Psychiatrists and Psychologists

@very-rusty said
Actually goad, happy you mentioned that I know someone who is in exactly the circumstances you described. He is on medication and someone does drop in to see him a for a few hours a couple times of week, and YES he does feel like they are babysitting him.

Thanks for bring up the scenario, just helped me prove my point!!! 😉 😛

-VR

@very-rusty said
Actually goad, happy you mentioned that I know someone who is in exactly the circumstances you described. He is on medication and someone does drop in to see him a for a few hours a couple times of week, and YES he does feel like they are babysitting him.

Thanks for bring up the scenario, just helped me prove my point!!! 😉 😛

-VR

@whodey said
What is the difference between Psychiatrists and Psychologists?

From my experience one tries to strap you down and give electric shock therapy while the other demands you have a lobotomy. So long as their bathroom has a window you can fit through you should be OK.

I felt like Joe Kennedy's daughter I tell ya!!

Scary stuff!!

As someone who works in the mental health field very closely with youth in crisis and in need of the most intense response and treatment, I have been considering my response to the use of the term “babysitting” when speaking about mental health.

As a professional in the mental health field, I feel a strong sense of responsibility for education and helping removing false ideas that feed the stigmas surrounding mental health and treatments.

I understand that mental health treatment methods can be misunderstood. Mental health response and treatment can have vast differences; we respond in a crisis differently than when we provide ongoing treatment. First concern and response for someone in crisis is safety. The person in crisis may not be able to verbalize or choose strategies to keep safe. In that case, presence of a skilled crisis clinician is warranted until the crisis is stabilized.

Mr. Very Rusty, your friend with schizophrenia likely has a good deal of moments in crisis. In each case, response should be consistent using proven methods of treatment, including supervision for safety.

Unfortunately, even the term supervision (although clinically acceptable) carries connotations that do not sound very strengths-based. I like the term “presence for safety” but it is problematic as well because the term generally assumes that crisis response doesn’t require a clinical response, which it very much does.

One might say that it doesn’t matter what treatment is called, especially when it’s so difficult to find acceptable clinical terms which describe treatment.

Words have power. They describe our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us.

If a client states that he/she feels that they are being babysat, it tells me that they feel powerless and that they feel that those who support them also feel that they are powerless. That’s a stigma and perspective that is important to address because it affects treatment, including whether or not a person even seeks out treatment at all.

Friends and families can provide essential support by understanding how their loved one perceives treatment and by educating themselves surrounding the stigma of mental health.

As a mental health provider, I respectfully request that we all consider how our words (whether in their presence or on a website such as this) affect how our loved ones perceive and receive treatment.

@hakima said
As someone who works in the mental health field very closely with youth in crisis and in need of the most intense response and treatment, I have been considering my response to the use of the term “babysitting” when speaking about mental health.

As a professional in the mental health field, I feel a strong sense of responsibility for education and helping removing false ide ...[text shortened]... eir presence or on a website such as this) affect how our loved ones perceive and receive treatment.

@very-rusty said

I perhaps should be more careful in the future how I do word things
-VR

@very-rusty said

All I can go by is what I am told by other people as I don't personally have the condition. I don't know why he would feel like he was being baby sitted. I know you disprove of that discription. It is not coming from me but from someone I know with the issue being discussed.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Who do you think you are kidding? 'Babysitting' came from YOU in this thread. Why are you now trying to deflect it onto someone else you know? Here is the first post where you used the description:

"You work in mental health....You are not a Psychiatrist or Psychologist, so what do you ACTUALLY do for the mental health patients? Babysit them?"


It very much 'came from you' and you are right about being more careful in the future with the language you use.

@very-rusty said
I know exactly where it came from goad. It doesn't really matter what you THINK!!!

I chat with this person regularly....You don't have a clue what your talking about in this case.

You are probably "ANGRY" because another poster gave a better description of the issue than you did!!

-VR

@ghost-of-a-duke said
It reflects very poorly on you that you would try to use such a person to cover your vile description. Read your words carefully here:


"You still haven't said exactly what you do with the mental health patients to help them....I figure you babysit them."


"I figure."

@very-rusty said
What reflects poorly is you goad, not saying exactly what you did, or giving an explanation of any kind really.

Hakima gave the best explanation, which you could have done and didn't, because as I said you would rather "hurl insults in my direction'!

Read carefully what you said before I gave you that comment. It is two way street goad, you can't have you cake and eat it too!

Try to be more civil in your reply in the future like Hakima!

-VR

@ghost-of-a-duke said
A person describing the mentally unwell as requiring babysitting doesn't warrant civility.

You are one sick puppy.

@very-rusty said
The difference is Hakima was paying attention to what I was saying.

You weren't just looking for a good reason to hurl insults.

Neither you or I or Hakima know why this person feels as if they are being baby sat. Did it occur to you may have something to do with the dosage of medication not being correct?

Or would you sooner just call names as a retort!

-VR

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Again, 'you' used the word 'babysitting' in your usual attempt to belittle the work I do, long before you referenced the person you apparently know with mental health issues who conveniently had described himself as being babysat.

Read your words again and stop digging:

"so what do you ACTUALLY do for the mental health patients? Babysit them?"

@very-rusty said
All you're doing is going around in circles.

You can't even answer as simple question asked like could the meds be given not be the proper dosage?

If you want to go on about the babysitting then by all means feel free to do so.

-VR