When people find out I’m a psychiatrist I tend to get two types of reactions:

1) They stop talking and/or hesitate to share any more of their lives and 2) “Analyze me” and “I’ve got this friend who...” Either way, the flow of the fellowship is momentarily paused until a few stereotypes about shrinks can be debunked. Being a Christian in the mental health field, I often get a privileged window into the soul that requires me to be more of a pastor than a physician. Why do I do what I do? Despite the irresistible, yet obvious pun, no I am not crazy. What a challenge it is to serve my brothers and sisters in a way that few dare to venture. Truly, the lost find little encouragement from the world. Although we’ve come a long way in the mental health field, the stigma still exists.

So where does mental health play a role in spiritual matters? Far too often, folks get labeled by others as ‘weak-willed’ or with ‘low morals.’ This is especially apparent in those afflicted with various addictions such as alcoholism or drug dependence. Furthermore, individuals affected with ‘more legitimate’ illnesses such as major depressive disorder or schizophrenia are also not seen by the public as ‘worthy’ of medical treatment as compared to medical conditions such as diabetes or hypertension. Speaking as a representative for my patients and their families, certain disorders will require long-term, perhaps life-long, medication management. Similar to a patient on blood pressure medications, someone suffering from Bipolar Disorder (formerly Manic-Depression) will likely need baseline medication from the drug class known as mood stabilizers. Similar consequences arise when patients ‘feel good without the meds’ and attempt to cope without the prescribed treatment. Strokes and death can result from the former whereas detrimental spending sprees and elaborate extra-marital affairs may occur with the latter.

Do I see pills as the cure all? Hardly. Rather, these are simply bandages to temporize until a psycho-surgery can take place. It is when therapy occurs that the true healing process begins. I realize that I am in the minority for psychiatrists. Let me explain...because psychiatrists are fully-trained MD’s or DO’s (who graduated from a 4-yr medical school program), we are able to prescribe medications. This is something exclusive from other therapists such as social workers, psychologists, and counselors. Also, a typical weekly talk therapy session lasts from 30 minutes to 1 hour per patient whereas a monthly medication management visit can be as short as 5-15 minutes. Since these patient encounters can be billed ~same, it is often advantageous and fiscally rewarding for my collegues in psychiatry to only see med management patients thereby forgoing previous training in talk therapy. This is why we are often referred to as ‘drug pushers’ or those who ‘don’t do therapy.’

I see my future practice entailing both aspects: medical and talk therapy. Yes, this would mean a significant pay-cut, but I also realize that an MD won’t be living from paycheck to paycheck either. God has called me to this field and re-affirmed His guidance many times and I am striving to see His face in each of my patients and their families.