Your recent article about a local psychiatrist sickened me to my soul. Seldom have I seen such irresponsible journalism. I am a retired psychiatric nurse, formerly married to a psychiatrist.
Psychiatry is not an exact science. There are no written formulas for a diagnosed illness. A “cocktail” of medications for a single illness is as common as the drug combinations for hypertension, cardiac illness, cancer or rheumatoid arthritis.
No physician can know what his patient will do with the drugs she/he is given.
The patient can be admonished not to mix with alcohol, illicit drugs or not to exceed the recommended dosage, but no one, no one can predict human behavior. It is not the physician’s fault if the patient does not follow recommendations.
People who have psychiatric issues do not want to visit a psychiatrist in their town (if there is one) for fear of being seen by acquaintances in the office or parking lot.
They will drive almost anywhere to avoid this. There is still a stigma/psychiatric about this illness even in the medical community.
It is nearly impossible to overdose on Xanax alone.
A psychiatrist requires a urine test from his patients to make sure they are taking them and not selling them on the streets.
As far as a psychiatrist spending seven minutes with a patient, that is common as well. Insurance for most psychiatric illness pays for very small block of time for medication adjustments only.
The old lay down on the couch and talk for an hour is for a visit to a psychologist, not a medical doctor.
This man has been convicted in the news and in the newspaper.
As far as what I¿have read he has done nothing wrong, yet his life is being destroyed. All those involved should be ashamed.
Kentucky, the whole state mind you, has an amazingly high rate of suicides. Kentucky also has an amazingly high rate of drug abuse of all kinds.
Give this man back his license and his life. You’re ruining his life because of baseless allegations.
Maria Johnson
Danville
