I blanked on a lot of questions today, things I should know, and were in the recesses of my mind, but it’s always hard when you’re put on the spot. As painful as it is to make a fool out of myself, I think few things are more motivating that embarrassment (for better or worse), and it’s the lesson you learn in the setting of embarrassment that often are the stickiest (and the only who is ever really gonna remember is you).
Another things I’ve noticed that I’m not the biggest fan of in psychiatry is the patient who are closed off and don’t want to talk to you, which often times is reasonable. These are often the folks with severe depression or anxiety who are tired of being asked how they are feeling. I don’t blame them, I’m sure it sucks to have to essentially be constantly admitting your pain to some strangers who likely have little understanding if what you are feeling. And in acknowledging that I feel guilty about asking them or even trying to engage them at all.
That said it is gratifying when you can get through to them and that is again part of the art.
Also it balances out because those closed off patient’s are often far outnumbered by the patients that will talk your ear off with all sorts of interesting and sometimes outlandish or ridiculous things.
nANIMOv 