psychiatrist with avpd and very troubled history

[redtear]

I'm a psychiatrist in training. First year out of medical school. And I have my fair share of personal psychiatric history. Depression, some low grade episodes of mania, a bit borderline and very very avoidant.

My patients always like to say, "you wouldn't understant". They don't know that I can, and do, a lot of the time.

Sometimes I wish I could tell them. But I don't think that would be appropriate or fair to them. So I never have.

I was hoping for your opinions on how you would feel if your psychiatrist or therapist shared just a small bit of info with you that let you know they do understand. I don't mean unloading all my problems onto these already burdened shoulders but just a simple "I can relate. I too know what depression/anxiety/fear (insert proper symptom here) feels like." Would this strenghthen or weaken the therapeutic relationship in your opinions?

 

[spearhunter]

That s good that there is a psychiatrist that might understand us.My psychiatrist says I am just a very shy person, so i dont think he knows what it is, but he surely knows the meds that help that condition.

 

[ImNotMyIllness]

I'm a psychiatrist in training. First year out of medical school. And I have my fair share of personal psychiatric history. Depression, some low grade episodes of mania, a bit borderline and very very avoidant.

My patients always like to say, "you wouldn't understant". They don't know that I can, and do, a lot of the time.

Sometimes I wish I could tell them. But I don't think that would be appropriate or fair to them. So I never have.

I was hoping for your opinions on how you would feel if your psychiatrist or therapist shared just a small bit of info with you that let you know they do understand. I don't mean unloading all my problems onto these already burdened shoulders but just a simple "I can relate. I too know what depression/anxiety/fear (insert proper symptom here) feels like." Would this strenghthen or weaken the therapeutic relationship in your opinions?

If you're writing a book, it would be useful for your readers to know that you've been there and have applicable experience in dealing with Depression. But, it may not be such a good idea telling your patients. I think the negative effects of such a disclosure "could" mitigate any benefits.

I think someone like Kay Redfield Jamison is a great case study on what/how/when to disclose personal mental disorders.
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness: Kay Redfield Jamison: 9780679763307: Amazon.com: Books

 

[Opaline]

So you're going to be a doctor, huh? Marry me?

Just kidding.

But wow awesome, I'm jealous. I wanted to be a doctor for a while.

To answer your question I'm really not sure if that's appropriate or not, although I understand what you're saying and I think it shows you're a caring person. Probably best to keep your private stuff private and professional, though.

Although... personally I would feel more of a connection to my psychiatrist if she told me she could relate personally. But I don't know if it's a good idea, even so.

I realize I'm not helping much, haha.

 

[Silatuyok]

I once had a therapist who told us (it was group therapy) that he could understand our problems because he struggled with severe depression when he was younger. It did help, and he was the best therapist I've had. Perhaps putting it in the past tense would be the best way to go, so that your patients don't dwell on the fact that you have current issues you are dealing with.

 

[akala]

I'm a psychiatrist in training. First year out of medical school. And I have my fair share of personal psychiatric history. Depression, some low grade episodes of mania, a bit borderline and very very avoidant.

My patients always like to say, "you wouldn't understant". They don't know that I can, and do, a lot of the time.

Sometimes I wish I could tell them. But I don't think that would be appropriate or fair to them. So I never have.

I was hoping for your opinions on how you would feel if your psychiatrist or therapist shared just a small bit of info with you that let you know they do understand. I don't mean unloading all my problems onto these already burdened shoulders but just a simple "I can relate. I too know what depression/anxiety/fear (insert proper symptom here) feels like." Would this strenghthen or weaken the therapeutic relationship in your opinions?

Yes it may help, I remember my therapist said he felt the same way about something and it was much more reassuring than him staring blankly at me.
Although the more you open up about yourself, some patients may experience stronger transference which may be more struggling for them... just a thought.

 

[MikeyC]

I would love it if my therapist shared a story or two of herself, so that I know she can relate to what I'm saying sometimes. I think she can, anyway, just from what I've inferred.

Good luck with your psychiatry training. I want to do something similar myself.

 

[THeCARS1979]

I'm a psychiatrist in training. First year out of medical school. And I have my fair share of personal psychiatric history. Depression, some low grade episodes of mania, a bit borderline and very very avoidant.

My patients always like to say, "you wouldn't understant". They don't know that I can, and do, a lot of the time.

