I would agree there are some health providers that are uncomfortable with dealing with mental health issues. I saw a physician where my first visit he struggled to acknowledge I was taking an antidepressant...he was reading a list of medications I was taking and stopped cold when he got to Wellbutrin. He stammered to say it out loud, which part of me was somewhat amused by that.

One the second visit, he spent a lot of time telling me how good I was doing health wise based on the results of several tests that occurred since my first visit. He was quite cheerful. Then a couple of days later I go into my patient portal and see the notes from my visit and the code for depression screening was on my visit notes...he did not do a depression screening, it seemed like his screening was to cheer me up...hmm. The screening has no costs associated with it so the payment was the same whether he did it or not.

I think there is some truth that health care providers have different approaches to deal with patients who have mental health issues. Like the doctor above, some struggle to address it. Some providers are terse and stoic about it (I have had that one too) and you are just another patient on the assembly line. Finally, some of very compassionate, but that can lead to burnout which is a major issue in health care these days. I would also say that patients want to be approached in differing manners as well...some like a direct approach from their providers and some want a more subtle conversational approach. Whichever approach providers take, they all need to create a safe space where the patient needs to feel comfortable and will be heard.