Blind leading the Blind?

[Jayblue79]

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Is it advisable for someone that has a hx of emotional issues to go into psychiatry? Is someone being irresponsible if they do this? Signing themselves up for a long, hard career?

This was a hypothetical question asked to us in a lecture...just wondered what future psych docs thought.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Is it advisable for someone that has a hx of emotional issues to go into psychiatry? Is someone being irresponsible if they do this? Signing themselves up for a long, hard career?

This was a hypothetical question asked to us in a lecture...just wondered what future psych docs thought.

There are "emotional issues" and emotional issues.

If someone has used a difficult personal experience as an opportunity for self-discovery, reflection, and growth, there is no irresponsibility in that.

However, if someone is currently attempting to satisfy their own (or someone else's) emotional needs by taking on the identity of "doctor", using their training as an excuse for emotional voyeurism, and obtaining personal self-validation and gratification from their medical authority and power differential with respect to patients--then there WILL be problems.

 

[notdeadyet]

There are "emotional issues" and emotional issues.

Very impressive use of font emphasis. I'm pretty sure I couldn't do that if I tried...

 

[Sartre79]

However, if someone is currently attempting to satisfy their own (or someone else's) emotional needs by taking on the identity of "doctor", using their training as an excuse for emotional voyeurism, and obtaining personal self-validation and gratification from their medical authority and power differential with respect to patients--then there WILL be problems.

Not sure if the question was slanted toward the personal motivations of people becoming a doctor (unless I'm not interpreting correctly)...I think it was more like "if a person has a Hx of comorbid depression and anxiety, etc...can they/should they take the responsibility of shouldering another person's "emotional baggage"? Can they be an effective psychiatrist?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Not sure if the question was slanted toward the personal motivations of people becoming a doctor (unless I'm not interpreting correctly)...I think it was more like "if a person has a Hx of comorbid depression and anxiety, etc...can they/should they take the responsibility of shouldering another person's "emotional baggage"? Can they be an effective psychiatrist?

Being an effective psychiatrist is knowing how NOT to "shoulder another person's 'emotional baggage'". It is about helping them get the tools they need to shoulder it (or ditch it) themselves.

It's not too different from what I was trying to say--if a person knows what it is like to face down depression and to seek help and to work honestly on recovery--they can look at another's burden with appropriate empathy and detachment. They can understand that their patient's depression or anxiety is not "emotional baggage" that is being transferred to them somehow.

OTOH, a doctor who becomes enmeshed in their patient's problem is not going to be an effective psychiatrist. They may be trying, consciously or subconsciously, to validate themselves or to manage their own "emotional baggage" via their interactions with the patient. This is typically what we would call "Axis II" based behavior, and if the psychiatrist doesn't have insight into this, they WILL be dangerous to the patient and themselves.

 

[whopper]

As usual, I agree with OPD. I agree with the above posts.

It depends on how extreme the emotional issues are. If they are to the point where they're going to make you act unprofessionally, well that would probably make you act badly in any field of medicine.

Everyone has emotional issues to some degree. I don't know how bad or good your case is.

 

[TenaciousGirl]

OTOH, a doctor who becomes enmeshed in their patient's problem is not going to be an effective psychiatrist. They may be trying, consciously or subconsciously, to validate themselves or to manage their own "emotional baggage" via their interactions with the patient. This is typically what we would call "Axis II" based behavior, and if the psychiatrist doesn't have insight into this, they WILL be dangerous to the patient and themselves.

Well Said.

I've heard people say that individuals with "issues" become attracted to the profession. Oh, the irony. Specifically, docs or professors with axis II features. I like to think that those types of people can be found in any profession and that it isn't exclusive to medicine or psychology.

 

[whopper]

I like to think that those types of people can be found in any profession and that it isn't exclusive to medicine or psychology.

I don't know of any hardcore data, but you will notice from time to time that doctors of certain fields tend (in general) to have certain personalities.