She was wearing an oversized cross country sweatshirt and shorts and worn out sneakers, her short, brown hair pulled up into a tight bun. She gazed uncomfortably around the room at the other patients busily talking and greeting each other, but she never said a word. It was my first day attending intensive outpatient group therapy for addictions and the first time I met Jane (name changed for HIPAA purposes). Jane was an alcoholic and bulimic suffering from the two conditions for the past 10 years. She was 26 years old, a track and field star and public relations major at her alma mater, and had until recently held a job at one of the top consulting firms in the country. After observing her, I expressed my concern to the doctors and therapists
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I took this advice and approached her the next day to speak with her about a topic irrelevant to her condition. We started talking about cross country and different awards she had won and I realized she was a vibrant individual with a colorful personality. She gradually became more comfortable with me and other members and I had the opportunity of being present for her psychiatry, psychotherapy, and group sessions. By the end of her month at the clinic, she was offering advice and positive words to newcomers in the group by giving insight into her own life. It was amazing to see her transformation during the short time I was there and though it was just the beginning of a long journey, I was grateful to play a tiny role in her initial improvement. I am thankful to Jane for teaching me firsthand the importance of having empathy and establishing a connection with your patients and strengthening my interest in …show more content…
I remember she was frequently scorned by other family members for being stubborn and difficult to handle. It was not until late in her disease when she repeatedly spoke of attempts to commit suicide that she was taken seriously and shown to a psychiatrist. As I look back now it is heart breaking to realize how much she was misunderstood. This was all only because of the lack of awareness and the stigma associated with seeing a psychiatrist in a country like India. This understanding was cemented as I went through my mandatory and elective psychiatry rotations at Narayana Medical College in India. I witnessed the misunderstanding and devaluation of mental health services throughout the country, which created a stigma surrounding the psychiatric field that significantly hindered overall community health. These rotations not only provided me with increased knowledge and ability to relate to psychiatry, but also helped me understand just how important the full spectrum of mental health care is, from access to excellent clinical
I took this advice and approached her the next day to speak with her about a topic irrelevant to her condition. We started talking about cross country and different awards she had won and I realized she was a vibrant individual with a colorful personality. She gradually became more comfortable with me and other members and I had the opportunity of being present for her psychiatry, psychotherapy, and group sessions. By the end of her month at the clinic, she was offering advice and positive words to newcomers in the group by giving insight into her own life. It was amazing to see her transformation during the short time I was there and though it was just the beginning of a long journey, I was grateful to play a tiny role in her initial improvement. I am thankful to Jane for teaching me firsthand the importance of having empathy and establishing a connection with your patients and strengthening my interest in …show more content…
I remember she was frequently scorned by other family members for being stubborn and difficult to handle. It was not until late in her disease when she repeatedly spoke of attempts to commit suicide that she was taken seriously and shown to a psychiatrist. As I look back now it is heart breaking to realize how much she was misunderstood. This was all only because of the lack of awareness and the stigma associated with seeing a psychiatrist in a country like India. This understanding was cemented as I went through my mandatory and elective psychiatry rotations at Narayana Medical College in India. I witnessed the misunderstanding and devaluation of mental health services throughout the country, which created a stigma surrounding the psychiatric field that significantly hindered overall community health. These rotations not only provided me with increased knowledge and ability to relate to psychiatry, but also helped me understand just how important the full spectrum of mental health care is, from access to excellent clinical