“Oh, that God would give us the very smallest of gifts
To be able to see ourselves as others see us
It would save us from many mistakes
and foolish thoughts”
Robbie Burns
“Insight” demands that you know how you people around you see, and you understand the effect you have on them.
Dictionaries define “insight” as deeper and more intuitive than simple understanding. Psychiatrists assume their patients have insight when they understand what their psychiatrist says and agree with them, whilst those without psychiatric insight have their own ideas about what is wrong. The GMC may be a contemporary example? Sanctions imposed by the Medical Act 1983 and the Mental Health Act 1983 both turn on the possession of “insight”.
The context of behaviour is also important. An elderly doctor with a keen interest in astrology tried to persuade me the orbits of the planets controlled our destiny. However, if at the time, I had told my psychiatrist that I believed the stars controlled my destiny, he would have sectioned me as soon as look as me.
For example, you may be harmlessly scratching yourself:
1) You think – “I am relieving an itch”
2) An observer thinks – “Does he or she have fleas?”
A doctor thinks – “I wonder whether he or she has a skin condition?”
A body language expert thinks – “Is he or she person lying?”
A psychiatrist thinks – “Is he or she anxious or nervous?”
3) The person sitting next to you may start scratching too.
Insight means that you understand all three levels
1) You understand why you are scratching - you have an itch
2) You understand how other people see it
3) You understand the effect of your behaviour on the people around you
- they may start scratching themselves too!
Robbie Burns’ poem contrasts the vulgarity of a louse crawling down a woman’s back with the social pretensions of the woman in question. Asking someone how you seem to them, gives another view and more information. The other person may not be right, after all no one knows you as well as you know yourself. On the other hand being able to appreciate another person’s view and act appropriately is a sign of effective interpersonal skills and good judgment.
Copyright (c) Dr. Liz Miller
http://www.drlizmiller.co.uk
To be able to see ourselves as others see us
It would save us from many mistakes
and foolish thoughts”
Dictionaries define “insight” as deeper and more intuitive than simple understanding. Psychiatrists assume their patients have insight when they understand what their psychiatrist says and agree with them, whilst those without psychiatric insight have their own ideas about what is wrong. The GMC may be a contemporary example? Sanctions imposed by the Medical Act 1983 and the Mental Health Act 1983 both turn on the possession of “insight”.
The context of behaviour is also important. An elderly doctor with a keen interest in astrology tried to persuade me the orbits of the planets controlled our destiny. However, if at the time, I had told my psychiatrist that I believed the stars controlled my destiny, he would have sectioned me as soon as look as me.
1) You think – “I am relieving an itch”
2) An observer thinks – “Does he or she have fleas?”
A doctor thinks – “I wonder whether he or she has a skin condition?”
A body language expert thinks – “Is he or she person lying?”
A psychiatrist thinks – “Is he or she anxious or nervous?”
3) The person sitting next to you may start scratching too.
Insight means that you understand all three levels
1) You understand why you are scratching - you have an itch
2) You understand how other people see it
3) You understand the effect of your behaviour on the people around you
- they may start scratching themselves too!
Copyright (c) Dr. Liz Miller
http://www.drlizmiller.co.uk