Comments | naamah_darling: I've had better days.

naamah_darling

I've had better days.

Aug 22, 2012 18:46

Overall, I am not happy with the place I'm going to get counseling. I had another hour-plus long wait to see a doctor for, like, two minutes, in that waiting room. The doctor said something vague about someone had threatened to burn down the building, which, yeah, I can see how that would throw your schedule off. That's pretty awful, and I am ( Read more... )

r2m, lycanthropy, doctor crap

Comments 28

thediva_laments August 23 2012, 12:28:50 UTC

being kept waiting under certain circumstances is triggering. It makes me feel neglected, unwanted, like I am dealing with people who don't want to deal with me, no matter how nice I am.

I have this same trigger. I have had panic attacks in waiting rooms when I have been kept waiting without an explanation. I will never understand why health professionals, especially mental health professionals, do not understand this. It's more than just common courtesy.

As far as the TV with the health shaming bullshit, if you can afford one of these I highly recommend it. Works on TVs showing FoxNews as well. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/9a06/?srp=1

naamah_darling August 23 2012, 18:17:34 UTC

OMG. I knew there were universal remotes, but had no idea there was one that was so simple and so small. You know, that kicks ASS. I just ordered one. It was on sale, so FUCK YEAH. For $15 shipping included, yeah, I'll invest in my own sanity. I'm not stuck in that waiting room very often, comparatively, but when I am, that fucking TV is SO OBNOXIOUS.

rikibeth August 23 2012, 20:32:29 UTC

I approve of this solution!

And if they come out to see why it's not yapping, nope, no idea, it just shut itself off, ma'am. But isn't the quiet restful?

ashbet August 23 2012, 20:55:02 UTC

This is BRILLIANT ( ... )

Thread 11

galiyah August 23 2012, 15:04:41 UTC

Please let me know if there's anything I can do. I can at drop off groceries or books or something.

adelheide August 23 2012, 16:34:32 UTC

I think you explained this problem beautifully. Most people get annoyed, even grumpy, when they are told to wait. But for some people, this is a real problem with real consequences. The fact that mental health care "professionals" don't realize this is a problem they need to address.

I am fortunate in that if I have to wait, I'm able to do so. My mental and physical healthcare is free to me (because of my tiny income) and I'm able to just wait. But I know this is a real problem for some people. Being treated cavalierly or like you don't matter causes long-term damage. It's inexcuseable.

I'm so sorry you've been having to deal with this. Like you don't have enough to deal with. I wish I could be of more practical help, but I'll be keeping you in my thoughts.

ladybugpurple August 23 2012, 16:37:29 UTC

I wish there was something I could do. :(

As far as the counselors leaving the next day when they said that's the day they'd look over your stuff or whatnot? If patients avoided an appointment or some other thing, knowing the date was set, and they opted not to show or they called in having to reschedule, that would be seen as a sign something was wrong. Yet, after reading all I have from your posts, I can't help but wonder if that gets done not because the patients are trying to avoid helping themselves but trying to avoid the b.s. these places put people through. And yet it's okay for counselors to do it? WTF??

I'm sorry you're going through all of this. Maybe I missed something in regards to Sargon, but I didn't know he was in similar circumstances as you are. I do hope things get better and, again, wish there was something I could do. *hugs*

infernal_sheep August 23 2012, 17:51:29 UTC

This is a random comment attack, from someone who occassionaly reads your journal (occasionally because I am not on lj very often ( ... )

naamah_darling August 23 2012, 19:22:48 UTC

So, if you have a feeling that they don't understand you, you are right, and should never blame yourself for it. This is what happens, when people don't study medicine, because it's a calling, but because it's a great way to make money.

Yes! And maybe he is working there because he wants to help. I have no idea what he gets paid, but he's at a cheap clinic for folks too poor to pay for anything else, so it can't be much, and I know that they book him in ten-minute blocks, which is . . . six patients an hour, assume he works six hours a day, that's 36 people a day, and you are seeing different people every day. So he's kind of overworked. But I can't see taking a job like that UNLESS you wanted to help. (Unless he's doing it because that's all he could get, or he wants it on his resume.)

But even if that is true, he's doing a shite job of it. Honestly, truly, I ask for extremely little. I know I can be difficult to deal with under certain circumstances, and I make every effort to make dealing with me as easy as possible ( ... )

infernal_sheep August 24 2012, 17:43:39 UTC

Wanting to help, unfortunately, doesn't mean that you are capable of helping. I believe that no amount of studying can substitute for empathy, which should be the first and most important requirement for a mental health practitioner. And too many people mistake empathy - which by definition is the ability to *understand* another's feelings - with compassion, or even worst, pity.

Not going to offer any advice, because frankly, I think they already have enough material for the roads in hell anyway, so I am just going to recommend one of the most magical movies I have seen instead: Bagdad Cafe (Out of Rosenheim).
It's available on youtube, it seems:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56OYfaN722Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksS1tiAMOuM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvCalRIi_p8 Reply