing a part time course and then thinking that makes them a psychologist

they also sound like they you were the first patient they had! well thats what the ok.... at the end sounds like.

I would ask for a new psychologist or at least a second opinion.

That's scary

It seems to me that this psychologist isn't even trying to do there job, takes no pride in there work and quite possibly is doing something as unethical as pushing medication for profit. This psychologists crosses the line though when he/she stated that medication can make you smarter. That right there is malpractice.

As a psychologist in the making, I find that outright unethical and displaying a sever lack of professionalism. There are many different approaches and methods a psychologist can try. Yes, it is difficult and in many cases impossible to work with someone that simply doesn't want to be helped. But to make a haste generalization and throw medication at a patient without at last trying to engage them is liable to do a lot more harm than good.

1. You have a right to refuse medication
2. It is an insult to say that you are "so depressed you won't listen"
3. To refuse to give you therapy like that makes it sound like laziness

Definitely inappropriate!