# What should one not tell/ask his/her psychiatrist, psycholog, or threapist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-one-not-tell-ask-his-her-psychiatrist-psycholog-or-threapist/649260 "2013-02-03T22:02:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-one-not-tell-ask-his-her-psychiatrist-psycholog-or-threapist/649260/21 "2013-02-05T00:38:35Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > No doctor is going to think you’re a drug addict looking for medication if you ask if an SSRI or atypical antipsychotic is appropriate for your symptoms. This is really only an issue with medications with high likelihood of abuse/addiction, such as benzodiazepines, opiates, and stimulants… I had a doc test me for everything imaginable (including heroin!) upon first seeing me. Why? I have long hair and am male - must be a drug addict. :rolleyes: NEVER say “No doctor would do that” - there are plenty of creeps who make it through med school. That jewel Jocko had living in was a wondeful case - an MD degree and _still_ can’t make a living except as a live-in candy man. I now have script for 2 benzodiazepines (sleepers) and 2 Sch II opiates (pain). I despise needing these, but the alternatives are even less pleasant. Why 2 sleepers? Insurance regs! 2014 is looking sooooo good. Would love to get Lunesta, but no money and no coverage - even when the doc personally asked for an exception in my case. My insurance actually shows, under Lunesta: “Must have prior experience with Ambien” AND “Not Covered” These are different columns on the form - I’m guessing the Ambien rule applies to those whose coverage includes brand name. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-one-not-tell-ask-his-her-psychiatrist-psycholog-or-threapist/649260/22 "2013-02-05T01:25:41Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > I had a doc test me for everything imaginable (including heroin!) upon first seeing me. Why? I have long hair and am male - must be a drug addict. :rolleyes: This is fairly standard procedure for first-time patients, especially in pain management. It has nothing to do with your hair length. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-one-not-tell-ask-his-her-psychiatrist-psycholog-or-threapist/649260/23 "2013-02-05T12:34:48Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > No doctor is going to think you’re a drug addict looking for medication if you ask if an SSRI or atypical antipsychotic is appropriate for your symptoms. This is really only an issue with medications with high likelihood of abuse/addiction, such as benzodiazepines, opiates, and stimulants. My sister was on Seroquel for insomnia, then either rumor went around or users really were getting into seroquel and all of a sudden her doctor wanted her off that and on to ambien. He told her seroquel was being sold on the street the police department had told him.😕 ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-one-not-tell-ask-his-her-psychiatrist-psycholog-or-threapist/649260/24 "2013-02-08T01:37:03Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Child abuse and suicide are best not mentioned - the former can get you jailed; the latter committed against your will. In my opinion, you absolutely _should_ tell your therapist about any suicidal thoughts. Maybe they can help you?? ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-one-not-tell-ask-his-her-psychiatrist-psycholog-or-threapist/649260/25 "2013-02-08T02:29:45Z")
Apparently at least one psychiatrist doesn’t want to hear it if a patient is having a racing heart rate and chest pains and thinks that maybe it would be wise to try a different medicine. :eek: Maybe some psychiatrists do want to hear when patients are experiencing black-box-warning side effects. Can’t be sure which preference the OP might encounter. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-one-not-tell-ask-his-her-psychiatrist-psycholog-or-threapist/649260/26 "2013-02-08T03:06:27Z")
> [@grude](#): > > My sister was on Seroquel for insomnia, then either rumor went around or users really were getting into seroquel and all of a sudden her doctor wanted her off that and on to ambien. He told her seroquel was being sold on the street the police department had told him.😕 This is true. [Seroquel has been making the rounds as a drug of abuse.](http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/07/13/psychiatric_pill_thriving_on_streets_as_sedative/) So have several other drugs that make me scratch my head, like [gabapentin and bupropion](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2848471/). I have to disagree with the assertion that doctors won’t be concerned with drug seeking for SSRIs and atypical antipsychotics. Sometimes, they are, and rightly so. Even if a patient isn’t looking to abuse the drugs themselves, sometimes these drugs are sought so the patient can turn around and sell them on the black market. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-one-not-tell-ask-his-her-psychiatrist-psycholog-or-threapist/649260.md?page=1)