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Letters to the Editor
Published Online: 6 July 2007

Trust Issues

Pamela M. Pittman, M.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric News
Volume 42, Number 13
https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.42.13.0032b
I read with dismay the article in the March 2 issue headlined “Public Has Trust Issues With Psychiatrists, Says Survey.”
I am always dismayed at the public perception of our discipline. The notion that we are different from other medical doctors is aggravated by such polls' listing psychiatrists separately from medical doctors. It is no wonder that the public doesn't trust us.
We, as psychiatrists, need to work as a group to improve the public's knowledge and perception of us. Here's where we can start: There should be psychiatric units within hospitals that allow for patients to be medically ill. We should always do a review of systems and a medical history on all patients whom we evaluate. We should welcome questions regarding what we do and how we differ from other “therapists.”
Moreover, we must continually strive to educate our patients. If we are stigmatized as “not real doctors,” then they will continue to be stigmatized as not having “real illnesses.”

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Psychiatric News
Volume 42 • Number 13 • July 6, 2007
Pages: 32

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Published online: 6 July 2007
Published in print: July 6, 2007

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Pamela M. Pittman, M.D.
Greensboro, N.C.
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