Comments on: Is Grief a Mental Disorder? No, But it May Become One! http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/ Dr. John Grohol's daily update on all things in psychology and mental health. Since 1999. Sat, 11 May 2013 18:41:03 +0000 hourly 1 By: Katrin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-630088 Katrin Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:24:24 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-630088 German: "Da sind Sohne, und Solche" There are such, and there are such! (except in the german version, such and such are differentiated to mean different such and such.) Like, there are 'psychiatrists' and then there are other 'psychiatrists' (having a real name already says a lot) German: “Da sind Sohne, und Solche”

There are such, and there are such! (except in the german version, such and such are differentiated to mean different such and such.) Like, there are ‘psychiatrists’ and then there are other ‘psychiatrists’ (having a real name already says a lot)

]]> By: Katrin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-630082 Katrin Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:59:10 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-630082 I am fully aware how harmful medications can be. My son was made bipolar for almost seven years from LUVOX, and we spent one whole year trying just about every mood stabler there is to treat the manic depression that was artificially induced, but neither or the psychiatrist was aware off and who did not do this on purpose. If it weren't for me, my son would be dead, so serious were some of the side effects that usually developed when the medicine began to work, like around day 10. The, one day..it's a long story, but my son go into trouble and someone called DHS on him. It turned out the case worker was great and he really listened to me, and he asked for my consent to speak to the psychiatrist, and who in turn ordered me to stop the Luvox without any further explanation. This was the very end of my son's life with bipolar illness and that was 3 years ago, and when he was 17. he is still recovering developmentally from all those years. Those years were so horrible, and I lived in constant fear that my son would kill me and his brother, and that was real. BUT, therapy and therapists have the same potential to do harm, and serious harm, and this is never talked about. I wonder how many patients have committed suicide because of their therapy. And the higher the training of the therapist, the greater the risk. Meaning, one of the idiots we were referred to for my son was not so damaging, because it was so obvious that he was 'an idiot', offering to pay my son for good behavior. (well, considering the $120 I paid him for his therapy, I am sure he could afford it) But with psychiatrists, etc, who do therapy, this is not always so obvious when they do harm, especially since the patient by then is so dependent on them, they cannot leave any longer. And more often than one thinks, the ending is horrible, and where the long term therapist actually ends up kicking out the patient and blaming him/her for everything that went wrong. etc... Does this mean I hate all psychiatrists and therapists? No, i don't, but...I am aware. I am fully aware how harmful medications can be. My son was made bipolar for almost seven years from LUVOX, and we spent one whole year trying just about every mood stabler there is to treat the manic depression that was artificially induced, but neither or the psychiatrist was aware off and who did not do this on purpose. If it weren’t for me, my son would be dead, so serious were some of the side effects that usually developed when the medicine began to work, like around day 10. The, one day..it’s a long story, but my son go into trouble and someone called DHS on him. It turned out the case worker was great and he really listened to me, and he asked for my consent to speak to the psychiatrist, and who in turn ordered me to stop the Luvox without any further explanation. This was the very end of my son’s life with bipolar illness and that was 3 years ago, and when he was 17. he is still recovering developmentally from all those years. Those years were so horrible, and I lived in constant fear that my son would kill me and his brother, and that was real.

BUT, therapy and therapists have the same potential to do harm, and serious harm, and this is never talked about. I wonder how many patients have committed suicide because of their therapy. And the higher the training of the therapist, the greater the risk.

Meaning, one of the idiots we were referred to for my son was not so damaging, because it was so obvious that he was ‘an idiot’, offering to pay my son for good behavior. (well, considering the $120 I paid him for his therapy, I am sure he could afford it)

But with psychiatrists, etc, who do therapy, this is not always so obvious when they do harm, especially since the patient by then is so dependent on them, they cannot leave any longer. And more often than one thinks, the ending is horrible, and where the long term therapist actually ends up kicking out the patient and blaming him/her for everything that went wrong.

etc…

Does this mean I hate all psychiatrists and therapists? No, i don’t, but…I am aware.

