Furious Seasons

November 13, 2006

No Longer Lonely

I originally wanted to entitle this post "Booty Call," but nah. Instead, let me point you to this fine article in today's Philadelphia Inquirer, concerning the dating website for the mentally-ill called No Longer Lonely and the fact that some therapists and Psych MDs now realize that they actually need to discuss sex and relationships with even the most profoundly ill of their patients.

It's 2006 and they are just realizing this? Maybe their friendly pharma sales reps didn't tell the docs that such discussions were essential. Sigh. I'll return to this topic another day.

Meanwhile, I want to praise to the skies the work of No Longer Lonely's creator, James Leftwich. The man, who has schziophrenia, provides an important public service for his brothers and sisters.

Sex and relationships aren't the only essentials of living that psych docs do a poor job of addressing with their patients. Another is food. I once fired a psychiatrist after I'd gone through a very bad patch and noticed that I had been unable to eat much during the ordeal. When I raised this as a concern with my doc, he didn't even act as if it were important. It's 2006 and.... Nevermind.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at November 13, 2006 01:37 AM

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Comments

Of course I have something to say. Totally agree that doc's do not think about the patient as a whole human being, a real person. They focus on the mind, the thoughts, the mental stuff.
When I went to the doc, they announced that "wow you have lost 30 lbs. since March" they just seriously congratulated me, and I said, "But I don't know why." Doc: "Just keep doing what youre doing and youll lose more weight."
Doing what I was doing? running wild insane and manic?! Sudden weight loss wihtout reason sounds like something important to me at least.
Basically docs just medicate, they do not appreciate the person as a whole being.

Posted by: Stephany at November 13, 2006 08:27 AM

Well I signed up as The Girl from Ipanema, I don't know why, put a blank form in front of me and I'm inclined to fill it out. I was honest though, included "radical feminism" as a main interest, so it's safe to say I'll be beating them off with a stick. So to speak.

Posted by: flawedplan at November 13, 2006 11:33 AM

I feel like the doctor really needs to personally know you and alot of it depends on your nurses and aides

Posted by: Starry7 at December 2, 2006 03:37 PM