Venting I Absolutely Despise Disclosing Mental Health History to Doctors

[Celerity]

If you ever get anxiety or depression or basically anything else "mental" put on your medical records, get ready for nearly every complaint you ever have to be dismissed and downplayed.

My anxiety did not magically manifest as a runny nose and chest congestion, thank you. No, my anxiety is no worse than usual. I am just upset because this is so uncomfortable. Jesus Christ! Will I ever be taken seriously again?

 

[Inthewind]

Sads, man, the health care system is :((

I told my healthcare docter, during the checkups to just check my weight etc type checkups, that they don't get to mention my weight or talk about it because they blame that for most things, like Ive been the same weight for like ever and yet you still want to say my new problems are because of that? No, something is wrong. Stand up to the healthcare when you feel like they are blaming one thing because its easy to. I always hated those check ups because they repeat the same thing over and over pretty much, now I feel like it better because I told them come up with the second most likely cause for things.

 

[d3j3ct3dl0s3r05]

Shite like this is why "lower risk" people are reluctant to seek help before things worsen whilst "higher risk" people get sick of the humiliation and being treated like they're crazy and choose death instead. The whole system needs to be overhauled

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

This is the worst, having valid medical complaints dismissed on the basis of a prior history of anxiety and/or depression. This must be a meme, even in the field itself. I've read countless stories of people developing cancer and other chronic, debilitating conditions whereby early intervention would've been key. But instead it's, you know, anxiety.

Of course, there are also broader issues such as a lack of credibility in general, not qualifying for certain things, or dealing with the ever-present risk of being hauled off or detained somewhere. This is what people don't understand about seeking help. It's a bit like how when you're a kid, and you tell a parent something in confidence, but you notice it's repeatedly used against you in the future. The same happens in romantic relationships.

In any case, it's rarely worth your while disclosing anything, it seems like. The system is designed for you to fail and have your shortcomings used as a means of having external control imposed upon you.

 

[iyusof]

Technically you don't have to disclose. And whatever does, doctor must practise client privilege.

 

[Celerity]

Technically you don't have to disclose. And whatever does, doctor must practise client privilege.

Unfortunately, I am dependent upon trazadone, which I take for sleep. It is on my medical record now. The best I could do is get off of it, but that seems unlikely now. It will perhaps be possible w/ a regular schedule. Work prevents this at the moment.

 

[pidgey]

I had to disclose my mental health issues to my primary care doctor to get a referral to a specialist. Now my SH issues are on my medical records and I really wish I hadn't gone.

 

[fwompie]

If you ever get anxiety or depression or basically anything else "mental" put on your medical records, get ready for nearly every complaint you ever have to be dismissed and downplayed.

My anxiety did not magically manifest as a runny nose and chest congestion, thank you. No, my anxiety is no worse than usual. I am just upset because this is so uncomfortable. Jesus Christ! Will I ever be taken seriously again?

If they refuse to take serious problems seriously, ask them to write down that they won't do anything because they believe it's psychological. If it actually turns out to be worrisome, that's easy money against them OR when you ask them to write it down, they might just take you more seriously. Doctors can be lazy.

 

[carac]

I'm quite split on this one because personally I have learned from research that a lot of physical health problems can be psychological or can be rooted in things like diet and lifestyle. I also had the experience of my Father dieing from an undiagnosed brain tumour which was put down to depression and he was ignored by doctors on many occasion. So I see both sides. I think what it really comes down to is inadequate and lazy doctors and the health care system. When I was young we had a family doctor who would know us and be a familiar face. Now when I go to the doctors I almost see a different person every time, they have no interest in me as a person, they just stare a their computer screen while I talk, do whatever paperwork or admin they need to do and then send me on my way. I think it's very easy for a doctor now to just look at someone, see they are overweight or stressed and just put it down to that and dismiss them when it reality these problems are very complex and not understood very well by modern medicine

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Happened to me. Doctors just aren't that invested in pursuing answers if they aren't immediately obvious.

