Doctors - Unsympathetic to anxiety sufferers?

Hi all,

Does anyone else ever feel that their doctor is does not really understand their anxiety disorder, or alternatively, doesn't consider it to be important?

The first doctor I went to with breathing problems when my anxiety began last year dismissed me very quickly. When the symptoms persisted, I returned to see a second doctor who was more sympathetic, and explained that she thought it was anxiety, and specifically, a condition called air hunger.

Despite the fact that I have suffered from this ever since, I have not gone to the doctor again, and have tried to overcome it on my own. I finally returned today, not because of the breathing, but because of a new symptom - a constant band of pressure round my head. This time, I wasn't given so much understanding, and I left feeling as though I had wasted her time.

I'm starting to think that many doctors aren't particularly knowledgeable about anxiety, and tend to write off patients who suffer with it as time wasters, as opposed to people who suffering from what is essentially a mental disorder. I think that until you suffer from anxiety yourself, it's impossible to understand how real the symptoms sufferers describe are - I admit I would have written off someone who described the symptoms I have as a bit of a hypochondriac before this happened to me!

I also wonder if things are the same here (England) as in the US, as I get the impression from reading posts on this website, that doctors in the US are much quicker to prescribe medication such as Xanax or Beta Blockers than doctors in the UK, possibly due to the NHS system in place here. It would be interesting to hear peoples' thoughts on this, and to see if others have had similar experiences with their doctors.

B x

Hi Bambi

I have very often thought that doctors need more training for dealing with mental health issues because, as you say, they seem to regard anxiety sufferers as a waste of time. I have often said in the past that once a doctor has diagnosed you with anxiety, you could turn up at the surgery with a severed arm in a bag and they'd tell you it was down to anxiety.

I do, however, think that maybe giving the condition very little significance is a deliberate tactic to try and reassure the patient and get the patient to give it less significance. After all, how would you react if you went to the doctor and he said "oh my god, do you realise how serious this is?" You'd probably freak out. I know I would.

Take care

Chris

I went three weeks ago again because of the darn panic attacks were so bad
My doctor was on vacation. the covering doctor gave me a prescription for zanax and sent me on my way and to come back for a followup in a week, I went the second week and another doctor prescribed me zanax, trazadone and paxil 20 milagrams to start and put me out of work and to come back the next week
well, yesterday I went to my doctor who I swear thinks I am full of crap. by now im a zombie and feel lousy. well she prescribed me clonzapam to take with the other medicines 3x a day. told me not to drive a car but sent me back to work
I was very uncomfortable with all these medicines and talked to my pharmacist. he wouldnt fill the clonzapam. by the time I got home the nurse at this doctors office told me do NOT take that clonzapam or I will get real sick ya I think Id overdose! well that nurse put me out of work.. funny huh
Needless to say i dont see that third doctor anymore. so be very careful how they prescribe your medicines. I truly believe that pharmacist saved my life

It's true that most doctors don't know how to deal with anxiety. It's not because they don't care but it's just not something they can get to grips with. Medical doctors are trained to deal with organic matters and we still have a long ways to go before the physiology of anxiety is understood.
Also, drugs are a doctor's tools of the trade. If they don't have a drug for it it's outside their expertise.
Despite all this, they should still be understanding and supportive, even when they don't have the wherewithall to deal with the problem.

Yes I have also found my doctor just wanted to fill me with pills, but I took the natural route and went to a psychotherapist and talked through my issues. I honestly believe with all my heart that drugs are not the answer. They will mask what trauma and worry your body holds onto but until you bring that into the conscious, they remain there.

Trust me, I've had a swallowing phobia for 15 years and doctors, shrinks could not fix me. I went into cognitive psychotherapy for 4-5 months, mixing with meditation, and I can't believe the difference. I can go into pub lic, I'm not afraid to eat in restaurants, etc.

Seek your options, is all I can say. Doctors don't necessarily know what's best for each individual.

peace.

hi my doctor talks to me about his 2 golfish chrissy