Angry e-mail I sent to OCD Center

[BristolChris]

I hope you didn't feel I was trying to pick on you Ryukil. I just feel as people we should be respectful to mental health professionals.

[Ryukil]

Nah no problem. I think many therapists know what they're talking about when it comes to OCD. It just annoyed me that this therapist kind of missed the point of what I was saying, and then when I kept trying to explain it, she got defensive. It felt like, "I'm the expert, I know what's wrong with you and what isn't." But as I said, she missed the point. I think I do know what I'm experiencing better than the doctors, and I expect them to understand what I'm going through...an OCD sufferer knows exactly what an obsession and compulsion feel like. Trust me, I KNOW the difference between OCD and GAD, I know how they feel.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Ryukil

[Claire1704]

How frustrating, Ryukil!

I've had some very mixed experiences of mental health professionals, some who've been wonderful, and some, who like with you, utterly missed what I was trying to say.

I'm glad you felt able to express how you felt.

[taurean]

The first psychiatrist I had,whilst diagnosing my OCD easily enough, never considered the other anxiety-inducing cognitive thinking distortions from which I was also a sufferer, and which required a different approach in CBT therapy.

And I was aghast to learn that - inflexibly - his recommended approach was exposure of two weeks of "flooding".

I told him to his face that I was certain that, in my case, his approach would be totally wrong (subsequently another psychiatrist and 3 clinical psychologists agreed with me).

He got pompous that I, without any experience, would challenge his eminence.

I dismissed him :original:

Sadly in our world of OCD and related disorders, the ability to spot such different but related issues as OCD and GAD is crucial for professionals, but not always achieved.

For me, the standard approach for OCD should be to tease out obsessions, their corresponding compulsions, then other types of anxiety-inducing issues, then howsoever they inter-relate.

Edited April 12, 2016 by taurean

[Guest]

Bristol Chris- I'm holding back from going nuclear on you. "My job" as regards OCD is 28 years with the disorder, a wealth of knowledge about the physiological, social and psychological impacts and processes of OCD, a distinction masters in science, an above average IQ and a great capacity for empathy that has been built by having this debilitating disorder. I am not money motivated or positing for a top dog status as a clinician and genuinely care that I get it RIGHT when it matters in terms of treatment and I care about the vulnerable people who get dealt a rough hand by the practitioners they reach out to at desperation point. Because it has happened to all of us. Get off your high horse.

The woman Ryukil spoke to on the phone sounds like an idiot and so do you.

[Guest]

Back to the original topic, Ryukil, it's just par for the course that you've come across a bad egg practitioner. The good ones are hard to come by, but don't give up trying to get someone to help you because the good ones do exist too.

[gingerbreadgirl]

Not sure of I agree with that. Most psychiatrists would diognose OCD quite easily

Dr Paul Blenkiron, a consultant psychiatrist at Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation speaking on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, was recently quoted as saying: “I have not heard of anyone with OCD presenting as having an ‘obsessive’ fear of being gay. So I doubt that this would be the same problem as obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is something different.”

I think professionals are far less informed than you think - OCD presenting in the form of obsessing about being gay is not exactly uncommon, is it?

I also think a lot of people here are far better informed than you give them credit for.

Edited April 12, 2016 by gingerbreadgirl

[Ryukil]

Dr Paul Blenkiron, a consultant psychiatrist at Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation speaking on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, was recently quoted as saying: “I have not heard of anyone with OCD presenting as having an ‘obsessive’ fear of being gay. So I doubt that this would be the same problem as obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is something different.”

I think professionals are far less informed than you think - OCD presenting in the form of obsessing about being gay is not exactly uncommon, is it?

I also think a lot of people here are far better informed than you give them credit for.

Yeah, most OCD sufferers know that this is a very common obsession in OCD! It was one of the first I had when I was younger.

[BristolChris]

Dr Paul Blenkiron, a consultant psychiatrist at Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation speaking on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, was recently quoted as saying: “I have not heard of anyone with OCD presenting as having an ‘obsessive’ fear of being gay. So I doubt that this would be the same problem as obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is something different.”

I think professionals are far less informed than you think - OCD presenting in the form of obsessing about being gay is not exactly uncommon, is it?

I also think a lot of people here are far better informed than you give them credit for.

