With the popularity of books like the ones I shall not name, the fiddy different hues, etc, most people are opening their minds to the idea of a little more, um, kink in the bedroom, kitchen, backseat of their car. This is fine, excellent in fact. Actually my twin, Simone Lisbon book coming out, loves to discuss this very topic. She writes porn so it's going to come up for her a lot. I mean a lot, a lot. Anyway, one place that you shouldn't be open to exploring this concept is in your mental health (therapy) care. If you find you are experiencing it there, it isn't BDSM, it's abuse. Find a new therapist with the quickness.
I have a I-don't-like-you and you-don't-like-me relationship with my psychiatrist. The guy is brilliant with medication and a neurologist. I'm also frugal (cheap) and haven't paid him yet. I said yet. Anyway, I went into the hospital without insurance, so I was stuck with the same guy I had on my last mental vaca and I find that although he is wonderful at what he does, he has no bedside manner what-so-ever. Last time I saw him I had insurance so I let him get away with it. This time I verbally took his head off. People seven miles away heard me yelling at this arrogant jerk.
See, he's a numbers guy. He makes his money by taking on a lot (too many in my opinion) patients so that he can make the money by head count. Don't get me wrong, he's good at what he does, but although I checked myself into the hospital my last two visits, on the last visit he ran out my insurance until they booted me just so he could collect every single cent. Again, money really needs to drop out of our conversations.
He took advantage of me (in my mind) and like I said, I took his head off verbally for it. I knew there would be a consequence for that action and so to get back at me he kept me on 'precautions' (watched like a hawk watches a field mouse) for four days. He was justified by the fact that my yelling top volume appeared quite manic. Oh, yeah, and I was very manic at the time of the incident.
He also ended up ordering a chemical restraint (Lithium/Ativan cocktail) for me. I needed it, but at the time I was just upset that once again this was the guy that was controlling my life. I teased him on my way out the door that I may or may not make good on my bill. I also made sure I didn't sign anything that said I'd pay on my way in, and I spent the last seven days in a mental hospital for free at this point.
Yes, I'm going to pay the bill, but I do like to make this guy sweat it. Unfortunately for him my yelling in his face wasn't just about him. I identified him as an abuser and since my childhood abusers are out of my life, he got the verbal lashing for all of them. I felt better and even accepted my lock down with grace. Well, the chemical restraint made me sleep like a baby for 24 hours and was much needed. I was fighting off a full blown manic episode at the time.
Anyway, all of this got me thinking about abuse among the mental health care system. For example, we started calling a CA (counselor assistant) who was on a 24 hour shift (very common practice) 'Richard'. There were a couple of CAs named Richard, however, I was told I wasn't allowed to shorten their names to 'Dick'.
The guy we started calling 'Richard' at one point told me to shut up. I'm a blabber mouth, but yeah, very wrong way for him to handle that situation. He also told me I'd been manic on a day I was positive I wasn't, or at least for me it was a controlled manic, not the way he intended. He said it two days after the chemical restraint. Every other staff member knew I was back in control and that I wasn't 'manic' as he meant it anymore. See yelling incident above.
Anyway our nicknamed 'Richard' was either having a bad day, or as is often the case, hates his job. That's fine and all, but not really great for my mental health or for me to encounter when I'm trying to get my mind straight. He tried to bait me a lot and reminded me of a Lit troll actually, so I avoided him as much as possible and ran my complaints up the flag pole to his boss, his boss' boss, etc.
A different patient he had conflict with as well took her complaints to our patient advocate at the same time I was tattle-telling to his boss. Miracle of miracle our 'Richard' lost his attitude with a quickness. So there is something that can be done when you come in contact with these people in hospital. I said, "I'm doing me, you do you." a lot on this particular trip. Like I said, I believe our 'Richard' needs to find another line of work.
Basically if you find something douchy going on in or with your therapist you have options, for example, find a new psychiatrist/therapist. If they aren't listening to you, that's a problem. You live in your skin/head 24/7 all your life. You know yourself better than anyone else in the world possibly could. Remember that in your approach to seeking help for mental illness.
