Dumb things Mental Health Professionals say

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"I you weren't so messed up, I'd f*** you myself!" -- unknown female psychologist at a New Year's Eve party.

Obviously they've confused autism with psychopathy. Probably one those who view empathy as one dimensional and claim "you can't be autistic because you are capable of empathy."

The first ever therapist I saw at age 18, when I first sought help for my issues, seemed dismissive about my issues. He said that "everyone has quirks" and "we all feel depressed and anxious sometimes". I kind of resented this for a while, but I realized that from his perspective, that's all he saw. The burden of proof was on me, but I didn't have the self-awareness nor the vocabulary to describe my issues, and I was also ashamed to admit some things too because I was still influenced by toxic masculinity at the time.

This reminds me that when I was toddler my mom mentioned to our GP that she thought I was autistic & our GP laughed & said "Nick's just being Nick". That could be said about anyone who has any mental illness or physical illness. For example a person with a broken leg is being the person he can be with a broken leg.

A psychiatrist once told me I could not possibly be asexual because I was married. Apparently all married couples have sex.

"You are my inspiration" - A therapist who refused to acknowledge my mental health issues and continued to call me their inspiration. They kept wanting to hear about my accomplishments and were obsessed with the way I talk. Getting those accomplishments took a lot of work on my part and a huge toll on my mental health, I'm certain this person was just meeting me for their dose of "struggle porn".

"You don't have autism because you are sitting in normally in that chair"

"You don't have autism because you are speaking normally and trust me you don't want autism because it is truly a terrible thing."

My turn. A speech pathologist asked me, why do you need a diagnosis? You’re not autistic don't you think girls (as she tried to shame me by asking her interns) Is it because you want social Security... Idiot! She said this because she racially profiled me.

Dang I'm sorry for moronic response. Gotta love those professionals.

We had one doctor I used to see who we called Dr Paracetamol, because whatever issue we had and I have also heard it from others who saw him, he would say "Take a paracetamol and go to bed".
My brother took him literally, and as he did not libve with us but had his own family, wr didn't know... But he had been taking paracetamol on this doctors advice over several years and had ruined his stomache lining.

One of the doctors said "I must have some sort of allergy" so for years and years I had asked for allergy testing, and also I had been desperately trying to work out what I was allergict to (I do have the odd issue but I know them) and these mystery allergies would not seem to follow any logical allergy like patterns so tracing them got me no where. Turns out they were partial shutdowns and shutdowns but I never knew. Trying to trace allergies set me back some 30 odd years in trying to find out the cause of the issues I had.

My regular psychiatrist was out of the country, so I saw one of her colleagues. This woman recommended I listen to Moody Radio (for those outside the U.S., Moody Radio is operated by an evangelical Christian Bible college). I never went back.

They ask "why?" And don't believe your answer

Then they tell you "why". The reason they tell you is always making someone look as good or bad as possible (prejudice)

"How does it make you feel?". Labelling an emotion sometimes serves a function, but what comes after it?

On my two semesters of psychology I've learned you should never ask the question "why" - rather things like "tell me more about it" or "what were you feeling?".

So, asking "why" is, by my knowledge, unprofessional.

^^^Some Aspies cant describe their feelings & some don't even know what their feeling. I'm one of those, I react. So asking some of those Aspies what they are feeling or were feeling might be a lot of pressure for them & make them feel like their in the hot seat(it would be for me) & we might freeze up & draw a blank or just say the 1st feeling who's name comes into our heads so we can shut the psych up & no longer be in the hot seat.

I know, that's why "tell me more about what happened, what was happening to you" may be a better choice for many Aspies.
Still, my therapy would be completely useless if I wasn't pushed to practice naming my feelings.

I'm from the Anglosphere and have moved to Northern Europe, and since then have had a really negative experience with the psychiatrists who had until now been either very condescending to me or dragging their feet.

1) In an official statement: I should point out that Dexedrine is a drug commonly used recreationally and has a high street value.

2 & 3 are from a diagnosing neuropsychiatrist
2) Your condition gets worse as you get older.

3) A diagnosis code that differs from the statement. The corresponding diagnosis is ~"other disorder in childhood and adolescence" that includes: Thumb sucking, excessive masturbation, nose picking, and nail biting

4) From CB psychotherapist: why do you want a higher salary when you own your home and can pay for it? [content removed]
5) Psychiatrist who decided to recite his poem about depression

6 & 7 are from my current psychiatrists
6) Do you want to go on disability?

7) Well, summer vacation is coming up soon and I'm not going to be around. Let's wait until after to start your ADHD medication.

To be fair, after I had told this psychiatrist that I was applying to university and brought my wife in she has changed her attitude and is actually the best one I've had even in comparison to before I moved.

Last edited by alex on 21 Mar 2020, 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.: removed

I was referred to an Occupational Health shrink by an employer many years ago, after an absence for anxiety/depression, who determined that the root of my mental health problems was a "Messiah Complex" (good luck finding that in the DSM or ICD!)

Since I have been an atheist since as long as I've known, have never believed in pre-destination, have always had a pathological case of "doormat-itis", and can barely get myself to do what I want, never mind aspire to lead anyone else, I can only assume that this was based on the fact that the long, wavy locks I had at the time reminded him of the stereotypical Western images of Christ. I wasn't the only member of staff to suggest that our employer was not getting their money's worth!