Reach out, you’re not alone

I know this lady, a gentle, good-hearted soul. She lost her husband under tragic circumstances a few years ago and developed classic symptoms of depression, anxiety and rage. She ceased caring about her appearance and stopped going to work even though she had a good job as a personal secretary where her presence was appreciated by her employer.

It came to a point when she would not get out of bed in the mornings. She would not bathe. She would suddenly find herself fantasizing about stepping in front of a fast moving train. She would go for long, lonely walks by the railway line, dreaming of ending her life. She would suddenly start crying for no reason at all. She couldn't sleep. Her friends and family, out of concern for her, would visit and do the housework and the cooking but the only emotion she would express was anger. She would fight furiously with them and ask them to leave.

She went to a few doctors and one of them prescribed Prisium which she still takes today. She has now returned to work, but deep inside the pain remains. To this date she refuses to see a psychiatrist. The word Psychiatrist scares her, conjuring up as it sometimes does, images of mental hospitals and insanity.

This is sad because she is such a decent, good woman. It is even more sad because a simple prescription of accurate and appropriate medicine(such as modern mood stabilizers and anti depressants) would so easily lift her out of the sadness that pervades her soul.

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I know a man who was very gay as a young lad. This was before the gay rights revolution of the 1980's and he, furthermore, came from a very conservative and rigid background. As a young man, he was depressed, lonely and deeply confused about being gay. He was deeply "in the closet" and far too afraid of rejection to bring up the subject with his friends and family.

The sheer trauma in his soul and the sheer loneliness of being in the closet soon started causing problems for he was a very sensitive young man. He started developing psychotic episodes. His mind would go blank and he would do silly things with no memory at all. When his parents, whom he loved dearly, started scolding him, he would get angry and frightening, traumatic fights would result.

In her desperation, his mother took him to an old fashioned shrink who said he was schizophrenic and prescribed massive doses of anti-psychotics. Modecate, Stellezine and Artane- the usual. It was all downhill from there. He fell to drug addiction and stole to support his habit. He lived on the street and slept in the fish market. He attempted suicide four times but failed. It was really tragic.

There was, however, a single redeeming grace. This young man, gifted and intelligent was a good student who had passed his Advanced Level examination in science and also studied science at university before his illness intervened. He had faith in modern sciences in general and psychiatric sciences in particular. He had, on his own, done extensive reading of psychiatric textbooks and was convinced within himself that he was not schizophrenic. He knew that what he needed to do was to find a good psychiatrist who could help him.

Today he is seeing a modern, progressive psychiatrist who has helped him enormously. He has kicked his drug addiction and sticks rigorously to his new prescription which has made a big difference to his life. Much to the joy of his family and friends he is back to being the effervescent, fun-loving nice guy he was as a youth. His near and dear regard it as a minor miracle, but that is not what it is- it is merely accurate diagnosis and modern neurochemistry.

The whole point of this story is as follows: We are all aware of the massive leaps forward that have been made over the past 20 years in some fields of science- computers, telecommunication and biosciences to name just three, but very few of us are aware of the quiet revolution that has taken place in the world of psychiatry in that period. New concepts, new methods, new treatments and new drugs make modern psychiatry quite different from the mental hospitals and so on of the old days.

Do not lose faith in western psychiatric sciences. If you are in any way anxious, confused, lonely or depressed, as are many people in this country today, please do go and see a good psychiatrist. This is 2007 and not 1927. As in any other branch of medicine or any profession whatsoever, there are good psychiatrists and bad psychiatrists. Find one who does not seem rushed for time and who will listen to what you, the patient, have to say. Ignore those who seem overbearing, patronizing or superior and seek a second opinion if you wish. Be analytical of your psychiatrist's so called "bedside manner".

Remember the old saying that there are three people you should not lie to: your mother, your lawyer and your doctor. If you are not happy with your prescription, find a psychiatrist who will listen to you and adjust it until both you and he are happy. It is a fact that many psychiatric prescriptions need to be adjusted for different individuals.

Don't ever forget that, like all modern medicine, psychiatry is about caring and healing, about human well-being and happiness. Modern psychiatrists are caring professionals with your health at heart.