my doctor and her opinion about faith

i consulted my doctor about my legs that have a rashes. i asked her if my depression is related to my dry skin and hair loss. at first, she suggest scientifically after that she told me the only way can help me to find a peace of mind is from Jesus Christ. i didnt want to answer or argue while she was talking but i couldnt stop myself at that time. i said bible told us, earth is around thousand years but science said, earth is billion years. i told her also, most of japanese they dont believe in god but they have a good economy, low crime rate, and low teen pregnancy. she said "based on statistic on the world. people who have Christ more peace of mind and suffered depression while other people who didnt believe in god or not religious."

i know here in our country which religious have a high statistic of depression..
i know why people still insist their faith even they see what happened in our surroundings because of culture, faith, and social acceptance. can anyone give me other reasons so i can understand them more?

can anyone give me tips what should i do when i cant stop myself to tell what is in mind?


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Permalink Reply by BecaT on February 22, 2011 at 10:48am

So, I have been reading this thread, and this is a problem that I have come across as well.  I have been very hard pressed to find a decent family physician that doesn't have some sort of christian slant.  First, is this illegal?  I was asked upon intake whether i had certian ethical or rleigious beliefs that could influence the treatment I were to receive.  That seemed like a fair question to me, but in reality, is it?  As a doctor, can you not give the correct treatment because your clinet wants to pray for the problem, or believes there isn't a problem?  And second, when I said no, i have no religious beliefs, I am an atheist, I was asked Why? I was pretty shocked, as that is none of their business.  Anyone else have this type of experience?

 

Permalink Reply by Peter Cordel on February 22, 2011 at 12:03pm

Wow, I would be shocked, too, being asked why.  None of your damned business,eh.

It is such a tough situation, sometimes.  I tend to get testy about stuff like that.  The medicos go into defense mode, "this is a hostile patient" or similar nonsense.  Then the patient has a new label, even if unwritten.  I was a Physical Therapist, I have sat in on meetings and have observed these responses about my patients (not for religion but simply for being assertive).  I have a disability and I have some knowledge, so I question a lot; oh the looks I do get.  I wouldn't be surprised if they have me listed as "this one is a butthead.

Mostly, I believe you have to leave your attitude outside the door.  Never take abuse, that is not my point.  Know that you get judged whether it is right or not. 

Ask questions, force them to respond with meaningful answers, but stay calm.

Sorry to have belabored the point but doctors have sooo much medical-legal power, you can get really screwed with one comment of "Patient was not cooperative"  in your chart, especially in worker comp or auto injuries where the law may come into play.

Tolerate no bull shit.  They are no better than anyone else, they merely have medical knowledge and power. Amen, he said to the choir.

Permalink Reply by BecaT on February 23, 2011 at 4:58pm
Thanks for that response.  The part about the doctor noting that I may be a "difficult" client"  was very eye-opening.  Really, I just need to change doctors, because the relationship started off on the wrong foot and has not improved.
Permalink Reply by Peter Cordel on February 23, 2011 at 7:19pm
Good luck, sounds like a good decision.
Permalink Reply by Jennifer Kaufman on February 22, 2011 at 4:02pm
I'll bet the legality depends on locality rules.  I live in West Virginia, and when I (a white woman) picked a primary doc for me and my child "of color" from the rural clinic,  I picked the only "foreign" name.  She is a fairly recent immigrant from somewhere in Asia and this former Jew and my hispanic child do well in the white-bread world.
Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on February 22, 2011 at 9:13pm
Asking about potential impacts of religion on treatment my be required. Some religious groups decline transfusions- such as Jehovah's Witnesses. If you get into a situation where treatment may require transfusion, and you do so without their permission, that is technically assault, and has legal penalties. Ive heard of situations where pork-derived insulin was an issue for Muslims and jews, but I think that product is no longer on the market, not sure.

Now for some reason the federal govt is requiring that questions about ethnicity and language be asked - I don't know why. I think it's to track to make sure that all people receive fair treatment, but I could be wrong.

My impression is that they are increasingly information - intense, overaggressive, and overbearing and it's going to get worse. Again, I could be wrong.
Permalink Reply by Jennifer Kaufman on February 20, 2011 at 8:44pm

what happened with the doctor and this issue?   I hope that there was resolution on your medical troubles.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Lorryslorrys on February 21, 2011 at 6:18am
Permalink Reply by FreeThinker on February 22, 2011 at 6:05pm

Some books that I highly recommend:

 

"59 Seconds" by Richard Wiseman

"Depression Is A Choice" by A.B. Curtiss

"Brainswitching Out of Depression" by A.B. Curtiss (the follow-up book to "Depression Is A Choice", which has more strategies for handling depression). 

 

Also, if you have a strained relationship with your doctor, you might want to seek out a new one.

Permalink Reply by FreeThinker on February 23, 2011 at 5:58pm

The title is very misleading and the author stated in her second book that she did not like the title, but that was what the publisher wanted to go with.  As Curtiss says in the book, no one would intentionally choose depression.  That would be like when Christians say that people choose to go to Hell. 

 

What she means by "depression is a choice" is that when we are depressed and aware that we are depressed, we can choose to redirect our thinking if we are shown how to do it.  The point of the book is to share these strategies for redirecting your thinking out of the spiral of depression and to learn to catch yourself as soon as you start to get depressed.  It is essentially the same concept as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). 

 

Back in 2007, I was in a deep depression and I quit my job of five years because I felt I needed to take care of my mental health before I did something rash.  In hindsight, I shouldn't have quit my job, but when you are in a deep depression, your thoughts arent' rational.  I went to the library and started looking for books on depression.  The first couple I read were a complete waste of time.  Then I went back to the library and came across "Depression Is a Choice".  I sat down and read the first few pages.  It appealed to me.  I ended up reading half the book there in the library and finished it the next day.  It completely changed the way that I viewed depression. 

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