I did a bit of research into this guy. I find it quite unlikely that he would not have heard of people who suffer from ocd fearing they were gay. Without knowing the whole story at the minute I think you may have misunderstood him because he seems like quite a prominent figure in mental health. I read that he was critical of the Linden method of dealing with it. It might be to do with that. I can't see this guy not knowing of it.

[Ashley]

I did a bit of research into this guy. I find it quite unlikely that he would not have heard of people who suffer from ocd fearing they were gay. Without knowing the whole story at the minute I think you may have misunderstood him because he seems like quite a prominent figure in mental health. I read that he was critical of the Linden method of dealing with it. It might be to do with that. I can't see this guy not knowing of it.

I think you misunderstand. They all thought Linden was trying to turn gay people, straight. He wasn't. When in fact these doctors have never come across someone with OCD who feared being gay/straight. The Dr got it badly wrong, thankfully not at the expense of a patient that we know of.

[Ryukil]

BristolChris is either obsessing because he's worried that if one doctor is wrong, then they all might be wrong (which isn't true), or he has a relative or a close friend who is a psychologist/psychiatrist who he feels the need to defend...

Edited April 12, 2016 by Ryukil

[Guest]

This is what I'm thinking as well, a family member or a friend who is in the mental health business he feels the need to defend.

BristolChris is either obsessing because he's worried that if one doctor is wrong, then they all might be wrong (which isn't true), or he has a relative or a close friend who is a psychologist/psychiatrist who he feels the need to defend...

[BristolChris]

I think you misunderstand. They all thought Linden was trying to turn gay people, straight. He wasn't. When in fact these doctors have never come across someone with OCD who feared being gay/straight. The Dr got it badly wrong, thankfully not at the expense of a patient that we know of.

Yeah I read the article. He does appear to say that. However I still fell he may have been misquoted as I really cannot see him saying that with all the publications he has there is no way he would not have heard of HOCD.

Edited April 12, 2016 by BristolChris

[BristolChris]

BristolChris is either obsessing because he's worried that if one doctor is wrong, then they all might be wrong (which isn't true), or he has a relative or a close friend who is a psychologist/psychiatrist who he feels the need to defend...

That's no true. As I said I feel that a lot of people on this website are disrespectful to mental health professionals.

[Ashley]

Yeah I read the article. He does appear to say that. However I still fell he may have been misquoted as I really cannot see him saying that with all the publications he has there is no way he would not have heard of HOCD.

HOCD is not a medical term so I am not beating the guy up for not hearing of the acronym, but in the quote that GBG quoted it is clear he is misunderstanding OCD. I am not sure how you can misquote this.

I have not heard of anyone with OCD presenting as having an ‘obsessive’ fear of being gay. So I doubt that this would be the same problem as obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is something different.”

I think you are being incredibly naïve if you think all Dr's, therapists, psychiatrists don't make mistakes, especially when it comes to OCD. For the most part health professionals do their best and get it right but they do make mistakes.

Generally I don't even have an issue with them making mistakes, but I do if they stubbornly refuse to accept the mistake at the expense of the patient.

I think we are going round in circles a little with this, but it's worth me pointing out that just because someone is a Dr or even a Professor that they are always right, they're not.

[BristolChris]

I said someone may have misquoted him. Like I said I just find it hard to believe.

[BristolChris]

Even if he did it would a rare case for someone of that level to make that mistake I think. Although I could be wrong.

[Ryukil]

The problem here is that this doctor made a mistake, and then when I tried to point out her mistake, her ego got in the way. Psychology/psychiatry shouldn't be about egos, though I've found it sometimes is. So now, because of her mistake and her ego, I'm not getting therapy from them which could potentially help me get out of this rut I'm in.

[taurean]

I think a lot of it is a lack of understanding amongst professionals of how OCD functions.

That psychiatrist I disagreed with was highly qualified, and also practised CBT psychology - I think he had a very high ego too.But he WAS wrong.

I have had enormous difficulty getting others to understand my particular manifestation of OCD intrusions. Some people here do but I have found myself in the position of having to explain it to the professionals, when I had expected it to be the other way round.

Our charity works with healthcare professionals too, helping them to understand the nuances of OCD.

Edited April 12, 2016 by taurean

[snowbear]

Psychology/psychiatry shouldn't be about egos, though I've found it sometimes is.

I agree, absolutely. Egos have to be set aside so we get the help we need.

