Do psychiatrists really care about their patients?

Question

I think my psychiatrist doesn't give me enough time to discuss the medication and its side effects with him.

Answer 1

i feel the same way. but i agree with 'roses', i think they have to keep a distance from the patient to give an accurate diagnosis... although i think that i am rushed at an appointment and they dont' get the full story/feeling from me. i dont know. i would talk to a/ your therapist. they have an understanding of the meds and can help sometimes.

Answer 2

I would say that my psychiatrist does care about me because we meet on a weekly basis for talk therapy not just medication reviews. Next time you are visiting your psychiatrist, why don't you say that the medication and side effects are a BIG concern for you at the moment and then go through the reasons why they are of concern. If he/she understands the importance of talking about this during your session then he/she may be more inclined to give it more time.

I would also be curious about the length of time you have been taking your medication and what type of medication you are taking. If you are in the early stages then I would expect that your psychiatrist would give at least some time to talking through your experiences and keeping check on your dosage and side effects to ensure nothing serious occurs. Many of the initial side effects of psychotropic medication will disappear after the first four or so weeks as well.

Failing the above suggestion, I would change to someone else to ensure your concerns are addressed or at least do some of your own research on the web to find out more about common/ possible side effects and to see if there are any serious side effects of which you will need to monitor and contact ER or your psychiatrist if present.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I think they care to an extent. like they dont wanna see you die. I had a psychiatrist who had 300 patients. so how much care could he really give you know what i mean. I only spent a total of 10 min with him. he had an accent that made it hard to understand if i wasnt in the best frame of mind. and rarely spoke of side effects to me. hope this helps.

Answer 4

judging by all your other questions, I would say that your doc has given you plenty of time to ask questions and voice your concerns about your meds as should any good doctor worthy of the title doctor would. But he/she doesn't have to make time for every stubborn patient who wants to argue with them over every little thing. If you disagree with your doctor's diagnosis, go get a second opinion. Or maybe a third or fourth. But if every doctor you go to is saying the same thing, then take the advice, quit your whining, and deal with it or go to medical school yourself.

Answer 5

Some probably care more than others.....i know of someone that says they only get 5 minutes, once every 2-3 months with their doc....that can't possiably be enough time....i guess if your willing to pay bigger bucks u may get a doc to give u more time.

Answer 6

Hell fu**ing no, they don't. You can ask your pharmacist at Walgreens for side effects information, for what it's worth. Or look it up online. They (psychiatrists) are making so much goddamned money, it's ridiculous.

Answer 7

my psychiatrist gives me a lot of attention... they are just normal people, which means: the cuter they think you are, the more attention they pay!

Answer 8

I don't think that they really care b/c they need to maintain professionalism in order to help. Once they start to really care, their judgment may be impaired.