The Perceptions of Others
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Today I had the opportunity to overhear two different people, from two different locations, bad-mouth the same person. The person that was denigrated is actually someone that I get along with well enough, and I was somewhat shocked by what I overheard. It seems that people don't just perceive her as a strong-willed woman, but as a controlling bitch that allows her power-struggles to interfere with her competent provision of services. One of the professionals (a psychiatrist) basically said that this person was incompetent because she would not authorize a certain patient to see the psychiatrist, even though in the doctor's opinion the patient was delusional, paranoid, psychotic, and acutely suicidal.
I have a tendency to try to get along with everyone I work with and to conform to the norms of the workplace. However, I wonder if I allow this desire to get along to color my ability to see people for what they are, or if it leads me to accept certain types of incompetence as professionalism. I do know that my workplace is often cynical, and that the mental health system is widely abused for the purpose of gaining a diagnosis in order to apply for social security disability benefits; however, I don't think we can allow the many (not the few...) that are abusing the system to cause us to distrust everyone, and throw up roadblocks to care for everyone either.
I will write another time about the funding issues in the mental health system. It is underfunded and Medi-Cal does not cover certain mental conditions that were caused by drug abuse, brain trauma, or medical conditions. The medical system does not want to treat some of these people either, and they are in limbo, with no benefits, no treatment, and severe mental health issues. Either mental health needs to receive more money to actually help these people, or new programs need to be developed to help treat the need.
Click Here to Enter My Store
Today I had the opportunity to overhear two different people, from two different locations, bad-mouth the same person. The person that was denigrated is actually someone that I get along with well enough, and I was somewhat shocked by what I overheard. It seems that people don't just perceive her as a strong-willed woman, but as a controlling bitch that allows her power-struggles to interfere with her competent provision of services. One of the professionals (a psychiatrist) basically said that this person was incompetent because she would not authorize a certain patient to see the psychiatrist, even though in the doctor's opinion the patient was delusional, paranoid, psychotic, and acutely suicidal.
I have a tendency to try to get along with everyone I work with and to conform to the norms of the workplace. However, I wonder if I allow this desire to get along to color my ability to see people for what they are, or if it leads me to accept certain types of incompetence as professionalism. I do know that my workplace is often cynical, and that the mental health system is widely abused for the purpose of gaining a diagnosis in order to apply for social security disability benefits; however, I don't think we can allow the many (not the few...) that are abusing the system to cause us to distrust everyone, and throw up roadblocks to care for everyone either.
I will write another time about the funding issues in the mental health system. It is underfunded and Medi-Cal does not cover certain mental conditions that were caused by drug abuse, brain trauma, or medical conditions. The medical system does not want to treat some of these people either, and they are in limbo, with no benefits, no treatment, and severe mental health issues. Either mental health needs to receive more money to actually help these people, or new programs need to be developed to help treat the need.
posted by PsychDoctor at
5:28 PM
1 Comments:
I think that you do see people for what they really are, but you are a kind and loving person that overlooks their faults and gets along with them, anyway. Unlike myself, who just merely tolerates the presence of those I deem unworthy, incompetent, stupid, or socially retarded. (there aren't a LOT of them, but some)
The underfunding issues are a problem for you and me. I get to deal with them, because the other systems cannot. It's not fair to that person, but no other alternatives currently exist. Maybe you can fix that?
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