Terminated therapy by mutual agreement with one psychiatrist (she was not covered under my health plan, and I could not afford additional visits) She had seen me several times for 15 minute sessions, and the medication was making my symptoms worse. I also had labwork that was lost (I have had a severe vitamin D deficiency and hypothyroidism--so wanted those values to make sure that wasn't making the depression worse.) When we ended therapy I told her I normally came in for a final visit, and she left me a voicemail saying that I didn't need to come in--that she could just bill me for my missed appts.-something she said she wasn't going to do before. (I didn't mind paying for the appt. it was the about face that concerned me.) Then over the weekend I left her messages regarding some issues--no crying, hysterics, pressured speech, etc. On Monday I came home from the post office (I have a home office) and the State Mental Health Authority was at my door. I have never indicated that I was suicidal or a danger to anyone else, and have never indicated that I could not take care of myself-nor did I ever come to her office poorly groomed dressed etc. I am going to do talk therapy with an MSW I've seen for a while--but if I need medication I am genuinely gun-shy about going to a psychiatrist again. At no point during therapy did this psychiatrist indicate that she thought we should bring the State in. I have had counseling before, have left on good terms, and have been helped--but this experience has really scared me. Any suggestions?
Q: A psychiatrist betrayed my trust in a non-emergent situation
Hi there
Well first of all I am so sorry that you had this terrible experience. Without knowing all the details of what happened I really have no judgement about what may have taken place. It seems that something in your voice mails must have given this particular doctor reason for concern. I have no idea what her reason must have been for her actions. Only she knows.
I can how you would feel distrustful now of what may happen if you go to a psychiatrist.
It seems this is an issue that you should talk to with your current therapist and try to work through it.
If you do take a chance on seeing another psychiatrist maybe explain your concerns right up front. Try to get a written statement of how he or she operates and under what conditions would such a call be made if ever. It is good to hear the rules right up front.
Unfortunately not all mental health professionals have the same level of trustworthiness. It is hard not to generalize after a bad experience but in order to move on you might have to give someone else a try.
Good luck with this. And thank you for your question.
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Many thanks for your answer. One of my initial concerns (and reason for terminating )treatment was not only the difficulty I was having taking the medication (which I had mentioned twice) but also because the hospital had run labs tests on my sample that weren't ordered,hadn't run ones that were, and then I was another patient's labs.(!) I had a severe D deficiency last year and became quite sick (chest congestion, blood in urine, severe issues with diminished cognitive function.) Fortunately a doctor at another hospital caught it--montitored my D levels, have me two 50,000 IUs of D, and made sure I wasn't becoming hypercalcimic This psychiatrist knew this, yet when I asked if there was any possibility my labs could have been confused with someone else's I was told by her "Oh-we looked for your D results, and couldn't find them." After much investigation, and wasted time on my part, it turns out that she wrote what looked like an "A" on the original order instead of a "D,"--but just couldn't admit a mistake had been made. Also she is not an M.D.,J.D., but did a forensic fellowship, and I get the impression she may be more accustomed to dealing with an institutionalized population given her comments to me in the (voicemail--this is the thing I couldn't believe--she couldn't even speak to me in person,) after the weekend. (She told me I would need to tell her who I would be seeing (which should have been in her notes anyway) before leaving her treatment-??-when I'd been seeing her on a volitional basis, and functioning in the community. I know what I said in the voicemails, and it wasn't anything sensational--no pressured speech, "word salad" etc., but you are right, it is essential to get the "ground rules" up front. And I would suggest that patients require that practitioners give them a NOPP upfront--I never received one--and there isn't one on her website. Looking back, I am also concerned that this clinician really did not take the time to take an appropriate psyc.soc.history--only a drug history. Thank you again,
Kndhrt