If you saw that the new PDoc that you were about to see was badly rated...

[Locut0s]

would you bother going? The last pdoc that I had I didn't get along with that well. I felt that he was more of a pill pusher than he should have been. But all in all he wasn't absolutely horrible. I ended up not continuing with him however. After the recent breakdown I had I felt I needed to go see someone new though so I made an appointment through my university's health services plan. I just got the call yesterday and have the appointment in a few weeks. But I just looked him up on RateMD an he's rated worse than my last pdoc with some bad stories

http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/68478/Dr-David-Fung-Vancouver-BC.html

In this situation what would you do? Would you still go to see him?

[BainsBane]

1. I would be very concerned

about those reviews saying he doesn't listen. Listening is key to a good psychiatrist. All they do is prescribe pills, but they need to understand how you are responding to the medication. If they devalue your account of that, they have no way to treat you. I'd find someone else.

The fact is most psychiatrists are bad. I'd use that rating system to find someone better. You're lucky to have access to something like that.

[Locut0s]

2. The problem is getting to see anyone takes forever...

Even the bad docs have long wait lists. The good docs often just refuse to see any more people because they can't manage more. Which is a good thing when you think about it, you should be suspicious of a DR that agrees to see as many patients as he can physically find time for. I'm not even sure how to go about seeing these DRs. Usually you need a referral from a general practitioner. Do I just go to my family DR with a name in hand and say, could you send me to this guy?

[BainsBane]

3. Since I'm not in Canada I couldn't say

Obviously you have to keep seeing him until you have someone else, otherwise you can't get your meds refilled.

Is there some sort of mental health organization that can help you? Do you have a social worker/ case worker?

[Locut0s]

4. There are government run mental health resources available...

I saw my last therapist at a government funded health care service. I'm not very clear on what my choices really are though. I don't doubt there is a lot of help out there actually. One thing that's too bad about Canada's health care system is that our universal single parer system doesn't cover seeing a psychologist. I don't have to pay to see a pdoc but if I want to see a therapist or psychologist my options are limited if I can't pay out of pocket. There are some resources, like I said I did see one therapist that was paid for. But a lot of the best therapists are pay per hour and that's f'n expensive

[BainsBane]

5. That's too bad

Therapy is crucial.

[Denninmi]

6. Run like Hell.

My experience with the first one was a nightmare. After the fact, I checked her out - very eye opening, a lot of comments on the rate-the-doctor sites that mirrored my experiences. One person used "Traumatized Former Patient" as a user name. Someone called her a "brutal thug" - I loved that comment, because even though it meant that patient got screwed like I did by this quack, when I read those words my heart soared through the stratosphere in a moment of complete vindication.

[olddots]

7. what sucks is you won't know till you try one.

On line reviews are on line reviews but this fungus guy you should avoid because those reviews were more than bad.

I went through a list of more than 20 given to me by a therapist ---did she know any of them ? probably not ---

ask yourself who you think would be a good match like age ,sex , what they treat and how ,have they worked with someone like you ,
do you think you could tie them in knots mentally or if they are only wanna be therapists that don't have a clue .

see we deserve second opinions too when searching for a shrink -----you don't need a doofus therapist .