I think I had a hypomania episode, and trying to be proactive I went to the hospital. I made the mistake of telling them I smoke cannabis. I smoke because otherwise my Restless Legs Syndrome can be absolute torture even with medication. Today I had a follow up call from the psychiatrist, and was told that if I didn't stop the weed she couldn't do anything for me. For context I'm in Canada (Ontario) where it's completely legal, and I smoke maybe 1g a day (not much); I didn't start till later in life and I'm not exactly an all day all night smoker.
I feel like I was denied treatment because this psychiatrist knows nothing more about weed than the decades of propaganda around it. It was a frustrating and upsetting experience, and I feel it was unprofessional for this doctor to not listen to her patient and deny me treatment.
As I've learned more I'm fairly certain that I've had hypomania lots of times but didn't really clue in, and only sought help for depression through my family doctor. The depression is pretty controlled with Cymbalta but the hypomania is not, and unfortunately it sneaks up on me just like the depression does. It's caused problems at work, and I want to get it under control.
Anyways, I guess I muddle through with the family doctor. :-(. Moral of the story... don't admit to smoking weed even if it's legal. No wonder there are so many of us self medicating and getting by without proper treatment. Our health care system is doctor focused, not patient focused.
I feel like I was denied treatment because this psychiatrist knows nothing more about weed than the decades of propaganda around it. It was a frustrating and upsetting experience, and I feel it was unprofessional for this doctor to not listen to her patient and deny me treatment.
As I've learned more I'm fairly certain that I've had hypomania lots of times but didn't really clue in, and only sought help for depression through my family doctor. The depression is pretty controlled with Cymbalta but the hypomania is not, and unfortunately it sneaks up on me just like the depression does. It's caused problems at work, and I want to get it under control.
Anyways, I guess I muddle through with the family doctor. :-(. Moral of the story... don't admit to smoking weed even if it's legal. No wonder there are so many of us self medicating and getting by without proper treatment. Our health care system is doctor focused, not patient focused.
Comment