Sometimes I wish I could tell them. But I don't think that would be appropriate or fair to them. So I never have.

I was hoping for your opinions on how you would feel if your psychiatrist or therapist shared just a small bit of info with you that let you know they do understand. I don't mean unloading all my problems onto these already burdened shoulders but just a simple "I can relate. I too know what depression/anxiety/fear (insert proper symptom here) feels like." Would this strenghthen or weaken the therapeutic relationship in your opinions?

Yeah, I would share a little bit of it so they know you would understand them better and not someone just listening who has a background. I dont think its inappropiate If you had told them a little of what your problem was and move you closer to them and may strengthen your relationship with them.

 

[Lamb]

A little information about your history shouldn't hurt. In my opinion it may help strengthen the connection and level of trust a patient feels towards you. I know of a therapist whose dealt with depression/anxiety for years. Never would've guessed; have a better appreciation for him now.

Also, congratulations. Very admirable going the med school route.

 

[Srijita52]

I think I'd be good if you share an experience or two, I know I can rely on my therapist more when they've had similar experience. There's a limitation though and of course not everyone has depression, anxiety and other issues for the same reason. Good luck! I'm studying to be a therapist myself but I'm worried about the interaction and the studies!

 

[emre43]

I know the reasons why psychiatrists don't open up to clients about themselves, don't agree with the reasoning personally, but a psychiatrist has to make the other person feel as if they are not alone in having their problem. I assume you receive personal therapy yourself as a psychiatrist?

 

[Tommy5677]

I think it's appropriate sometimes. When I coach people on the phone for smoking cessation I will tell them I understand because I struggled with it. They are appreciative of that. You just have to know where to stop.

 

[Hellhound]

It would make me trust them more, so yes, it would help.

 

[Olly]

Like someone said, if you ensure you tell the client that your problems are in the past rather than ongoing, then yes I'd say this would be a great idea personally and I'd say a therapist who has experienced these sorts of problems themselves and overcome them would be more trustworthy and if anything better experienced being able to relate to the client perhaps more than other therapists that had no experience of these problems.

 

[kilojoule]

Honestly,....I'd look for another psychiatrist.

 

[kilojoule]

I say this because, if I was there in the capacity of a patient then I'd be paying for the service of a psychiatrist, not a friend.

 

[redtear]

Thanks everyone for your responses.
I think, from the huge variablility in opinions, that it would probably be best for me to keep these things to myself. At least for now, until I am more experianced and can judge better if this would be something that would be helpful or not on an individual basis. And, not at all until I can say with assurance that it is in my past and not a current issue. And it's probably time I start working a bit harder to put it in my past. And I wanted to say thank you to the person that reccomended "An unquiet mind". I started reading it and am really enjoying it and it helps me to know I am not the only person in the mental health business with their own mental health problems to face. It can certainly seem like I am sometimes.

 

[rosewood]

It depends upon the person you are speaking to, I think. For me it would mean I could feel more trust in your ability to understand what it is that i am going through. But as C-PTSD survivor, that kind of trust building is essential in the beginning. Other people without trauma may look at your shared issues as an obstacle to you helping them. I think you might consider either being completely upfront, or don't disclose at all, and stick with that one choice across the board for consistency.

 

[hexagon_sun]

Go for it! Our society tends to be built along a power structure or chain of command which tends to compartmentalize information limiting the free exchange of ideas. In reality we are niether master or servant; nor teacher or student; nor general or soldier... Ultimately we are all in the same boat. No one is inherently better than another person because they have a skill that the other person doesnt have. We all fit a particular niche. Without the cooperative effort of each individual's role, our society wouldn't exist. So I see no harm in relating to your patients on a human level. It shows them that anyone can be effected by this and lifts the sense of alienation. They feel less like a freak.

 

[ImNotMyIllness]

Thanks everyone for your responses.
I think, from the huge variablility in opinions, that it would probably be best for me to keep these things to myself. At least for now, until I am more experianced and can judge better if this would be something that would be helpful or not on an individual basis. And, not at all until I can say with assurance that it is in my past and not a current issue. And it's probably time I start working a bit harder to put it in my past. And I wanted to say thank you to the person that reccomended "An unquiet mind". I started reading it and am really enjoying it and it helps me to know I am not the only person in the mental health business with their own mental health problems to face. It can certainly seem like I am sometimes.

You're welcome. It's one of my favorite books. She is very inspiring.