So now, because of her mistake and her ego, I'm not getting therapy from them which could potentially help me get out of this rut I'm in.

Er, hang on. Why aren't you able to get therapy from them?

You had a misunderstanding. So what? Life is full of misunderstandings, getting things wrong, apologising and trying again.

Don't let your ego get in the way of accepting therapy where it is offered, even if it comes from someone who made a mistake, someone whose ego prevents them from apologising to you.

Sometimes when people realise they made a mistake they listen more carefully in future. They try harder to understand.

One thing is for sure, she's better informed now than before she spoke to you. For all you know she's more interested in how GAD and OCD interact than she was before, perhaps intrigued to fill in a gap in her knowledge she didn't know was there. That's what most professional people do after a something like this arises.

Sure, some professionals are insecure and their protective egos prevent them from apologising, but that doesn't mean she won't have taken on board some of what you said and be ready to move forward from here.

Wouldn't it be sad if you let this insignificant incident blow out of proportion and stand in the way of the opportunity to educate her and her team so they can better help you (and others like you) in future?

One way to start getting out of the rut could be for you to send them an apology email. Yeah, I know. It's the last thing you want to do when you feel what you deserve is an apology from them. But be the bigger man! You could say you recognise you still need help, that you hope to put the misunderstanding on the phone in the past and start again. Perhaps say you recognise your case is complicated because of having both OCD and GAD, but that you have confidence that with their help you can recover from both conditions, whether one condition is treated first or they are treated together.

Alternatively, you can hold onto the righteous anger that they ought to have handled it better and didn't. You can feel hard-done-by (or awkward) and avoid that psychologist and her team, stay stuck in the rut a bit longer while you find an alternative therapist.

I know what I'd have done twenty years ago, and I know what I'd do now with the hindsight of therapy that worked. Therapy that taught me to ditch my own ego, let things go, start again and work through problems together instead of discarding therapists every time we had a communication problem. Whatever route you decide to go, I hope you get out of that rut soon.

Edited April 12, 2016 by snowbear

[Ryukil]

Snowbear, it's not my ego getting in the way. I didn't pass their phone screening test. Here's the email I got from one of the doctors after I sent him an email trying to explain the nuances of my situation:

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your email. I reviewed your case with Dr. W. Based on her assessment, GAD/worry was your primary problem, not OCPD or OCD. She told me that she provided you with referrals for GAD treatment. Given that the anxiety related to your worry is persistent and potentially interfering, I encourage you to follow up with a therapist who can guide you through CBT for GAD.

Please let me know if you have other questions.

They're telling me to go to someone else. They're saying I can't go to them, or that's the impression I got. I mean on my phone call she started recommending me to people who could treat my GAD.

[Ryukil]

Great, so you want me to contact them and press the issue?

[Ryukil]

They already denied me, now you're making me think I won't recover if I don't contact them apologizing. Even if I apologized, they would still say "Yeah, your primary issue is GAD"

[stoneroses_fan]

BristolChris.....I felt compelled to reply to your constant replies! Just because someone is a doctor doesn't mean they deserve respect. It doesn't mean they're right or a good person. Sometimes doctors can get things wrong too. In my opinion, no one knows ocd better than ocd sufferers themselves. We are the most educated about the condition, more so than any doctor. Every doctor/specialist I have come across has been a joke when it comes to understanding my condition and helping me. They are completely clueless! I'm the one who educates them. You are making assumptions that everyone/a lot of people on this forum know nothing about their illness, which couldn't be further from the truth. I find it odd how much you're defending the mental health care when it's known to be atrocious worldwide and people aren't receiving the help they need and deserve. You must know someone who is a psychiatrist/doctor to be so defensive. This isn't helpful to the poster.

In response to the original poster, I believe you were 100% right to send a complaint! How on earth are they missing the point when it's so obvious?!! This proves how much so many 'experts' know absolutely nothing about ocd. Their incompetence is insulting to us to be honest. I hope you manage to find someone who is helpful to your recovery. I'm still searching to be honest. I haven't found any decent doctors yet. Like you, I'm fighting this battle on my own as it seems I can only rely on myself. But I'm winning

Good luck with your recovery!

[BristolChris]

I stand by what I said. I have no friends or relitives in the mental health industry and have explained very clearly why I feel the way I do. I'm not going to argue the matter any more.