Candy bar reward for psych patients

[Barbarannamated]

I don't know where to post this very disturbing story just told to me by Peer Specialist in my hometown. Hope this is appropriate.

 

Psych care in this economically depressed rural town is worse than the usual 'bad'. In addition to rampant use of bipolar and schizoaffective diagnoses (very few unipolar depression), a large percentage are diagnosed as Borderline PD.

I just learned that the head psychiatrist of the community psych services rewards each patient with a candy bar if they answer all of the questions 'correctly' (e.g. to avoid readmission to hospital) at their regular visits (hearing voices? etc.). Like a pediatrician giving lolipop to a child after getting a shot.

WOW. I've met some of these people and am stunned that this doc gets away with this.

[Altostrata]

This is a great topic for DIY Editorials -- a place for rants, opinion, and observations.

 

Hard to believe bipolar, schizoaffective, and Borderline PD is more common than garden-variety depression, but I'll bet the docs just find it very convenient to prescribe Seroquel for everyone!!