]]> By: Katrin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-630078 Katrin Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:25:50 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-630078 PS: And even with therapy, that does not guarantee that one can talk about one's own truth, and for various reasons, of which one is that the therapist may feel like he is the expert, and the one who knows, and decides what is bad and what is not. It is also horrible, when a therapist doesn't allow a patient to change his/her mind, as when one cannot change one's mind, what possibly else can one change? It is NOT ALWAYS denial! Now, Dr. Pies may not be one who does a lot of therapy, like 'therapyfirst', but he listens, and hears, and that matters the most. PS: And even with therapy, that does not guarantee that one can talk about one’s own truth, and for various reasons, of which one is that the therapist may feel like he is the expert, and the one who knows, and decides what is bad and what is not.

It is also horrible, when a therapist doesn’t allow a patient to change his/her mind, as when one cannot change one’s mind, what possibly else can one change? It is NOT ALWAYS denial!

Now, Dr. Pies may not be one who does a lot of therapy, like ‘therapyfirst’, but he listens, and hears, and that matters the most.

]]> By: Katrin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-630077 Katrin Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:10:13 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-630077 Last I want to say something that I think fits with this article and discussion, and with trauma and grief, and all that. What I really appreciated about having cancer was(is), that it doesn't hurt your soul. For me, injury to the soul is the worst of all injuries and pains, and I think of Depression often as being really 'soul sick'. You either cannot, or are not allowed to, or otherwise are prevented from telling about your own truth. This is all for now. Thanks again, Dr. Pies, for listening, as I know you are. Last I want to say something that I think fits with this article and discussion, and with trauma and grief, and all that.

What I really appreciated about having cancer was(is), that it doesn’t hurt your soul.

For me, injury to the soul is the worst of all injuries and pains, and I think of Depression often as being really ‘soul sick’. You either cannot, or are not allowed to, or otherwise are prevented from telling about your own truth.

This is all for now. Thanks again, Dr. Pies, for listening, as I know you are.

]]> By: Katrin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-630075 Katrin Sun, 19 Jul 2009 06:21:34 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-630075 Another thought, and after having done, (read) a lot of research, and listened to so may with this on Breast cancer Forums, etc. It doesn't matter if someone is diagnosed with stage 1 bc (breast cancer), and which is like 98% curable, or another with stage 3, or 4, and which is much more serious, and/or incurable. The grief, or the response, or level of depression, etc, is the same for all groups. I thought that was quite interesting. Another thought, and after having done, (read) a lot of research, and listened to so may with this on Breast cancer Forums, etc.

It doesn’t matter if someone is diagnosed with stage 1 bc (breast cancer), and which is like 98% curable, or another with stage 3, or 4, and which is much more serious, and/or incurable.

The grief, or the response, or level of depression, etc, is the same for all groups.

I thought that was quite interesting.

]]> By: Ronald Pies MD http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-630074 Ronald Pies MD Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:45:57 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-630074 Katrin, Many thanks for sharing your extraordinary journey through trauma and grief--and for reminding us that grief differs for each of us, depending on a multitude of psychological and personal factors. Also, thanks for providing such a wonderful example of getting on with life! ---R. Pies MD Katrin,
Many thanks for sharing your extraordinary journey through trauma and grief–and for reminding us that grief differs for each of us, depending on a multitude of psychological and personal factors. Also, thanks for providing such a wonderful example of getting on with life! —R. Pies MD

]]> By: Katrin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-630072 Katrin Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:23:37 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-630072 PS: When you are diagnosed with cancer, it usually is not nearly as bad as you think it is, and before you had it, and what you thought it would be like. The thing is, that there is just nothing you can do about it, so you just deal with it, PS: When you are diagnosed with cancer, it usually is not nearly as bad as you think it is, and before you had it, and what you thought it would be like.

