I've had a few mental-health problems over the years. I have also had several psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors; and it seems like every time I had a new one, it was like playing Russian roulette with my sanity.
One therapist insisted I was manipulating him when I couldn't organize myself well enough to remember all my appointments; another said that my abusive stepfather would not have hit me if I had been better behaved. I've been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder on the strength of a single symptom, and then had it presumed that anything I did was obviously manipulative, impulsive, or overly emotional. This diagnosis has a lot of stigma... I was very lucky to be rid of it not too long afterward, but I wonder how people with real BPD are supposed to get any help if they are treated the way I was.
During one in-patient visit, I was given Haldol simply because I was crying (lying on my bed and crying for twenty minutes--not in any danger of hurting myself or anyone else--and I do not have a disorder that involves psychosis). Another patient at the same hospital was restrained for half the day because he yelled at the nurses. I was overmedicated to the point that I couldn't think straight; and nobody consulted me about what I was thinking and feeling--they only threw more medication at me.
I have, of course, been assigned therapists I simply didn't match with very well. That was nobody's fault; communication styles differ.
On the other hand, I've had a few very good therapists, from whom I've learned very much. One finally figured out "autism" (which is rather difficult when you are treating an adult and not expecting childhood disorders), though she wasn't the first to know--I learned that my mother knew I was autistic when I was a child and didn't want me labeled. As a result, I understand myself better than I have ever done, and have become much more independent than ever before. Another counselor has helped me to recover from depression and slowly clean up the nasty automatic thoughts that one gains from such an episode. My current counselor has been so helpful in teaching organization and planning that I am seeing real differences in the way that I study and organize my house. I even started studying four days in advance for a test I had yesterday--though I was still too distracted and only thoroughly studied half the material, it's a great deal better than my record of finally buckling down at 2 a.m. the night before the exam.
One common trait of the therapists with whom I've made the best progress: They acted in ways that made it obvious they thought I was an important part of what was going to help me get better. I wasn't an object anymore; I didn't have to sit down and be a good little mental patient. They weren't superior; I wasn't defective. That made all the difference.
Oddly enough, they also tend to be the ones with the lower ranks on the psychology totem pole: A social worker; a graduate student in psychology; a nurse-practitioner. Coincidence? No idea.
How do you tell the difference between one kind and the other? It seems like some people really want to help, and are competent and ethical about it; and others--perhaps jaded over the years, or having a habit of feeling superior to their patients--have become negligent, incompetent, or outright abusive. You can't even tell from looking at them--they seem like nice people. I don't know that an NT could tell any better, seeing as how psychologists often have completely different behavior patterns between patients and "normal" people.
Professionals in the field of psychology see people when they are emotionally and cognitively very vulnerable. Getting quality treatment is important. And yet--if my experiences are typical--there doesn't seem to be that much quality control. How can you ever be sure of finding a competent therapist who will treat you with respect?
One therapist insisted I was manipulating him when I couldn't organize myself well enough to remember all my appointments; another said that my abusive stepfather would not have hit me if I had been better behaved. I've been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder on the strength of a single symptom, and then had it presumed that anything I did was obviously manipulative, impulsive, or overly emotional. This diagnosis has a lot of stigma... I was very lucky to be rid of it not too long afterward, but I wonder how people with real BPD are supposed to get any help if they are treated the way I was.
During one in-patient visit, I was given Haldol simply because I was crying (lying on my bed and crying for twenty minutes--not in any danger of hurting myself or anyone else--and I do not have a disorder that involves psychosis). Another patient at the same hospital was restrained for half the day because he yelled at the nurses. I was overmedicated to the point that I couldn't think straight; and nobody consulted me about what I was thinking and feeling--they only threw more medication at me.
I have, of course, been assigned therapists I simply didn't match with very well. That was nobody's fault; communication styles differ.
On the other hand, I've had a few very good therapists, from whom I've learned very much. One finally figured out "autism" (which is rather difficult when you are treating an adult and not expecting childhood disorders), though she wasn't the first to know--I learned that my mother knew I was autistic when I was a child and didn't want me labeled. As a result, I understand myself better than I have ever done, and have become much more independent than ever before. Another counselor has helped me to recover from depression and slowly clean up the nasty automatic thoughts that one gains from such an episode. My current counselor has been so helpful in teaching organization and planning that I am seeing real differences in the way that I study and organize my house. I even started studying four days in advance for a test I had yesterday--though I was still too distracted and only thoroughly studied half the material, it's a great deal better than my record of finally buckling down at 2 a.m. the night before the exam.
One common trait of the therapists with whom I've made the best progress: They acted in ways that made it obvious they thought I was an important part of what was going to help me get better. I wasn't an object anymore; I didn't have to sit down and be a good little mental patient. They weren't superior; I wasn't defective. That made all the difference.
Oddly enough, they also tend to be the ones with the lower ranks on the psychology totem pole: A social worker; a graduate student in psychology; a nurse-practitioner. Coincidence? No idea.
How do you tell the difference between one kind and the other? It seems like some people really want to help, and are competent and ethical about it; and others--perhaps jaded over the years, or having a habit of feeling superior to their patients--have become negligent, incompetent, or outright abusive. You can't even tell from looking at them--they seem like nice people. I don't know that an NT could tell any better, seeing as how psychologists often have completely different behavior patterns between patients and "normal" people.
Professionals in the field of psychology see people when they are emotionally and cognitively very vulnerable. Getting quality treatment is important. And yet--if my experiences are typical--there doesn't seem to be that much quality control. How can you ever be sure of finding a competent therapist who will treat you with respect?