I’ve probably missed a few “hater” subsets. As a field, I believe we’ve gotten better about considering the concerns of those who criticize us. As we work to find better treatments for our patients, we need to remain open to hearing out those who feel they have been wronged by psychiatrists and psychiatric treatments. There are certainly moments when we can learn from the haters and when they can learn from us. Education and open communication go a long way toward letting those who need help actually get it in a way that comforts, rather than antagonizes, the patient.
Other articles:
From Shrink Rap: Top Ten Things That Annoy Me About Psychiatry Haters from Psychiatric Times, May 24, 2012, “Moving Beyond Hatred of Psychiatry: A Brave Voice Speaks Out,” by Ronald Pies, M.D. (May require subscription to Psychiatric Times)
--- by Dinah Miller, M.D.
DR. MILLER is the co-author of Shrink Rap: Three Psychiatrists Explain Their Work, published by Johns Hopkins University Press.