Mental Health Stigma: A Doctor Who Has Been in Your Shoes

Your doctor may relate to your mental health concerns more than he or she can say. Imagine you are sitting with your primary care doctor sharing your symptoms of depression, anxiety, ADHD or anorexia. Imagine in that difficult and lonely moment, your doctor makes the decision to self-disclose that she not only understands your symptoms from a professional standpoint, but also personally as someone who also struggles with a similar diagnosis. What would you think? My friend Eliza just finished her medical residency and explains that this scenario has played out in her head plenty of times, but never in person. She explains that thus far she hasn’t felt that it was information that would support patients in ways she couldn’t achieve otherwise. However, she says that her struggles are a large part of what makes her an effective provider. “Yes, suffering from some of these mental health disorders can make it more difficult to discern and compartmentalize and not project things on my patients, but I am better at treating psychological issues than many of my peers who have never encountered them outside a professional setting. I’m really familiar with the drugs and things that can go wrong and the side effects, because I’ve been through them. You could call it an unpleasant firsthand learning experience.”   Eliza talks about how her depression and recovery from anorexia allows her to empathize with people more deeply than she otherwise would be able to. Her anxiety mak...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: ADHD and ADD Anorexia Anxiety and Panic Depression Eating Disorders Mental Health and Wellness Personal Policy and Advocacy Professional Psychotherapy Stigma Treatment compartmentalize general physician Mental Healthcare Proj Source Type: blogs