Editorial: Mental Health Problems? Stand Up and Be Counted
Feb. 5, 2001 -- In recent years, mental health has had its share of public advocates, among them Tipper Gore, wife of recently defeated presidential candidate Al Gore. But for all the publicity, has anything really changed in the world of 'psychological problems'?
The obstacles to mental health care are still numerous. Insurance companies still 'insure' that office appointments are riddled with prohibitive time constraints. Many primary care physicians, often the only doctor a person may have contact with, will admit they receive inadequate training in diagnosing and treating mental illness and are unable to adequately follow up with patients if those patients don't come back with more problems. And worst of all, patients are still crippled by the perceived stigma of visiting the doctor for a 'psychological problem.' Whatever would the neighbors, or worse, the family, say?
An article featured on WebMD today reports that only about a third of people with depression or anxiety receive adequate and appropriate care from their primary care physicians and that patients with depression are 'throwing in the towel' by giving up on their medications or not asking for the help that they desperately need.
So what can you, as the patient, do to remedy this situation?
I encourage you to take responsibility for yourself, get your power back, and tell your doctor what your real problem is. And if you aren't satisfied, then push harder.
Think about it. That nagging back injury, that bothersome headache, those sleepless nights -- you'll easily talk to your doctor about these physical problems. But what about when there are problems at home, when you feel down, or anxious and uptight? Well, don't you think that's just as important as -- if not more important than -- a sore back?
You only get about 15 minutes in a doctor's office these days, so why not come right out with it, and say "I feel depressed/anxious/scared of getting out of the house/frightened of crowds." This is the red flag your doc needs to pay more attention to your emotional or mental well-being.
Editorial: Mental Health Problems? Stand Up and Be Counted
Feb. 5, 2001 -- In recent years, mental health has had its share of public advocates, among them Tipper Gore, wife of recently defeated presidential candidate Al Gore. But for all the publicity, has anything really changed in the world of 'psychological problems'?
The obstacles to mental health care are still numerous. Insurance companies still 'insure' that office appointments are riddled with prohibitive time constraints. Many primary care physicians, often the only doctor a person may have contact with, will admit they receive inadequate training in diagnosing and treating mental illness and are unable to adequately follow up with patients if those patients don't come back with more problems. And worst of all, patients are still crippled by the perceived stigma of visiting the doctor for a 'psychological problem.' Whatever would the neighbors, or worse, the family, say?
An article featured on WebMD today reports that only about a third of people with depression or anxiety receive adequate and appropriate care from their primary care physicians and that patients with depression are 'throwing in the towel' by giving up on their medications or not asking for the help that they desperately need.
So what can you, as the patient, do to remedy this situation?
I encourage you to take responsibility for yourself, get your power back, and tell your doctor what your real problem is. And if you aren't satisfied, then push harder.
Think about it. That nagging back injury, that bothersome headache, those sleepless nights -- you'll easily talk to your doctor about these physical problems. But what about when there are problems at home, when you feel down, or anxious and uptight? Well, don't you think that's just as important as -- if not more important than -- a sore back?
You only get about 15 minutes in a doctor's office these days, so why not come right out with it, and say "I feel depressed/anxious/scared of getting out of the house/frightened of crowds." This is the red flag your doc needs to pay more attention to your emotional or mental well-being.
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