Do you tell your psychiatrist of every bad though you've had or do you keep to yourself certain things?

Question

I keep a secret that torments me to myself even though it is supposed to be really confidential, it gets recorded in your notes forever.

That should read - "bad thought"

Thanks to you all especially to Tom.

Answer 1

Dear sir,
I am sixty five. I personally do keep"Somethings" to myself, somethings are In my opinion are "So Bad?, or Good",you lock them Into your heart as acknowledging them to "Anybody", Is like cutting a piece of your other self Off and spiritually losing something you have to "Fight With", good or bad as you live your life out on this earth. If you believe In a God?, I think Its very Important to "Carry your own burden", and share your smiles.

Answer 2

Well. The issue with doctor confidentiality is that they write it in your records. Therefore others will see it even thought they are bound by confidentially and it's there forever. If something is bothering you or your feeling ill and want to tell someone what is going on in your head and don't want to be judged or labeled just want someone to tell, what about the Samaritans? They are bound by confidentiality in the true sense of the word. Even if you tell them you are going to kill yourself or are seeing demons they can't phone anybody. In fact people call them who are going to kill themselves just so that while doing so they are not alone and they will stay on the phone while they do it and they don't and can't tell anyone it's that confidential. It is the one place you can be you never mind what you have done or think.

If you are feeling ill though and need help please call someone who can help you. The Samaritans can call for help for you, but only if you give your permission.

The number of the Samaritans is : 08457 90 90 90

If you get one that you feel is judging you hang up on them and re dial. It's a national number and you will get put thought to someone else. Call them!

Edit
Also, you can phone them again and again with the same thing as you are unlikely to get the same one twice. You can therfore unburden your secret over and over every time it torments you.

Answer 3

Psychiatrists are doctors first and have taken the oath "First do no harm". If they break confidentiality they can be struck off and not be able to practise medicine again. Think about it, how many news stories have you heard where a doctor turns a patient in? None, and the police don't ask them.

When you talk to a psychiatrist it's like speaking to a mirror, your thoughts get reflected back to you and you are helped to deal with them. If you hold stuff that matters back it doesn't get dealt with. You run the risk of mis-diagnosis or of not being taken seriously. They take notes so that they can work out how your illnesses are changing. Talk to him/her about this first (without telling your secret).

Answer 4

Hi! I'm sorry to hear you're dealing with a painful / difficult secret, however, it is crucial to your mental health to share with your therapist what is tormenting you. They have strict ethical guidelines about confidentiality. I know, I'm studying to become a therapist currently. One thing that is an exception to the confidentiality rule is harm. If you share with your therapist that you intend to harm yourself or someone else, they are legally required to seek out additional help or alert the person that is going to be harmed. If it is a secret like an affair, or other moral mishaps from your past, you are safe. Your secrets are thier secrets. If you feel you can not trust this therapist, seek out a new one whom you feel you can trust. You will feel better after you let out what's bothering you. I hope this information can be used to free you! Good luck!

Answer 5

I think a lot of people keep something to themselves. but in my experience the same thing isn't always hidden from absolutely everyone.
You may find it easy to talk to a person about one issue, and not about another. or you may find it easier to have a laugh and joke around with someone else, but not to the person you confide in.
it's the trials and tribulations of life, and i think you have to find out for yourself what you wish to say, to whom, and whether or not it will jepordise some part of you in any way.
If you believe that your psychiatrist can help with your issue than say what you wish... but also its about building trust and whether you want to be anylised in a certain way.
you can on some level think about it from a proffesional point of view and keep in mind that they are just doing their job. but they are also human like you and i'm sure they may have a secret that no one else knows - sometimes people have to have their own space.
not just physically but also space in our minds. if too many people know things about you it can become crowded,
and you may feel people can take advantage of your weakness.
if it is tormenting you to the point where its unlivabe or effecting your health in anyway i would continue talking about it.
and besides your opinion of how bad it is is different from a doctors opinion - or anyone else for that matter.
if it feels like it should come out and it isnt precious to you - tell someone about it.. yes it will be in notes probably forever but then again you only have one life and what is more important to you??

Answer 6

Share it. The psychiatrist keeps your confidence.

One thing in a Psych Ward people really have to share their private secrets. In a very short time people start realizing how many of these secrets that they have in common.

Answer 7

I don't tell my psychiatrist everything, okay well I don't have one currently, but when I do see psychiatrist and psychologists I make sure to brush up on my study of psychology and counselling as to be sure I don't let too much off, such as any sort of 'abnormal' or 'psychotic' thoughts I may have or true feelings of suicide.

Typically, I like to go on antidepressants until my bad reaction to them becomes too unpleasant (as in worse than the depression that started it which can be pretty darn near intolerable) quit them 'cold turkey', cancel all psychiatric appointments, take a couple weeks off of life and go on as normal. When I go back, I see an entirely new psychiatrist and psychologist and do not mention previous experiences. The system isn't as well connected as some may think!

These things don't 'eat away' at me as I have other outlets, but I don't trust the system and why should I? Horror story after horror story and the occasional success, of course, other successes may be reluctent to tell their story. After all, mental illness has it's stigma. I just don't want to be hospitalized or treated for 'problems' I sometimes very much enjoy. Yes, enjoy, despite their interference with my comformed lifestyle.

Answer 8

I dont have a psychiatrist but if i did i would keep everything to myself or i am sure i would end up institutionalised! I dont think it's a bad thing to keep deep dark secrets just dont dwell on them... concentrate more on moving on and what a great person you are :)

Answer 9

hello there. i believe a good answer to this question is that if you say anything that could point to you being a threat to society, then it's the responsibility of whichever doctor that listens to you to report this to authorities. this is a bit like me when i had to tell my doctor that i was worried that i'd had a fit. then she told me that she's obliged to report me and said that if i was caught driving i'd be in trouble and couldn't be insured until i'd got the all-clear from the dvla. this also applies, i believe, if someone wants to hurt someone - in which case the doc might wait until the police get involved in a related incident and ask for someone with a motive. say if someone admits to wanting to hurt someone. i think that in the case of paedophiles or people that get turned on by violence that there'e a good chance that they can get reported just by telling their doc that they have that sort of tendancy. i saw on the news recently that the government want to start targeting possible subjects and barring them from certain places or activities based on their personal traits and tendancies, including if they think there's a chance a crime's gonna be commited. there's also science-fiction stories with this kind of thing in them, with a story and theme of a new-world-order that can read people's minds and react before they commit murders.

Answer 10

i did have two things that for 2 years of seeing my psychiatrist i never told him

it was really really eating away at me
in the end i told my husband about them (he is wonderful) i was lucky about that

then between the two of us even though it was still eating away at me i decided to tell my psychiatrist about them, one was a lot harder to tell than the other one

also one i particularly didn't want putting on my record so i asked him first if he minded that it didn't go on my record

he hasn't put it on my record

by telling him about it it was great, to be truthful it was like a problem shared a problem halved

one day you will have the strength to tell him or her

but if you don't you are wasting yours and the psychiatrists time, and they could be helping someone else in that time

if you don't help yourself you wont get better

i will think about you

just tell your psychiatrist that their is something on your mind that you haven't told him yet and admitting that is the first part

best wishes


xxx vici