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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Pfinstegg on January 15, 2003, at 11:32:56
Hi.. I wanted to make a comment on LostBoyin North Carolina's post to Dinah. I think the wording was a bit harsh, and could be taken as critical. However, I had been having some of the same concerns about the amount of distress Dinah had expressed over the holidays- the impulses to self-injure, as well as the suicidal ideation. I, also, had been thinking that primary attention to effective medication just then would have enabled her to continue learning and growing in her psychotherapy, as she has been doing, without having to endure such a painful period.
I got the impression that LostBoy had finally found medications which were really helping, and that his post was an effort to communicate that. It is really a challenge to allow freedom of expression without allowing posts which will discourage or put down other posters! I. personally, really value the freedom of expression a bit more- perhaps because I know I will learn more from it.
Pfinstegg
Posted by oracle on January 15, 2003, at 11:40:35
In reply to emphasis on psychotherapy, posted by Pfinstegg on January 15, 2003, at 11:32:56
Too bad every time he comes back to the board
he starts another fight or tells someone off and is blocked. This tends to make one ignore what good points he makes.
Posted by BekkaH on January 15, 2003, at 12:57:08
In reply to emphasis on psychotherapy, posted by Pfinstegg on January 15, 2003, at 11:32:56
> However, I had been having some of the same concerns about the amount of distress Dinah had expressed over the holidays- the impulses to self-injure, as well as the suicidal ideation. I, also, had been thinking that primary attention to effective medication just then would have enabled her to continue learning and growing in her psychotherapy, as she has been doing, without having to endure such a painful period.
>
> I got the impression that LostBoy had finally found medications which were really helping, and that his post was an effort to communicate that. It is really a challenge to allow freedom of expression without allowing posts which will discourage or put down other posters! I. personally, really value the freedom of expression a bit more- perhaps because I know I will learn more from it.> Pfinstegg
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Dr. Bob, I hope you read Pfinstegg's words above. I agree with them completely. Dinah has repeatedly communicated her wish to harm herself. Several months ago, she said she carried scissors around in her purse just in case she feels like cutting herself. I don't know of any psychiatrist in the entire world who wouldn't hospitalize a patient who is so intent on self-injury. Dinah didn't mention this impulse on just one occasion or casually. It is a PERSISTENT PATTERN with her and, frankly, I'm stunned that her therapist doesn't seem to take it seriously. I do hope that she communicates her intent to her psychiatrist as readily and as often as she communicates it to us. In another post, on PSB, she said she wanted her husband to tie her hands, ostensibly to prevent her from self-harm; however, one can also read into that and see some kind of sado-masochistic tendencies (i.e., wanting to be tied up, etc.). I do believe that, in his unique, inimitable way, LostBoy was simply voicing his concern for Dinah's CONSISTENT PATTERN OF SELF-INJURY or WISH FOR SELF-INJURY. You are a psychiatrist, and I think you must have the same concern. Of course, I'm sure there are some patients who TALK about self-injury as an attention-seeking behavior without ever really intending to act on it. There are others that read psychology books and then, either from hypochrondriasis or Munchhausen's Syndrome, manage to develop some of the disorders they read about, because they have not learned healthier ways of getting attention. While that is certainly a possibility, I think, at this point, a PB member who repeatedly speaks about cutting herself should be taken seriously. She should be in the care of a physician and/or hospital that can deal with her illness, and she should be properly treated/medicated. I believe that is what LostBoy was saying in his post. Whether you like him or not, LostBoy is a bright guy who does not "pussyfoot" around SERIOUS ISSUES. When a PB member wishes to harm herself or incessantly talks about harming herself, I would much rather read the words of someone who "tells it like it is."
Posted by Dinah on January 15, 2003, at 13:15:41
In reply to Re: emphasis on psychotherapy=Pfinstegg, posted by BekkaH on January 15, 2003, at 12:57:08
Thank you so much for your concern, Bekka.
I assure you that my psychiatrist and my therapist are both aware of my problems with obsessions.
I also assure you that they are genuine obsessions and not attention seeking behaviors. I don't particularly appreciate the implication that I am seeking attention.
