Psychiatry is very, very, very interesting! I got assigned to a few patients, including bipolar patients! It's so difficult to interview them because they just talk 100 mph! Initially I felt bad interrupting them, but if I didn't, I'd still be there interviewing them! In the end, I just let them ramble, until I thought of a new question to ask. The human brain is truly amazing. I could be asking about how they slept, and they would respond well, then talk about how they slept in Iowa, and how they could get me a good deal at the hotel next door - things that are completely unconnected and untrue. When the patient got worse, I couldn't even understand them because they were trying to speak so fast they'd end up mumbling.
Another patient had psychosis and apparently pulled a long piece of string from the side of my pants, and started raveling it. All the while, they were doing the motion, and there was definitely no string. Then the patient talked about how everyone in the hospital is acting and out to get them. They would switch from being very nice and smiling to being completely guarded and suspicious and say things like "you're one of them, I'm not going to tell you anymore things" to admiring how our shoes are similar - all in 10 seconds. In the meantime, they get distracted so easily that they couldn't even remember where they were or what year it is. Perhaps they do know, but they just get distracted too quickly to be able to think of the right answer and respond.
Meanwhile, someone else didn't sleep at all the night before, yet still had an insane amount of energy. Every time I said "okay, can we talk about...." they would get ready to get out of their seats and do something. Apparently they were so restless they reorganized all the games in the activity center and drew on the walls. The patient also kept on saying for me and my husband to go visit them, even though I told them that I didn't have a husband. Then they said they could find me a nice doctor to marry. Later on, they gave me a hug - kinda sweet, kinda nice, but also kind of sad b/c who knows if they really meant to give that hug.
One patient was such a nice patient. When I first med them, they were so friendly and said they saw a sparkle in my eye. They later said they were afraid I was going to leave, and gave me a hug. It's so sad because I'm sure the patient was a great person, but this psychiatric problem has left them so dysfunctional. They've been refractory to a lot of treatments, and their current treatment hasn't started to work yet. I really hope they get better!
Another patient had psychosis and apparently pulled a long piece of string from the side of my pants, and started raveling it. All the while, they were doing the motion, and there was definitely no string. Then the patient talked about how everyone in the hospital is acting and out to get them. They would switch from being very nice and smiling to being completely guarded and suspicious and say things like "you're one of them, I'm not going to tell you anymore things" to admiring how our shoes are similar - all in 10 seconds. In the meantime, they get distracted so easily that they couldn't even remember where they were or what year it is. Perhaps they do know, but they just get distracted too quickly to be able to think of the right answer and respond.
Meanwhile, someone else didn't sleep at all the night before, yet still had an insane amount of energy. Every time I said "okay, can we talk about...." they would get ready to get out of their seats and do something. Apparently they were so restless they reorganized all the games in the activity center and drew on the walls. The patient also kept on saying for me and my husband to go visit them, even though I told them that I didn't have a husband. Then they said they could find me a nice doctor to marry. Later on, they gave me a hug - kinda sweet, kinda nice, but also kind of sad b/c who knows if they really meant to give that hug.
One patient was such a nice patient. When I first med them, they were so friendly and said they saw a sparkle in my eye. They later said they were afraid I was going to leave, and gave me a hug. It's so sad because I'm sure the patient was a great person, but this psychiatric problem has left them so dysfunctional. They've been refractory to a lot of treatments, and their current treatment hasn't started to work yet. I really hope they get better!
Thanks for an interesting post, Yi :-) So will I be able to use you as my personal psychiatrist soon? ;-)
ReplyDeletehaha...even if you have bipolar d/o, i won't know what to do! (at least not yet!)
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