Posted by jane d on February 28, 2003, at 11:59:14
In reply to Re: Take psych meds from a DOCTOR only » viridis, posted by ace on February 26, 2003, at 22:41:35
Ace,
You mentioned studying at "uni". Does this mean you are in the UK? I think that the amounts of mental health training and experience received by GP's relative to psychiatrists may vary by country (and throughout time - ones experience 20 years ago probably has little to do with today). Certainly the economic constraints doctors operate under are different in countries like the UK and Canada and the US. This probably affects the attitudes of the doctors you see - it may well affect who chooses to go into psychiatry vs general medicine. Trends in diagnosing and prescribing are definately different - for example historically the US and England drew the line between schizophrenia and bipolar differently and I'm sure there are other examples of this today.
So, to add to this dispute. I think you generally want to see whoever has the most experience with your problem. For run of the mill depression that may well be a GP. For other things, or if you don't respond to the standard antidepressant it makes sense to use a psychiatrist. DISCLAIMER: This opinion was formed by my experience in the US in a major metropolitan area in the last 10 years and may have no relevance anywhere else.
Jane
poster:jane d
thread:201988
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030224/msgs/204657.html