I will not engage in gossip about Lost Boy, so I will not discuss his part in this.
However, if my attempts to discuss my obsessions here on the board are so upsetting to others, I will not continue to discuss them on the board.
I will instead concentrate on being a supportive person to others. Which, incidentally, if you have any interest at all in the subject, is not infrequently the cause of cutting behavior, along with anorexic behavior. We are usually good girls who try to be what everyone else wishes us to be.
And no, please, no one please reassure me or continue this conversation on my side of it. Of course, feel free to support Lost Boy, although I believe his additional blocking time came from posting before his block was up.
Believe me everyone, no troubles on my part.
Posted by oracle on January 15, 2003, at 14:17:14
In reply to Re: emphasis on psychotherapy=Pfinstegg, posted by BekkaH on January 15, 2003, at 12:57:08
> Dr. Bob, I hope you read Pfinstegg's words above. I agree with them completely. Dinah has repeatedly communicated her wish to harm herself. Several months ago, she said she carried scissors around in her purse just in case she feels like cutting herself. I don't know of any psychiatrist in the entire world who wouldn't hospitalize a patient who is so intent on self-injury.
Actually, no. Lots of people SI and their docs know about it and do not admit them. It is a question of degree and possibility for real life threating harm.
Posted by shar on January 17, 2003, at 15:52:53
In reply to Re: emphasis on psychotherapy=Pfinstegg, posted by oracle on January 15, 2003, at 14:17:14
I agree that lots of people have SI and their docs know it and don't hospitalize them; it always has to be in context with the individual. In fact, one feature I have liked at the Babbles is that I can talk about SI without having a lot of freaking out happen (in real time, one mention of it to most normals means high drama and hysteria...as if things weren't already bad enough...). I hope the Babbles will remain a safe place to lay out feelings such as those.
Shar
Posted by Pfinstegg on January 17, 2003, at 18:50:35
In reply to Re: emphasis on psychotherapy=Pfinstegg, posted by shar on January 17, 2003, at 15:52:53
I agree. I know SI is a common symptom, and certainly something people should feel free to talk about; and it isn't a reason for hospitalization- it's not life-threatening, but rather a way of dealing with emotional pain.
The part that concerned me was the talk of suicidal ideation; that, too, is something everyone should feel free to talk about, as it is a reality for so many of us, and there is so much support available here which really does come from the heart. However, it does make other posters feel worried and concerned. At times like that, we need to know that the person feeling that way is taking the best care of themselves that they possibly can. I think this is where the suggestion of medications came in. They could have been low-dose and temporary, but might have made a difference during that tough time. In my opinion, that was what LostBoy was trying to say; if I had posted about it, I would have expressed the same concern and made the same recommendations (rightly or wrongly). I do not like seeing him banned for such an extended period; I'm not familiar with his previous posts, but did not find anything offensive in his last one- other than a strong difference of opinion.
Pfinstegg
Posted by shar on January 18, 2003, at 1:11:57
In reply to Re: emphasis on psychotherapy=Pfinstegg, posted by shar on January 17, 2003, at 15:52:53
I thought the block being so long was because he was already blocked, and used a different log on to post again (a no-no). Then there was the post itself, which I agree did not strike me as a blocking offense in and of itself...and it wasn't the 'standalone' blocking offense.
I haven't studied all the details, but when dr. bob wrote the blocking post, he said (if I recall correctly) "first, you're already blocked and not supposed to be posting" or some similar thing, which indicated to me that was the main ingredient in the blocking action, and the length of the block was determined by what had gone before (which I believe is standard operating procedure).
Just thought it'd be worthwhile to mention all that for accuracy sake.
Shar
Posted by oracle on January 19, 2003, at 21:48:18
In reply to Re: emphasis on psychotherapy---Pfinstegg, posted by shar on January 18, 2003, at 1:11:57
You can search the archives and draw your own, informed, opinion about lost boy. It is not fair to chastize Dr. Bob for one block when there is a constant history of lost boy being very mean and judgemental here.
This is the end of the thread.
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