Sometimes you hear or read of things which are almost unbelievable... Like this, a 'speed diagnosis' competition run by the Psychiatric Times. As if speed should ever be of the essence when making a psychiatric diagnosis that is likely to change the course of a person's life, almost certainly for the worse.
What do you think?
http://www.counterpsych.com/aspx/m/1211694/beid/584359
That is why psychiatrists overlook benigne diagnoses like sleep deprivation, infection, withdrawal symptoms and such like and come out within 45 minutes with big words like bipolar and schizophrenia. Just finished reading R.D. Laing's and A Esterson's "Sanity, madness and the family". Should be a must read for all psychiatrists A.V.
ReplyDeleteI checked the link, but didn't find anything linked to a contest. The blogger is repeating what appears to be hearsay.
ReplyDeleteAH NO, Rossa - it is true! I saw it on the Psychiatric Times site myself. I could almost not believe what I was seeing. I will repost the link to where I saw it - unless they have been shamed into taking it down. L x
ReplyDeleteAnd Anon, thanks, I will read that book. I read 'The Divided Self' by RD Laing and found it really heavy going, except for the case studies at the end. I was disappointed - I thought that I would get more from it. But I will give this one a go. I bought 'The Divided Self' on my Kindle and thought I might have found it easier to understand if it had been in proper book form, so I will buy a hard copy of this one.
Regards, Louise
I found R.D. Laing's The Didvided Self easy to read mainly because he was describing "me" prior to my brakedown. That only shows you that psychosis is due to a lot of different causes. My psychosis was brought about by the fact that I found myself at odds with the world and the society I was living in. I had the impression that people were trying to turn me into somebody I was not and I was resisting fiercely which lead me into conflict with my teachers and my parents and ultimately to my collapse and hearing voices in my head. A.V.
DeleteIt is all very interesting - especially with the benefit of hindsight, and at a distance. At the time, as you and I know, it is utterly terrifying. In my case I think a major part of the problem was that I was always too concerned with other people's opinions of me. I have nearly finished Dr Terry Lynch's book 'Selfhood' and a lot of what I am reading in there resonates strongly - it is not all new to me, but because the whole book is about raising one's level of selfhood it is working as a good strong re-inforcing dose of self-improvement!
DeleteHi Rossa. I went back in, and posted another link on a new blog post... Then I started to wonder if this was a spoof! So I Googled 'Psychiatric Times', followed the link, and found the same competition on their home page. Here's the link to that too: http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/home
ReplyDeleteI get a lot of emails from a Facebook group devoted to cases of harm from psychiatric diagnoses. I am always shocked by the content of these mails - in fact, most of the time I don't read them through properly - I just don't have enoough time, or the stomach for all the sadness... This one took the biscuit though. I suggested to the group that we should all take the test, and show the spurious nature of diagnosis if one of us wins.. Apparently though, the general public can't enter. Somebody else then suggested we should hold a competition of our own, on speed misdiagnosis. I suppose you have to laugh, because otherwise you would cry... L x
Thanks, Louise. I was able to find it from your latest link. Shocking, but typical. The damage that is done in the spirit of medical comradery. I am also getting too weighed down by the pain and sadness I read about, and need to step back from it all.
DeleteYou should only take on as much as you can manage, Rossa. That said, I think you have a huge capacity for helping, and already have helped, lots of people. I am sure that once you have rested emotionally, you will be back in the fray with renewed vigour! I do keep up with your blog when I can, by the way, but am feeling slightly guilty that I have not kept up with your progress better. I promise to be in touch via your blog, or by email, soon! L x
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