Doctors are sometimes dismissive of you when you have bipolar disorder. Believe me, this is true. Most of us have seen the “dismissive doctor” phenomenon firsthand. And not only are general practitioners often dismissive of bipolar patients but so are specialists and most everyone else in the medical profession (especially in the emergency department of a hospital). This isn’t all doctors, of course, many of us know great ones, but many of us also have also had legitimate medical concerns dismissed because of our bipolar disorder.

What Happens When a Doctors Dismisses a Bipolar Patient’s Concern?

It usually happens like this: The person with bipolar disorder develops a medical concern – often one that is completely separate from bipolar disorder or the associated medications. When the doctor comes into the room to discuss it he seems receptive. Then he picks up your chart and sees that you have bipolar disorder. That’s when he looks at you like you’re crazy and tries to get you out of there as soon as possible, typically while offering no help at all – after all, it’s all “in your head.”

Lest you think this is bleak, dire or inaccurate, let me assure you, many people with bipolar disorder have had this exact experience. It’s night and day being treated by someone who knows you have bipolar disorder and someone who doesn’t.

Why Do Doctors Dismiss Those with Bipolar Disorder?

The answer to this question is complicated. In the case of psychiatrists (yes, they do it too) and emergency room physicians, I suspect it’s because they see the worst of the worst of cases of sick people seeking help. They do see people who are trying to scam them for medications (usually pain medications [Doctors Blaming All Physical Pain on Bipolar Disorder]). They do see people who truly don’t know what’s going on due to psychosis. They do learn not to trust what a person with a serious mental illness says to them. It’s ridiculously unfair, but it’s something that just naturally occurs after enough negative interactions take place.

And I should mention that often the worst dismissive doctor experience is when you’ve attempted suicide and need help just to stay alive. Emergency room doctors tend to treat you like crap. They don’t consider you worthy of their help, I suspect, as you “did this to yourself.” Emergency room physicians typically don’t see suicide for what it is: the symptom of a very serious disease just like a heart attack is. (This is not to suggest that personal responsibility isn’t important, however.)

As for why other doctors dismiss bipolar patients, that one I’m not so sure about. Some would simply point to the cloud of “stigma” that exists around mental illnesses. Okay, I guess. But doctors are educated about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses so if anyone were to have a more realistic view of mental illness, it should be them. For example, there are often medical students in my psychiatric appointments because my doctor is the head of the medical school here. They sit through my session as part of their psychiatric rotation. (Of course, older physicians may not have had this type of training.) But maybe there are other lessons in medical school about what to “watch out for” when dealing with one of those nasty bipolary-type people, I don’t know.

Fighting Not to Be Dismissed By a Doctor Because of Bipolar Disorder

Doctors may dismiss patients with bipolar disorder simply because they have a mental illness. Learn why and how to deal with dismissive doctors.Believe me, dismissive doctors are a real problem for those of us with bipolar disorder and we need to learn to fight back. This is a very hard thing to do, but we know (and everyone needs to know) that we deserve the same quality of care as everyone else.

So, here are a few tips if you have bipolar disorder and are dealing with a dismissive doctor:

  • Stand up for yourself. State what you need. Don’t be shy. Don’t let the doctor intimidate you just because he’s wearing a shiny stethoscope and portends to be better than you. He’s not.
  • Stay calm and collected. This is not always possible, but if you can, try to keep the interaction professional.
  • Be open and honest about what is happening – say it all. Don’t clam up because he’s being an idiot. Say what you went there to say.
  • Don’t leave until there’s a resolution. Don’t leave that office until some resolution is reached. Now, this might be a resolution to see someone else, and that’s okay, but don’t leave feeling like you’ve made no gains.
  • Ask the doctor to explain. If your doctor is giving you crappy answers to your questions, ask him to explain his reasoning. If he can’t do that, something is wrong.
  • Be forthright about your bipolar disorder. If the doctor starts treating you badly the moment he finds out about your diagnosis, confront him with that fact. Say, “I feel you are not listening to me, possibly because I have a mental illness. I need you to treat me like anyone else.” You deserve to be heard.
  • See someone else. If none of the above result in anything useful, then demand to see another doctor (or get a referral to one).

And if all else fails, make a complaint about dismissive doctors. I know this is easier said than done but many find it to be tremendously empowering to do this. No matter what it results in, at least someone heard you. (And you can always write about your experience in a letter to the editor of a newspaper. That can help with your complaint, too.)

You really do have the right be treated with respect and dignity and receive the same quality of healthcare as anyone else. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.

Graphic by Xoneca (Own work based on: File:Fired_stamp.gif) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons.