Dear JC,
Thank you for your valuable perspective which comes from long medical practice
and experience in India and a country other than India. My feeling and near
conviction is that Psychiatric practice in most settings is not sustainable
over a long period of time for the Psychiatrist as the Psychiatrist looks upon
himself/herself as a "SELF-CONTAINED " professional. This leads to loading from
the counter-transference from patients, till some of them reach the tip-over
point and break. Studies have reported that the healing outcome is directly
related to the personal effectiveness of the mental health professional in
his/her own personal life. A Jesuit counsellor has reported that Patients
receiving therapy from therapists(following same system of Psychiatry) have
different outcomes. Helpful outcomes for patients are shown to have a
co-relation to the "effectiveness" of the therapist in his/her personal life.
He therefore says that " an effective
counsellor is one who personalises his own personal deficiency, converts this
deficiency into a goal and takes steps to reach the goal." Furthermore " the
effective counsellor constantly recycles his goals and keeps alive the process
of learning"
When psychiatrists arrogate to themself, whether knowingly or unknowingly, a
power to always help patients, then the first step to destruction is mounted.
Albeit in another branch of Science like thermodymamics it is a truism "THAT A
SELF- CONTAINED SYSTEM ALWAYS COLLAPSES" a similar belief is yet to take firmly
root in Psychiatry. This is where the acceptance of SPIRITUALITY in Psychiatry
by the Harvard Medical School is relevant. Quite similarly belief in an
interacting ,inter-dependent, Cosmos, and a belief in Divine Justice and
Mercy , as well as an Afterlife is the spirituality required to dissipate the
inherent stress of the psychiatric profession. Resort to an Annual confession,
preferably to a Catholic Priest, irrespective of conviction, (because a
Catholic Priest is bound by an oath of secrecy ,quite unlike a psychiatrist
who may report the condition as a " case" after covering identfying details)
could be a useful adjunct, till society
under law legalises and sets up INDIVIDUALS who are authorised to hear
Psychiatrists , and not report the details under pain of life imprisonmrnt,even
if it involves a conflict, whether immediate,expedient or long-term, between
the common good and individuals.The need to be heard and forgiven, and the
process of being heard and forgiven leads to catharsis and wholeness. It
releases the human potential for continued growth.
Warm regards,
Gerry.
P.S. I forgot to assert that the difference between a Psychiatrist and a
Catholic Priest (in the Sacrament of Reconciliation) is that of DEGREE and not
of TYPE. Both discharge similar functions in a world where the human faculty to
listen non-judgementally with unconditional positive regard having its roots in
respect for the human person is fast disappearing.
