The worst part is over now that the appointment with the medical service is behind me. It went by no means great, but at least I did not cry afterwards like last time.
The physician took a little more time to ask questions, about 15 minutes, which was the one positive aspect of the appointment. On the negative side weighs in that she tried putting phrases in my mouth that I didn’t mean to say, kept interrupting me, and generally had a brash demeanour.
I wasn’t feeling my best to begin with: slept badly the night before because of anxiety about the appointment; kept confusing words; couldn’t remember which dosage of escitalopram I take, etc. And the doctor’s behaviour made everything even worse.
For example, I had tried to explain why I had not gone back to psychotherapy – that I want(ed) to, but for reasons already discussed on this blog haven’t. She tried to twist it into me saying that because I’d had such a positive experience with my first therapy, I was resisting seeing someone else now and idealising the first treatment. Absolutely not true. If health insurance wouldn’t limit the number of sessions I could have, I’d be way more willing to try things out. And even if, ultimately it was my psychiatrist who suggested to wait with that – and she knows me a helluva lot better than someone who judges me based on a 15-minute-meeting.
The doctor also had never heard of CBASP and when I said that the general consensus is that chronic depression is largely treatment-resistant with standard behavioural therapy, she called bullshit. Whatever, I don’t really care. It’s what the scientific papers say, not my personal opinion. Not trying to convert anyone, least of all her.
Also, she said I was “talking in diagnoses”, not how I felt. Well, last time I tried that with her colleague, he wouldn’t even let me finish. Also, it’s really hard for me to open up to strangers about such personal stuff. There’s a reason why my therapy sessions worked out so well, and that is that he took the time to make me comfortable. I realise the medical service was never meant for that kind of in-depth, trust-gaining discussion, but I had told her half a minute earlier that I suffered from social anxiety, and how at uni I would devote 75% of my energy to not freaking out and 25% to following lectures. It’s kind of a low blow to hold “talking diagnoses” against me after I just divulged that strangers freak me out.
Seven hours since I got out of there, and the knot of anxiety in my stomach only slowly starts dissolving.
Lugubrious Layara 