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Well, it seems getting any kind of help mental or physical is not going to happen. Nothing the therapist can do about the physical pain. Once it was seen in my medical chart that I was seeing a therapist for depression/anxiety/PTSD-you see, this sharing of information which is designed to improve the quality of care sounds good in theory and also damning when a doctor sees you have mental health issues. Now when I see a doctor/specialist they always point out my mental issues first and ask when I see my therapist again...first off the therapist is not "mine"!
Social anxiety does not help in the situations as I sit there like an obedient child and say nothing. My fault I cannot get help because of the fear of asking or appearing weak.
I am exhausted from trying. Back to the PCP for 6 months for the old age care giving...we do not deserve quality of life because many of us are seen as the dregs of society.
One speaks up even in a positive way or question a treatment one runs the risk of being fired as a patient because of noncompliance.
As far as getting help other than what I can do for myself I have given up... 🙁
Replies to "Well, it seems getting any kind of help mental or physical is not going to happen...."
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@parus
I think that if a doctor begins an appointment by asking for details about my mental health, I would tell him that I'm not there to talk about that. Redirect him to the reason for my visit. Make him stay focused on your physical issue. If he pressed me, I would probably tell him that, yes, depression is worse because of the pain, not the other way around. If I can address the source of the pain, and find a way to reduce it, I'll feel better mentally. I'm pretty sure that if a doctor won't let go of issues that are really none of his business, I'd be looking for another one. My pcp does ask how I'm doing emotionally, but he just asks it because he cares about me. Usually he asks at the end of the appointment. On the other side, I talk about physical health issues with the therapist. I guess I'm just fortunate not to have had doctors minimize what I say or ask. I hate to say it, but it's likely that too many doctors treat male and female patients differently. Sexism is surely alive and well.
Do you have a way to write notes on your phone? I use Evernote, and I have a folder where I write questions to ask the doctor and what I need to talk about. If you have a way to do that, it's possible that when your doctor sees you using it, she/he might be adequately impressed to look at you differently. It's little things like that that make people pay attention. Just a thought.
Jim