How have docs recently responded to your SI?

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How have doctors (and other healthcare professionals) recently responded to your SI?

I have not been in a situation where a healthcare professional knew that I SI'd.
5
15%
For the most part, they have been polite and understanding.
10
29%
They have always been polite and understanding.
6
18%
Sometimes they were understanding and sometimes they were not understanding.
12
35%
They were always rude and/or not understanding.
1
3%
 
Total votes: 34

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soulstory
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How have docs recently responded to your SI?

Post by soulstory » Sat Aug 28, 2004 12:54 am

About 10 years ago when I first started getting help for SI, having more visible injuries, etc, doctors often responded very negatively to me. Some were sarcastic and some were downright rude. In the last couple of years, I have not been in as many situations where a doctor would see my scars, so I don't know if people in the healthcare field have gotten more compassionate with SI'ers or not.

What has been your experience in the last year or 2 concerning this? Were doctors (and nurses, etc.) helpful and understanding or were they condensending and rude? In your experience, what has helped when dealing with them and what has not helped?
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Post by scarlit_sky » Sat Aug 28, 2004 4:06 am

*SI*





Well, I put that they have always been polite and understanding. When I had to go to the ER for stitches, the doctor's asked if I was trying to kill myself, I told them no (which for the record, I wasn't trying to kill myself, the cut just happened to be directly over the vein and gaping open) and they said "so you're a cutter?" I didn't really know how to answer that, cuz I didn't expect them to understand. When I went to my Pdoc last week, I had some fresh cuts on my arm, and all she wanted to know was whether I was suicidal, and then to see if the cuts needed medical attention. I've always had good luck with medical people understanding, even when I was in the mental hospital (and the only person who SIed on the adult ward, for 6 of the 7 times that I was there). That luck may be explained by the fact that I live in a University/college town that is known for its liberal views. Maybe, maybe not. Guess I'm just lucky.....
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Post by nisi » Sat Aug 28, 2004 12:52 pm

My gp(general practitioner=family doctor=primary care physician?) saw the recent si when I had my physical the other day... he said "I thought you weren't doing that anymore" and "maybe we need to increase the (psychdrug) dose if you're doing that again". But it wasn't in a bad way. He's the only person I see re: anything.

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Post by Chimera » Sat Aug 28, 2004 2:48 pm

I told my GP about my history of SI when I went in for bipolar meds recently...he just sat and listened, and nodded occasionally. I do think that his reaction would have been different, though, if I had told him that the SI was ongoing.

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Nurses are better than doctors (usually)

Post by veggiegurl » Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:18 am

I had to get sewn up this one time by an ER doc who had stitched me up a few times before, and the ER was not too busy, but he did it on a gurney out by the nurses station and was none too gentle with the needle, and he told me that this treatment was the consequences of my actions. Nice guy. A nurse there was really nice though, and told me he was a jackass.

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Post by fallenshadows » Wed Sep 22, 2004 10:31 am

been in twice for staples recently, once was nto a good experience there they were rude adn unapropriate second tiem I got a different shift or somehtign and they were ok
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Post by demidivine » Tue Sep 28, 2004 9:15 pm

never been sewn up. my pdoc wasn't so good, my first councillor just brought all the stuff back, my doc was very understanding but not too helpful, the best was a lady at a youth information centre. they've all been mostly good about it, but not entirely understanding or helpful, i think mainly because i don't speak so much, or make it clear how bad things really are.

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Post by Eowyn » Wed Sep 29, 2004 3:41 pm

I said they were sometimes understanding and sometimes not. My GP has always been really kind to me even though she doesn't understand. The doctors at A&E either don't say anything about it or get exasperated with me. My normal psych is mostly helpful though he doesn't understand, but sometimes he doesn't take the right approach or makes wrong assumptions. I have seen two other psychs recently. One put me in solitary confinement in a locked room in response to my SI, and the other one took a similar but not so harsh attitude.
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Post by runningforeva85 » Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:05 am

i was really scared when I had to go to get some stiches that the doctor and staff would be rude but I was surprised. They were really nice and understood that I was not suicidal. When I went to the health center on campus, the staff there was incredible, being so kind. I liked was that I wasnt forced into any therapy and that they didnt threaten me or anything just told me that they were worried about me and were concerned.

I guess for me, when I went in and had to get one of my cuts taken care of, I let the nurse know before hand that I SI and that I wasnt suicidal and let them know that I was currently in treatment, well i had a psychiatrist. I dont know how I would handle things back at home though since my parents take me to appts.

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Post by Tamrick » Mon Oct 04, 2004 6:47 pm

I had both good and horrible experiences with doctors... It seemed to depend on their mood and just who they were as well as on how I felt at the time. Mostly they just did their job though and weren't too bad.
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