If you’re getting mental healthcare, please I beg you: don’t stop your appointments without discussing with your doctor or therapist. I see this dynamic too often and I get it but it’s just heartbreaking. I’ll try to break down why it’s such a bad idea…
I’ll focus on people who stop going for their appointments because they’re doing great. (Stopping due to lack of improvement or loss of faith in healthcare is a different discussion.) The problem with this is it reveals a misconception about how mental healthcare works…
The misconception is this: people think mental healthcare is for getting better. And once you get better, why bother seeing the doctor/therapist? You’re doing great! To show why this is a bad idea, let’s talk about cars. (Not that you’re a car, but you get the point.)
There are two reasons you take a car to the mechanic: for servicing to keep it running great and for repairs when it breaks down. The the idea of servicing is to minimise repairs. Sure, you can ignore servicing and just repair as necessary, but you may be forgetting something…
You don’t just spend more money on repairs you could have avoided with servicing: you also lose more time because the car will likely be in the shop for longer. God knows what else you’ll lose by being car-less.
I’m sure you see how this applies to mental healthcare.
I’m sure you see how this applies to mental healthcare.
What I find when people appointments because they’re doing great is they’re thinking of their mental health, not as something to maintain, but as something to deal with and move on. But that’s like a car owner thinking a repair will prevent breakdowns forever…
And before you think the problem is the mechanic (mental healthcare), it’s actually the particular kind of car (the mental illness) and the kind of roads it has to drive on (life experiences). (Mental healthcare has its own issues but that’s also another discussion)…
You don’t have control over the roads: you can avoid the bad ones but even the ones you think are good can go bad. And sometimes the car itself can simply break down. What you do have control over is your attention to the car: your appointments. Please don’t throw that away.
If you’re doing great you might not need more than a couple appointments a year, total of maybe half an hour to an hour. Your doctor or therapist may even discharge you. But let it be a two way discussion. Don’t just go off. It’s for your own good.
Think of your doctor or therapist as a partner in your mental health. I know it can be tough to find one you really feel like this with but try to see it that way. It’s your decision, yes, but why not take advantage of their expertise and get their input? It’s for your own good.
If you know anyone getting mental healthcare, please, please don’t be that person who encourages them to stop. Be that person who supports them and checks that they aren’t ignoring their care and appointments. It’s their decision, but a little nudge sometimes goes a long way.