The thing is, that there is just nothing you can do about it, so you just deal with it,

]]> By: Katrin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-630069 Katrin Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:01:38 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-630069 Dr. Pies, this is a great article. I must confess that this time, unlike almost all the time, I did not read all the comments as I was sort of impatient to comment myself, and to remember what I wanted to say. Just two quick thoughts. First, I was thinking about the so called 'normal grief' that goes with losing a 'loved one'. I have lost two 'loved ones', and it was very manageable because in both cases, we had a chance to say 'good bye', and more importantly, both sides knew that we loved each other. So, the 'loved' actually made it much easier. On the other hand, sometimes grief is much harder when you hated the one who died, especially if this is a parent, or someone close. So, my point about the 'loved one'...well, I already said so. The other regard the comment from Kevin Thompson, PhD, and I agree with his comment a lot. (and I am taking it a step further) People who have not gone through an experience really don't know how they will feel if this happens to them. The most important thing otherwise is to really listen to a person and not assume that you know everything better. (Because, You DON'T) There is so much other involved then the tragic 'thing' we are assuming is everything. (And since i was also carefully listening to your talking about Jim, I would have done exactly the same thing, and I think you did the right thing) Whenever I comment, I usually talk about my own experience and for the purpose of giving a real example. (And I should add that I have had so many experiences in my life, from the best to the worst, and that I value all of them the same) Two years ago I was diagnosed with a severe and deadly, very rare type of breast cancer, that required chemotherapy, surgery and radiation and hormonal treatment. Even then, there is an extremely high possibility of recurrence. I should add, that something horrible had happened to me a few years earlier, an ongoing trauma, that felt like being in combat for years and that I was totally alone with. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I could easily deal with the abusers, as those abusers really could not hurt me so badly. All they could do it kill me. The worst was the betrayal of the so called 'good people', and who hang out their shingles with 'we are here to help'. I never received any help and understanding, and it was so terrible and outside of normal what happened, i had no words for it, plus I was suffering from severe PTSD. So, when I was diagnosed with this cancer, everyone felt sorry for me. Like my neighbor, she told me if she ever was diagnosed with this she would kill herself as she was not as strong as I was. She also told me she would commit suicide if something happened to her son. I didn't say anything, but the truth is that she has no clue what she would actually do in that case. To make a story short, I was not the least bit depressed or even grieving about this cancer. And the medical staff and everyone was so wonderful, in contrast to the other, this was more good than having cancer was bad. also, I felt that now I finally could use the treatment of mutilation, burning, and poisoning to get out 'the other' and it really helped. (I am talking about meaning, and which is not the same as being psychotic) Anyway, this was a healing life changing experience and that is the end. Katrin (unedited) Dr. Pies, this is a great article. I must confess that this time, unlike almost all the time, I did not read all the comments as I was sort of impatient to comment myself, and to remember what I wanted to say.

Just two quick thoughts.

First, I was thinking about the so called ‘normal grief’ that goes with losing a ‘loved one’. I have lost two ‘loved ones’, and it was very manageable because in both cases, we had a chance to say ‘good bye’, and more importantly, both sides knew that we loved each other. So, the ‘loved’ actually made it much easier. On the other hand, sometimes grief is much harder when you hated the one who died, especially if this is a parent, or someone close. So, my point about the ‘loved one’…well, I already said so.

The other regard the comment from Kevin Thompson, PhD, and I agree with his comment a lot. (and I am taking it a step further) People who have not gone through an experience really don’t know how they will feel if this happens to them. The most important thing otherwise is to really listen to a person and not assume that you know everything better. (Because, You DON’T) There is so much other involved then the tragic ‘thing’ we are assuming is everything. (And since i was also carefully listening to your talking about Jim, I would have done exactly the same thing, and I think you did the right thing)

Whenever I comment, I usually talk about my own experience and for the purpose of giving a real example. (And I should add that I have had so many experiences in my life, from the best to the worst, and that I value all of them the same)

Two years ago I was diagnosed with a severe and deadly, very rare type of breast cancer, that required chemotherapy, surgery and radiation and hormonal treatment. Even then, there is an extremely high possibility of recurrence.

I should add, that something horrible had happened to me a few years earlier, an ongoing trauma, that felt like being in combat for years and that I was totally alone with. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I could easily deal with the abusers, as those abusers really could not hurt me so badly. All they could do it kill me. The worst was the betrayal of the so called ‘good people’, and who hang out their shingles with ‘we are here to help’. I never received any help and understanding, and it was so terrible and outside of normal what happened, i had no words for it, plus I was suffering from severe PTSD.

