Post by Marina Danilchenko on Dec 1, 2016 23:36:51 GMT -4
At first, I did not grasp the intention of Dr. Gold's commentary but now believe that it is an enlightening and necessary article. It is refreshing to see how a psychiatrist-in training seeks to resolve challenges in her personal and professional life. I appreciate the author's transparency in dealing with those who question her choice of profession as I have also experienced surprise and even condemnation for following my interests in psychiatry. While no other field of medicine is fraught with so much misrepresentation and lack of understanding, I feel that the choice to pursue psychiatry should not be something one has to defend against. Mental health is vastly complex and crucial to the well-being of an individual, as well as to society at large. Reframing the narrative of psychiatric treatment from one consisting of archaic, terrifying practices to one that promotes health is one step towards dismantling society's fears. At the same time, we must try to do all we can to make sure that patients are treated with compassion and kindness, especially in the setting of inpatient psychiatric units, and to bring greater awareness to the situations in which they are not.