Too "complex" for a psychiatrist???

Hi @Phoenix_Rising

I'm noticing big reactions of my own after reading your post and am imaging what you're sitting with right now.

I'm sitting here with you. Let me know what you feel you need around this one?

Pebbles

@Former-Member I super wish this had happened yesterday. I don't have anyone I can talk to now until I see (A) on Tuesday. This is HARD @Former-Member. It felt more ok when I was with my GP...but now I am home by myself and trying to make sense of this. My GP was pretty upset about it. She is constantly trying to be positive and reassuring me that we have options...but today she told me that she felt like we have really hit a wall. We are stuck now. Where exactly do you go for help after the psychiatrist refuses to see you??? Oh and would now be a good time to mention that the reason it took so much courage to engage with a psychiatrist is because the last one I tried (in March last year) insisted I tell my entire trauma history at the start of the session, which I managed to do...even though by the time I got through it I was curled up in a foetal position rocking and making weird noises. She was much kinder after we got through that bit and I arranged a second appointment with the receptionist. The psychiatrist called me the next day and told me she wouldn't treat me. So...that was my last experience with a psychiatrist...and now I'm having this adventure. Nope, really not coping well with this.

Totally understandable that you're not coping well with this one @Phoenix_Rising it's big stuff.

I'm pleased to hear you're GP was with you when they ran through this with you, what a muddle for you to have shared together in that moment. Whenever I see muddle I see pudle- and my hope with puddles is that they can dry up.....My hope is that this puddle dries for you too but until then adventurer....

I'm an advetnurer too 🙂 this life has many adventures for you to explore, this one I know is BIG, but I believe in you @Phoenix_Rising and am here to help you by being here with you.

I hope you can find some kindess to offer yourself this afternoon.

Oh little turtle @Phoenix_Rising I am lost for words - and you know that doesn't happen often

So letting you know I am listening and hearing you - and you can come under my blanket (that you provided for me) with me if that helps in any way.

Zoe

@Former-Member My brain is a puddle because of the muddle.

On the bright side, my brain is SO puddled, that I can't actually feel a lot. I'm not crying or anything, just sitting here rocking and feeling completely bemused by the absurdity of my life. Do you reckon this is a world first? Do you reckon I could win a prize for being the first person ever to be turned away from a psychiatrist for being too "complex" without them even meeting me? I think I should win a prize. I mean, my GP had several psychologists say "no" to seeing me last year when she was trying to help me therapist shop...but this is the first psychiatrist that has turned her patient away without even meeting her. I think my GP is almost struggling with this more than me. I think perhaps I'm more used to the hopelessness and absurdity of the MH system, whereas she is a very new GP and still holds idealistic views...though perhaps not so much after today.

It does seem quite absurd that she, as the GP, is left "holding" the patient. I think we did kind-of sit together in the absurdity of the situation. I am SUPER grateful that I found her. I click with her like I clicked with my uni counsellor. We are just on the same wavelength, it simply isn't that hard to communicate. Thus she, like me, is bewildered by the fact that mental health "experts" refuse to see me.

My GP's preference is that if we were to try again, we shouldn't tell the person my history so that they at least meet me before forming an opinion of me. However, to me, the risk of further harm being done is too high. I mean, seeing someone, having to tell the story and THEN getting told "sorry, too complex" is more damaging than this current adventure. Even though the current situation SUPER sucks, it is better than what happened last year with the psychiatrist (and several psychologists!).

I super super SUPER miss my uni counsellor. She was able to support me via phone/skype from 450kms away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so very VERY grateful that I found Forum Land @Former-Member. I really don't think I would have lasted this long without you guys. Super giant thank you for being...you.

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@Zoe7 wrote:

Oh little turtle @Phoenix_Rising I am lost for words - and you know that doesn't happen often

So letting you know I am listening and hearing you - and you can come under my blanket (that you provided for me) with me if that helps in any way.

Zoe

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Awwww thanks @Zoe7...though I don't need to come under your blanket. That is something I would do for you, as a gift to you. It doesn't work for me...but I super appreciate the sentiment

I simply don't know how to make sense of this muddle. To me, I'm really not that complex. Heck, I don't even subscribe to the medical model so I don't even really see myself as mentally ill. To me I'm just a person who is having a normal reaction to a seriously abnormal situation. I mean gee, the information that the psychiatrist received didn't even include the fact that I'm a sea turtle. See now if that detail was included, I may be open to the idea of being "too complex" because maybe the psychiatrist has never treated a sea turtle before.

@Phoenix_Rising That is probably a bit of a relief little turtle - I am getting used to being under my blanket - but with you being close by with the 'occasional safe touching' for encouragement

I honestly do not know what is wrong with these people - if they think YOU are too complex then there is little hope for any of us in that scenario. I sometimes get the feeling that some 'so-called' professionals thrive on the power and control and that when confronted with someone that is super intelligent and actually 'knows' what they need in terms of help to 'sort out their muddle' that they cannot handle that because they cannot just 'go through the motions'. I so SUPER wish that you could live close to me - and then you could see my psych - not only is she super nice but she listens and acts on everything I tell her. (This probably does not help you one little bit - I am trying to say that there are some good ones out there). The psychiatrist I was initially waiting to see would not even take calls from my GP - she was 'dropped' pretty quickly. My GP was furious - not just with the manner the business was run but they also lied about an appointment being offered to me (everything is automatically logged at the clinic - and quess what - no such call existed) but she was also angry that she was treated with such disrespect as a fellow professional.

Hey @Phoenix_Rising,

the fact that you found your G.P. and your uni counsellor means that it is possible to meet professionals that you 'click' with. You have already met two, and you are likely to meet more.

That's strange that the new psychiatrist said that you were 'too complex' for her to treat. It sounds to me like she has no confidence in her own abilities! Perhaps she is over-worked and doesn't want to admit she can't handle any more patients. Still, she should have suggested someone else for you to see. That fact that she couldn't recommend another professional is odd. It's like she doesn't know enough people or something. Again, maybe she is just over-worked and doesn't have the energy to put into helping.

It's really up to your G.P. to find you someone to treat you. That's their job.

Here's something that happened when I was working in a rural pubic hospital: A man was having some elective surgery. He had a violent criminal history. At his initial appointment with the surgeon, he threatened to attack to attack the surgeon. How scary.

But wait: the man still got put on the waiting list and when his number was up, he had his surgery with the surgeon who he had threatened! Everything just went ahead as usual.

My point is; some doctors have an extremely high tolerance for patients and will do what is in their best interest.

And, of course, some doctors don't. Please don't take this whole incident as a reflection on you, @Phoenix_Rising. That psychiatrist probably just has a very low tolerance threshold. She probably puts a lot of patients in the 'too hard' basket.

Can you imagine that psychiatrist coming into this forum... you, the sea turtle and me, the little yellow man, then you have @Former-Member sitting over there .... but that's what's great about this place...

I'm dumbfounded by this situation.

All I can do is reiterate that we're here for you and we think you are a wonderful human being / turtle

@Phoenix_Rising Not the first to be turned away, I beat you to that one, I'm also too complex!!!!I am soooo sorry, as I know how you feel. It is a hard situation to be facing, very hard.

You were very brave to share your trauma with your last psych, it seems clear to me it's THEIR problem NOT YOURS.

You have some good friends here. Letting you know you are not alone right now.