So, when I was diagnosed with this cancer, everyone felt sorry for me. Like my neighbor, she told me if she ever was diagnosed with this she would kill herself as she was not as strong as I was. She also told me she would commit suicide if something happened to her son. I didn’t say anything, but the truth is that she has no clue what she would actually do in that case.

To make a story short, I was not the least bit depressed or even grieving about this cancer. And the medical staff and everyone was so wonderful, in contrast to the other, this was more good than having cancer was bad. also, I felt that now I finally could use the treatment of mutilation, burning, and poisoning to get out ‘the other’ and it really helped. (I am talking about meaning, and which is not the same as being psychotic)

Anyway, this was a healing life changing experience and that is the end. Katrin (unedited)

]]> By: Ronald Pies MD http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-628494 Ronald Pies MD Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:08:37 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-628494 Many thanks for your brave and illuminating story, Ms. Richardson. Your narrative certainly brings home the point I was striving to make in my article: loss does not "immunize" us from depression, and an understandable grief reaction can sometimes evolve into a severe and debilitating depression. Often, the depressed person tries to "self-medicate" with alcohol or other substances, as your story makes clear. I am glad that you finally got the help you needed, and I hope that your life's journey will bring you healing and happiness. --Best regards, Ronald Pies MD Many thanks for your brave and illuminating story, Ms. Richardson. Your narrative certainly brings home the point I was striving to make in my article: loss does not “immunize” us from depression, and an understandable grief reaction can sometimes evolve into a severe and debilitating depression. Often, the depressed person tries to “self-medicate” with alcohol or other substances, as your story makes clear. I am glad that you finally got the help you needed, and I hope that your life’s journey will bring you healing and happiness. –Best regards,
Ronald Pies MD

]]> By: cathy richardson http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-628490 cathy richardson Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:22:37 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-628490 In 1980 I lost my fiancee to a horrific automobile accident. The day after the accident I turned 20. Every year since I cannot help but remember everything on my birthday. Family and friends surrounded me with support etc. I continued to grieve. I drank heavily. I had too much sex. But I continued to go to work in our local hospital as a pharmacy techician. I can recall numerous times being drunk and going to work. My boss let it slide, as he had his own demons to fight. I knew things were not right and I continued down the slippery slope of depression even though I didn't know what it was. All I knew was that I cried all the time and was so sad. I kept everything bottled up and and kept going. I told no one about how I was feeling. My family was tired of hearing it and the friends that I had tried to cheer me up by buying me more booze. I was so desperate that I attempted suicide with pills that I brought with me from work. Luckily a friend stopped by soon after I took them. She was a nurse and had ipecac in a kit in her car. After she made me vomit I begged her not to tell anyone. She never did. But I continued to suffer and continued to slide down the very slippery road of depression. I was so young and hurting so much I did not know what was wrong with me. I had many painful relationships and did all the wrong things to ease the pain. I went to college during those years and graduated on the dean's list despite my frequent and deepening depression. When I was done with school I got married to the husband of my nightmares. Things went very well for the first couple of years. Then things changed. After a while he stopped having relations with me and as a matter of fact after 11 years of marriage I got the message I dreaded to hear. He preferred the opposite sex. I was devastated and angry. I was working in a mental health clinic at the time and the nurses working there had previously noted that I had a real problem. They took me under their wings and finally after all of 12-13 years I got the help that I needed. Back to my marriage...when I got divorced I had 7 years of therapy and medications under my proverbial belt. However, it threw me into a deep pit of darkness all over again. To add fuel to this fire he said that he never loved me. I had my 4th hospitalization. New med changes, thoughts of suicide again rose to the surface. I've been hospitalized 3 more times over the ensuing years. I am now remarried. My meds are working and I am reasonably happy. I can certainly remember feeling all the things the Dr. has written in this article. I very strongly agree that grief can become a debilitating and horrible journey of severe depression. I am now diagnosed as Bipolar II with anxiety. Is it any wonder? I'm sorry that I have rambled on so long, but if anyone is helped by my experience I am gratified. In 1980 I lost my fiancee to a horrific automobile accident. The day after the accident I turned 20. Every year since I cannot help but remember everything on my birthday. Family and friends surrounded me with support etc. I continued to grieve. I drank heavily. I had too much sex. But I continued to go to work in our local hospital as a pharmacy techician. I can recall numerous times being drunk and going to work. My boss let it slide, as he had his own demons to fight. I knew things were not right and I continued down the slippery slope of depression even though I didn’t know what it was. All I knew was that I cried all the time and was so sad. I kept everything bottled up and and kept going. I told no one about how I was feeling. My family was tired of hearing it and the friends that I had tried to cheer me up by buying me more booze. I was so desperate that I attempted suicide with pills that I brought with me from work. Luckily a friend stopped by soon after I took them. She was a nurse and had ipecac in a kit in her car. After she made me vomit I begged her not to tell anyone. She never did. But I continued to suffer and continued to slide down the very slippery road of depression. I was so young and hurting so much I did not know what was wrong with me. I had many painful relationships and did all the wrong things to ease the pain. I went to college during those years and graduated on the dean’s list despite my frequent and deepening depression. When I was done with school I got married to the husband of my nightmares. Things went very well for the first couple of years. Then things changed. After a while he stopped having relations with me and as a matter of fact after 11 years of marriage I got the message I dreaded to hear. He preferred the opposite sex. I was devastated and angry. I was working in a mental health clinic at the time and the nurses working there had previously noted that I had a real problem. They took me under their wings and finally after all of 12-13 years I got the help that I needed. Back to my marriage…when I got divorced I had 7 years of therapy and medications under my proverbial belt. However, it threw me into a deep pit of darkness all over again. To add fuel to this fire he said that he never loved me. I had my 4th hospitalization. New med changes, thoughts of suicide again rose to the surface. I’ve been hospitalized 3 more times over the ensuing years. I am now remarried. My meds are working and I am reasonably happy. I can certainly remember feeling all the things the Dr. has written in this article. I very strongly agree that grief can become a debilitating and horrible journey of severe depression. I am now diagnosed as Bipolar II with anxiety. Is it any wonder? I’m sorry that I have rambled on so long, but if anyone is helped by my experience I am gratified.

