A Visit to the Psychiatrist

[Gary Freedman]

Today I visited my psychiatrist, Didi Bailey, MD. She practices at the McClendon Center in DC. She prescribes my medications. I see another psychiatrist, Abbas Jama, MD, who does psychotherapy. Two psychiatrists and I'm still looney!

[ozzieowl]

I hear you Gary, and so long as you are satisfied and happy - that's all that matters.

[Gary Freedman]

I happen to like the meds I take. Ativan is a tranquilizer that keeps me calm. Yes, it's a controlled substance, but I've been on it or related drugs for years and I don't allow myself to abuse the drug. I'm also on Effexor for depression, and I am very happy with the drug. It keeps me balanced. I find I have a much higher anger threshold on the drug. I used to flip out over the smallest things--now I couldn't care less.

My therapist is a psychiatrist, but he's in psychotherapy training. He knows a fair amount about psychodynamics. I've seen psychologists and have not been particularly impressed with them. Also my psychiatrist's supervisor is a psychoanalyst, so that's good.

[cynthia Hunter]

Hey I love my happy pills the the Doc has me on I dont fell all druged out. without them I am a total BITCH and Is dont mean that in a good way either.
Ozzie owl does have a point it doesnt hurt ever to get a second opinon on anything. A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor with a speciality in psychiatry they are great if there is a promblem physicialy,other wise a psychologist might be what you really need.
Then I makes no difference what anyone else thinks you gotta do what you gotta do !!

[ozzieowl]

Hullo there Gary, nice to meet you, I just wanna say, that it would be a good idea to ask your Doc if you could have a referral to a `Psychologist` NOT a Psychiatrist!!! they are two distinctly different ways of treatment.
I say this because a psychiatrist operates on determining what kind of medication would be suitable,
but who wants to get hooked on all that stuff - most of it is addictive and you have to be weaned off it
- if and when that time comes, however, on the other hand, psychologists are more interested in
uncovering the root cause of our emotion-based `challenges` lol, and I am only trying to help here.
(Yer good lookin too!)