University of British Columbia psychiatrist, Dr. Diane McIntosh speaks out about the toll our words can take on an individual who lives with and is being treated for mental illness. Specifically, Dr. McIntosh reminds us that whether it be a comment from a friend, family member, or physician, how we talk about mental health can have a huge impact on an individual's perception of themselves, their mental well-being, and their strength. As Dr. McIntosh has seen with her own patients, certain comments also have the power to negatively impact patients' treatment and recovery.
"Lillian finally told me that the in-patient doctor had quipped, "You're on too much medication." The doctor hadn't elaborated on what she meant by "too much," nor did she call me or Lillian's GP to ask for the treatment rationale or to express concern.
It was just a passing comment, but those words powerfully undermined Lillian's confidence and stirred up her long-held fear that her illness was a weakness or personal failure.
She thought that she should be able to get over it on her own and she shouldn't need to rely on medications. She feared that medications might be causing more harm than good, even though she felt better."
For the full article, click here: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/diane-mcintosh/mental-illness-stigma_b_9312252.html
"Lillian finally told me that the in-patient doctor had quipped, "You're on too much medication." The doctor hadn't elaborated on what she meant by "too much," nor did she call me or Lillian's GP to ask for the treatment rationale or to express concern.
It was just a passing comment, but those words powerfully undermined Lillian's confidence and stirred up her long-held fear that her illness was a weakness or personal failure.
She thought that she should be able to get over it on her own and she shouldn't need to rely on medications. She feared that medications might be causing more harm than good, even though she felt better."
For the full article, click here: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/diane-mcintosh/mental-illness-stigma_b_9312252.html
RSS Feed