]]> By: Ronald Pies MD http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-627866 Ronald Pies MD Fri, 29 May 2009 01:39:46 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-627866 Many thanks for your wise observations, Ms. Brant. It is very gratifying to see a clear appreciation of the complexities and nuances involved in severe, prolonged grief and its treatment. --Best regards, Ron Pies MD Many thanks for your wise observations, Ms. Brant. It is very gratifying to see a clear appreciation of the complexities and nuances involved in severe, prolonged grief and its treatment. –Best regards, Ron Pies MD

]]> By: Mary Jane Hurley Brant http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-627849 Mary Jane Hurley Brant Thu, 28 May 2009 15:51:43 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-627849 Loss and grief is a big topic. In the abstract grief seems manageable but when it is personal: loss of a beloved person, marriage, job, pet or even hope, it becomes much more complicated. The brain is an organ and it can wear out or down just as any other body part can. Some medication, when needed, can make an enormous difference. It can help the swimmer's stroke (speaking metaphorically) be stronger in a rough and turbulent sea. Thank you for quoting William Styron, too, Dr. Pies. I loved that book because it was so bare bones honest. Deep love - when lost to death - will cause deep grief and it can quickly become a major depression. Thank you, too, for your thoughtful article to get people thinking, talking, and considering how to recognize clinical depression. Mary Jane Hurley Brant, M.S., CGP Author of When Every Day Matters: A Mother's Memoir on Love, Loss and Life Simple Abundance Press, Oct. 1, 2008 Loss and grief is a big topic. In the abstract grief seems manageable but when it is personal: loss of a beloved person, marriage, job, pet or even hope, it becomes much more complicated.

The brain is an organ and it can wear out or down just as any other body part can. Some medication, when needed, can make an enormous difference. It can help the swimmer’s stroke (speaking metaphorically) be stronger in a rough and turbulent sea.

Thank you for quoting William Styron, too, Dr. Pies. I loved that book because it was so bare bones honest. Deep love – when lost to death – will cause deep grief and it can quickly become a major depression. Thank you, too, for your thoughtful article to get people thinking, talking, and considering how to recognize clinical depression.