If the person you're seeing isn't helping, go else where. This is why I attend support meetings, it's a quick and easy way to find out someone else's opinion on available therapists/psychiatrists. Also I believe the DBSA site has a patient review section too. Check the site out, I'm sure you can find local help although the link is to the national page.
I have a I-don't-like-you and you-don't-like-me relationship with my psychiatrist. The guy is brilliant with medication and a neurologist. I'm also frugal (cheap) and haven't paid him yet. I said yet. Anyway, I went into the hospital without insurance, so I was stuck with the same guy I had on my last mental vaca and I find that although he is wonderful at what he does, he has no bedside manner what-so-ever. Last time I saw him I had insurance so I let him get away with it. This time I verbally took his head off. People seven miles away heard me yelling at this arrogant jerk.
See, he's a numbers guy. He makes his money by taking on a lot (too many in my opinion) patients so that he can make the money by head count. Don't get me wrong, he's good at what he does, but although I checked myself into the hospital my last two visits, on the last visit he ran out my insurance until they booted me just so he could collect every single cent. Again, money really needs to drop out of our conversations.
He took advantage of me (in my mind) and like I said, I took his head off verbally for it. I knew there would be a consequence for that action and so to get back at me he kept me on 'precautions' (watched like a hawk watches a field mouse) for four days. He was justified by the fact that my yelling top volume appeared quite manic. Oh, yeah, and I was very manic at the time of the incident.
He also ended up ordering a chemical restraint (Lithium/Ativan cocktail) for me. I needed it, but at the time I was just upset that once again this was the guy that was controlling my life. I teased him on my way out the door that I may or may not make good on my bill. I also made sure I didn't sign anything that said I'd pay on my way in, and I spent the last seven days in a mental hospital for free at this point.
Yes, I'm going to pay the bill, but I do like to make this guy sweat it. Unfortunately for him my yelling in his face wasn't just about him. I identified him as an abuser and since my childhood abusers are out of my life, he got the verbal lashing for all of them. I felt better and even accepted my lock down with grace. Well, the chemical restraint made me sleep like a baby for 24 hours and was much needed. I was fighting off a full blown manic episode at the time.
Anyway, all of this got me thinking about abuse among the mental health care system. For example, we started calling a CA (counselor assistant) who was on a 24 hour shift (very common practice) 'Richard'. There were a couple of CAs named Richard, however, I was told I wasn't allowed to shorten their names to 'Dick'.
The guy we started calling 'Richard' at one point told me to shut up. I'm a blabber mouth, but yeah, very wrong way for him to handle that situation. He also told me I'd been manic on a day I was positive I wasn't, or at least for me it was a controlled manic, not the way he intended. He said it two days after the chemical restraint. Every other staff member knew I was back in control and that I wasn't 'manic' as he meant it anymore. See yelling incident above.
Anyway our nicknamed 'Richard' was either having a bad day, or as is often the case, hates his job. That's fine and all, but not really great for my mental health or for me to encounter when I'm trying to get my mind straight. He tried to bait me a lot and reminded me of a Lit troll actually, so I avoided him as much as possible and ran my complaints up the flag pole to his boss, his boss' boss, etc.
A different patient he had conflict with as well took her complaints to our patient advocate at the same time I was tattle-telling to his boss. Miracle of miracle our 'Richard' lost his attitude with a quickness. So there is something that can be done when you come in contact with these people in hospital. I said, "I'm doing me, you do you." a lot on this particular trip. Like I said, I believe our 'Richard' needs to find another line of work.
Basically if you find something douchy going on in or with your therapist you have options, for example, find a new psychiatrist/therapist. If they aren't listening to you, that's a problem. You live in your skin/head 24/7 all your life. You know yourself better than anyone else in the world possibly could. Remember that in your approach to seeking help for mental illness.
If the person you're seeing isn't helping, go else where. This is why I attend support meetings, it's a quick and easy way to find out someone else's opinion on available therapists/psychiatrists. Also I believe the DBSA site has a patient review section too. Check the site out, I'm sure you can find local help although the link is to the national page.
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