 

[BojackHorseman]

I agree, it's infuriating! I work in Healthcare myself, not a doctor or nurse, but I am a clinical worker with a degree.
I am fully aware that mental health is actually physical health: mental health affects the body and the brain can be affected by physical and chemical changes.
I have test results that show there may be a deeper issue worth pursuing, yet they still refuse until I see a therapist. I did that, and now they just call me fat. For the record I'm 5ft and weight 150, so yeah I'm thick, but they act like I'm morbidly obese.
I have a positive homogenous ANA, an elevated ESR, and other positive tests they may hint at something autoimmune worth exploring, but they won't do a damn thing unless I loose 50 lbs and I guess go on anxiety meds. I just gave up. Once whatever is wrong with me damn near kills me, maybe then they'll listen.
It's so frustrating to be in Healthcare myself and still feel so powerless.

 

[OpheliasFlowers]

If they refuse to take serious problems seriously, ask them to write down that they won't do anything because they believe it's psychological. If it actually turns out to be worrisome, that's easy money against them OR when you ask them to write it down, they might just take you more seriously. Doctors can be lazy.

I agree with this advice wholeheartedly. After literal years of my complicated assortment of physical symptoms and ailments being dismissed and minimized, and blamed on "your anxiety", I now do exactly that if they refuse to investigate the issue(s) and/or symptoms. They dont like having to document their refusal to requests for certain tests, or simply documenting in my chart that they did nothing in response to physical ailments that are visible and also documented (such as abnormal blood results, rashes, etc). I have to say though its not 100% - some arrogant doctors just don't seem to give a crap and still refuse further investigation. But sometimes, telling them to document their refusal does spur them to do more...and at this point, I'll take whatever I can get out of them to hopefully get some help or answers to my health problems, or some relief. I wish I never had to deal with doctors, I hate them.

 

[MeltingBrain]

If you ever get anxiety or depression or basically anything else "mental" put on your medical records, get ready for nearly every complaint you ever have to be dismissed and downplayed.

My anxiety did not magically manifest as a runny nose and chest congestion, thank you. No, my anxiety is no worse than usual. I am just upset because this is so uncomfortable. Jesus Christ! Will I ever be taken seriously again?

THIS !!

I am going through the same thing! Everything gets pinned on anxiety . No matter what I say , how real my physical symptoms are, they don't trust you ... If I show up to the clinic looking like Shrek , I am half confident , they will say it's because of anxiety.

 

[Celerity]

I agree, it's infuriating! I work in Healthcare myself, not a doctor or nurse, but I am a clinical worker with a degree.
I am fully aware that mental health is actually physical health: mental health affects the body and the brain can be affected by physical and chemical changes.
I have test results that show there may be a deeper issue worth pursuing, yet they still refuse until I see a therapist. I did that, and now they just call me fat. For the record I'm 5ft and weight 150, so yeah I'm thick, but they act like I'm morbidly obese.
I have a positive homogenous ANA, an elevated ESR, and other positive tests they may hint at something autoimmune worth exploring, but they won't do a damn thing unless I loose 50 lbs and I guess go on anxiety meds. I just gave up. Once whatever is wrong with me damn near kills me, maybe then they'll listen.
It's so frustrating to be in Healthcare myself and still feel so powerless.

If you don't mind me asking, what anxiety meds do they want you to take?

 

[LoneFeather]

If you ever get anxiety or depression or basically anything else "mental" put on your medical records, get ready for nearly every complaint you ever have to be dismissed and downplayed.

My anxiety did not magically manifest as a runny nose and chest congestion, thank you. No, my anxiety is no worse than usual. I am just upset because this is so uncomfortable. Jesus Christ! Will I ever be taken seriously again?

People just rlly don't give af

 

[BojackHorseman]

If you don't mind me asking, what anxiety meds do they want you to take?

I've been to a rheumatologist, hematologist, and internal medicine. The rheumatologist and internal medicine doctor didn't say a particular medication, they just kept telling me my symptoms were all in my head and to see a psychiatrist about medication.