MHM Magazine

Several weeks ago, I was asked to write an article for Mental Health Matters and was told that the publication is aimed at doctors, not at clients / patients. I was also given considerable latitude with regard to choosing a topic. This was at once daunting and exciting… which topic to pick? Then it occurred to me to ask myself, “What would my clients want to say to their medical practitioners?” If given a voice, what would they wish their doctors to hear? There were several themes that emerged from my clients’ stories about interacting with their doctors, and I have selected three of these to discuss here. In each case, there is plenty of research to corroborate patients’ anecdotal experiences. 1. Clients want their medical practitioners to talk more to them about mental illness and mental health. As we know, good physical health is closely linked to both mental and emotional health. When someone is struggling with one of these aspects, it almost always affects the others. This is why doctors – general practitioners and specialists - should be concerned with their patients’ mental health and emotional wellness in addition to treating their physical ailments. Ideally, the topic of mental health issues should come up early in the doctor-patient relationship, if possible, on the patient’s first consultation, even if the person is seeing the doctor for a reason other than mental health. One way in which doctors can communicate the importance of mental wellness is to screen for it in the same manner that they would screen for physical disorders. Questions about mental and emotional health should be asked during the initial evaluation, along with other questions about a patient’s personal and medical history. Here are a few examples of Bronwen Davies Clinical Psychologist in private practice Rivonia, Gauteng 1bronwen.d@gmail.com MORE THAN JUST MEDICINE Issue 6 | 2023 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 25 MHM