Posted by ShawnThomas on November 9, 2012, at 15:32:30
In reply to Re: playing chess with psychiatry, posted by sleepygirl2 on November 9, 2012, at 10:16:06
> What I kinda thought was interesting is that the poster seems to say that since we don't have the knowledge, presumably, that a dr has, we are limited in our ability to make informed decisions.
> Also, that a lack of insight might prevent us to make proper decisions about medication.
> I guess... But doesn't it all seem terribly paternalistic?
> As in, yes, "grand and benevolent master... Dispense at thy will, we naively accept thy pharmaceutical offerings..."I was trying to be very careful with my language. When I mentioned that *some* people have less insight into their conditions, I was definitely not speaking for everyone. I was thinking of a small subset of cases such as severe schizophrenia, which is often characterized by a lack of insight into one's condition. In a vast number of cases, I believe that clients have much more insight into their conditions than psychiatrists do, and many clients are better informed about some medications than their psychiatrists or family physicians. I think it would be a stretch, however, to suggest that anyone has "perfect" insight into his or her psychological condition. We are all in some sense limited when it comes to understanding the immense complexity of our brains and the full effects that medications can have on our unique selves.
I do have concerns that many sources of psychiatric drug information on the Internet, in some journal articles, and in many textbooks are based on questionable premises and shoddy evidence. There is a real challenge for any of us to understand exactly how many medications affect the brain and whether they are appropriate treatments for certain conditions. I do believe that both doctors and clients are often limited when it comes to making the most informed decisions possible about medications, but this is a result of psychiatry being a field in its infancy rather than a result of people being uneducated or unintelligent. In the end, everyone has to simply try to do the best they can with the limited information that is available.
I think that the vast majority of people who see psychiatrists are capable of educating themselves about medications. This is why I said that the individual has the responsibility for deciding how much self-education is ideal. If someone feels like they are unable to comprehend drug information, they will likely need to rely more on their doctor, family, and/or friends for most of their information. I also think that family and friends can sometimes play an important role in helping people to make better choices about medications.
My view of psychiatry (as well as a variety of other fields such as psychology, theoretical physics, and cosmology) is characterized by a large degree of skepticism. I certainly do not have a paternalistic view of psychiatry. I believe that anyone who has the ability ought to make an effort to learn about any medications that a doctor prescribes, and this is especially true with regards to psychiatric drugs. In many cases, I believe that people should strongly question the pharmaceutical suggestions made by psychiatrists and family physicians. The decision to take a psychiatric drug is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly.
poster:ShawnThomas
thread:1030834
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20121029/msgs/1030945.html