Worst Advice from a Psychiatrist?

So... last time I saw my psychiatrist, she had an amazing piece of soul-crushing wisdom for me: "The nice thing about being an adult is that you can let go of your dreams."

My therapist was appalled, and I find it a hilariously bad thing to say. So, what are some of the humorous (or not so-humorous) pieces of terrible "wisdom" you've gotten from mental health professionals?

Well I have a few, but I think my favourite was when I was trying to get help for my PTSD. My shrink at the time said:

"Flashbacks are just bad memories- you need to forget about them and move on"

Hmmm, been trying to do that for 12 years....

Best, keenie

My gay psychiatrist had a crush on me, pretty much tell me he fell in love and made sexual remarks. Then, when I told him I wouldn't see him anymore, we had a proper breakup conversation, complete with him asking "why didn't it work between us?". At the end, he sent details of what I thought was confidential conversations with a professional to my family doctor.

Wow, you guys, can't believe they said those things. And Oliveira, my god, that's unbelieveable.

I can't think of any specific things at the moment, but I know my past therapist was notorious for saying things that made my mental jaw drop.

- EGD.

My psych made me come off 225mg of venlafaxine (effexor) cold turkey. I felt like i had malaria for about a week - and I hae had malaria. The ppl at my local infectious diseases hospital also thought I had malaria I was so unwell.

Cracked

My worst session was with a counselor and she looked at me and said " I think your Father abused you now let's talk about my Mother." She went on to use my whole session to talk about the problems she was having with her Mother. I felt like it was her session and I was the counselor...

"Oh you got a rash after starting lamictal? Keep taking it and see if it goes away."

"Oh your sister had steven's johnson's syndrome from a medication as well? Well keep taking the lamictal anyways, I really don't think it's THE rash."

(BTW SJS is what they're afraid of with the lamictal rash)

Cheze2 wrote:"Oh you got a rash after starting lamictal? Keep taking it and see if it goes away."

"Oh your sister had steven's johnson's syndrome from a medication as well? Well keep taking the lamictal anyways, I really don't think it's THE rash."

(BTW SJS is what they're afraid of with the lamictal rash)

Eesh... that's just irresponsible... I looked at some of the pictures online when I started lamictal, and SJS is terrifying. There's no way I woulda followed that advice. :p

EarlGreyDregs wrote:Wow, you guys, can't believe they said those things. And Oliveira, my god, that's unbelieveable.

It's very believable to me. My last shrink told me he loved me, held my hand often in session, started "friendship" and "collegial" relationship with me outside of therapy settings, told me everything about his childhood problems ..and did a bunch of other stuff I felt ambivalent about at the time and only years later recognized as abuse.

My first shrink liked playing power games. He'd tell me that it was HIS job to ask questions every time I tried to discuss his methods, told me once that I needed a "secure attachment" (who doesn't?!) and "consistency" because I had not gotten all that from my parents and so he intended to get me "securely attached" to him by being a "consistent" asshole and treating me like a stupid child.

The shrink I had in-between those two was OK for the most part, but aloof and disconnected like a robot.

The lady I saw together with my husband for couple's counseling once instructed us to argue in front of her exactly like we do at home because she needed to observe our interactions. She also said that she would be very pleased to continue to work with us because we were both sophisticated and not one of those "nightmarish" couples she usually sees.

I thought of suing my shrink -- clear malpractice as he had no written permission from me to share any of my details with the family doctor -- but to be honest gave up not to put more stress upon myself.

I still haven't decided what I think about the doctor I have now. She's "in practice" and I kind of don't know how I feel about being the guinea pig. Some of the advice she gave me has been good. Some has not. If I have to google side effects of medications and call her and tell her I don't think the combo she prescribed me is good, that is a bit scary and doesn't build an awful lot of trust. On the plus side, she keeps it very professional, and seems just nice the way a normal person is nice.