Mary Jane Hurley Brant, M.S., CGP
Author of When Every Day Matters:
A Mother’s Memoir on Love, Loss and Life
Simple Abundance Press, Oct. 1, 2008

]]> By: Ronald Pies MD http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-627539 Ronald Pies MD Fri, 22 May 2009 18:19:04 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-627539 Thanks to JPeers and my colleague, therapyfirst, for their comments. I fully agree that psychiatrists are under enormous pressure to pull out that Rx pad and "write a script"--but the very best ones still resist this pressure, and do indeed provide well-integrated treatment, often including both psychotherapy and (when necessary) medication. For more on my concerns about the practice of psychiatry, please see my blog on the Psychiatric Times website, under "The Couch in Crisis" http://www.psychiatrictimes.blogspot.com/ Related posts are also found on Therese Borchard's website, Beyond Blue http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/2009/05/when-does-grief-turn-into-depr.html Best regards, Ron Pies MD Thanks to JPeers and my colleague, therapyfirst, for their comments. I fully agree that psychiatrists are under enormous pressure to pull out that Rx pad and “write a script”–but the very best ones still resist this pressure, and do indeed provide well-integrated treatment, often including both psychotherapy and (when necessary) medication. For more on my concerns about the practice of psychiatry, please see my blog on the Psychiatric Times website, under “The Couch in Crisis”
http://www.psychiatrictimes.blogspot.com/

Related posts are also found on Therese Borchard’s website, Beyond Blue
http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/2009/05/when-does-grief-turn-into-depr.html

Best regards, Ron Pies MD

]]> By: therapyfirst http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-627534 therapyfirst Fri, 22 May 2009 17:05:22 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-627534 Amen to the above comment. Also, I just want to reiterate that while Dr Pies is not calling for anyone with grief to seek out intensive treatment, I hope he realizes that the status quo these days is for patients to show up at their PCP/internist /obgyn and complain of grief issues and get offered pills, sometimes literally in the next sentence by the provider. Soooo, watch out for what you advocate, because, as I was guilty of this at a more recent posting with Dr Pies, people might misinterpret the message and think you are selling pills for ills that need reassurance and support. That is why I have the alias therapyfirst, to keep that in mind for those who interact with me. Have a nice holiday weekend. Amen to the above comment. Also, I just want to reiterate that while Dr Pies is not calling for anyone with grief to seek out intensive treatment, I hope he realizes that the status quo these days is for patients to show up at their PCP/internist /obgyn and complain of grief issues and get offered pills, sometimes literally in the next sentence by the provider. Soooo, watch out for what you advocate, because, as I was guilty of this at a more recent posting with Dr Pies, people might misinterpret the message and think you are selling pills for ills that need reassurance and support. That is why I have the alias therapyfirst, to keep that in mind for those who interact with me.

Have a nice holiday weekend.

]]> By: jpeers http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/04/is-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one/comment-page-1/#comment-627525 jpeers Fri, 22 May 2009 15:49:13 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2344#comment-627525 Hi - Years ago, I had an excellent experience (no meds) with a psychiatrist who believed in using talk therapy and no meds with teens. It took longer, perhaps, than adding meds to the mix but I was not having depression as a primary issue. I needed to understand myself better - as well as my parents, family dynamics, etc. My grief is based on the fact that nearly EVERY psychiatrist I see today practically throws meds at me. Where is the combo of a good psychiatrist and talk therapist that I knew? Where can people find good counsel these days? Is there hope that the pendulum will swing back and insurance companies won't call the shots, when (clearly, to me, at least) the person doing the medicating should also be observing and being the therapist as well. Hi –
Years ago, I had an excellent experience (no meds) with a psychiatrist who believed in using talk therapy and no meds with teens. It took longer, perhaps, than adding meds to the mix but I was not having depression as a primary issue. I needed to understand myself better – as well as my parents, family dynamics, etc.

My grief is based on the fact that nearly EVERY psychiatrist I see today practically throws meds at me. Where is the combo of a good psychiatrist and talk therapist that I knew? Where can people find good counsel these days? Is there hope that the pendulum will swing back and insurance companies won’t call the shots, when (clearly, to me, at least) the person doing the medicating should also be observing and being the therapist as well.

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