tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425732352511468694.post379977556765315333..comments2023-08-20T04:55:39.436-07:00Comments on Ars Psychiatrica: The Heart of the MatterNovalishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10501890494890617030noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425732352511468694.post-47199397238913226862010-07-22T11:03:56.921-07:002010-07-22T11:03:56.921-07:00Right you are--I didn't mean that one should d...Right you are--I didn't mean that one should distort the diagnosis itself or play Pollyanna. I suppose the point is that because prognosis in psychiatry is so much less precise, to put it mildly, than in other disciplines, one may be more inclined to err on the side of optimism rather than pessimism, lest one's passing frustration induce discouragement.Novalishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10501890494890617030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425732352511468694.post-21696715810983097352010-07-22T10:54:16.915-07:002010-07-22T10:54:16.915-07:00Liked his post.
Re your comment, Novalis,I unde...Liked his post. <br /><br />Re your comment, Novalis,I understand your concern BUT patients and their families alike are afraid of just that. That a doctor will withhold information or a diagnosis, to spare the patient. The fact is, that tho the MD may be wrong, and has only imperfect knowledge and wisdom, it's the patient's life. They should know what you think the problem and the prognosis are. I say this because when our son was diagnosed with autism, it was after literally years of pussyfooting around by his doctors, all of whom knew what the problem was, but none of whom wanted to be the one to give us the bad news. The worst part about the diagnosis was the knowledge that, had it been delivered sooner, we might have done more, known what we were up against, earlier. <br /><br />In psychiatry, diagnoses are not usually "terminal" but of stigmatizing, incurable conditions that will profoundly impact a person's career, family life, chances at love, as well as their equilibrium. I can understand not wanting to discourage a person initially, but they'll figure it out eventually, and better to do so with you than despite you.Retrieverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09036341287285545932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425732352511468694.post-84906067757272601482010-07-21T05:47:58.578-07:002010-07-21T05:47:58.578-07:00It occurs to me that one could never communicate a...It occurs to me that one could never communicate an opinion of a "terminal" *psychiatric* prognosis to a patient, due to risk of a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is therefore a certain disingenuousness at the root of the endeavor.Novalishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10501890494890617030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425732352511468694.post-82201501147676828462010-07-21T01:58:02.320-07:002010-07-21T01:58:02.320-07:00To 'just be there' and watch as death and ...To 'just be there' and watch as death and its pain chariot slowly encroach on an unhelpable life - that's got to be painful.<br /><br />I hope I never cause someone to 'just be there' for me...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com