huntwc

I saw my psych doc today to evaluate my meds. I told him the truth, that I had stopped drinking 8 days ago and feel better. I admitted that prior to that when I was so depressed and he couldn't find an antidepressant that would help that I had been drinking more often than not. He asked if I had any withdrawal (thankfully no) and if it was hard not drinking and I admitted that it is. He told me it has to become less important to me. He then told me that when he and his wife entertain hardly anyone even drinks anymore, he says he only tosses a bottle or two of wine and a few beer bottles in the trash when the party is over...like it was no big deal. I got offended. I feel as if he does not get that I am not one of his normal drinking or non drinking friends who can take it or leave it. He sees plenty of people in his practice who abuse alcohol and drugs and I think he should be more knowledgeable than this remark reflects. Please tell me if you agree with me or not....I don't trust my early sobriety feelings!!

Anna

Well, it sure sounds like he doesn't understand addiction, so I guess it depends how you feel about that. Do you think he can still be helpful to you, or do you want to try to find a dr who had more addiction knowledge?

PaperDolls

It took me a long time to find a pdoc that I felt "got me".
If you feel like this one doesn't, get one that does.
That's my take on it.
Some people, even doctors, don't get alcoholism or addiction. It's a fact of life.

anitablake

that was an insensitive and offensive statement to make to a newly sober patient. i am 7 days sober and go to a psych too and am on meds blah blah, if he said that to me id definitely be mad. there are a lot of people that dont understand how an alcoholic thinks and thats fine but a doctor should be way more sensitive and considerate to how an alcoholic thinks and feels. anyways especially with only a few days sober i know im a basketcase! happy, sad, moody, crying, numb, hungry, maybe a panic attack, cant sleep, lol, i am a mess.....people should be really nice to newly sober people!

Mark75

I think he was attempting to try and make you feel less stigmatized, whether you felt like that at the time, or not... and what he really did, I'm sure inadvertently, was trivialize it...

I got the same type of response when I had reason to tell my dentist, and well, coming from a dentist, I just blew it off... but it does p1ss me off a little when he has me rinse with listerene... I can handle the listerene now, but at first...

Mmmmm... a psych should have an absolute understanding of alcoholism... he did not demonstrate that to you, for whatever reason... maybe he didn't have the time alloted to do a proper history of your alcoholism... in that case he should have invited you back... and if he didn't, well... maybe search for another psych... one with experience in this area... Call ahead, do a pre-interview, check a web site...