Psychology in Singapore
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This is getting boring. Someone at Military Nuts mentioned a few days ago that other forums were starting to look like the Bar, and the deletions have been made so that it doesn't happen here.
However, since it doesn't appear that anybody besides Gazelle and I are reading this thread, and he'll be the only one reading it if I don't bother, so even deleting is a waste of my time.
On the other hand, if anyone besides Gazelle reads this and is bothered by the intellectual vacuum he introduces to this forum, PM and and I'll gladly do a cleanup. -
hmm my new home...
thinking of taking psycho -
I seriously think you should reconsider.Originally posted by bismarck:hmm my new home...
thinking of taking psycho -
Deleted. Your obsession with me is getting the better of you, Gazelle - I suggest you go see a psychologist to deal with your inferiority complex.
Hey, LOVE your signature! Amazing how you manage to not only contradict yourself but make your ignorance blindingly apparent within such a small word space! -
Biz, have a read of the career-related threads in this forum and get a feel of what the field is like.Originally posted by bismarck:hmm my new home...
thinking of taking psycho
One consideration is where you intend to practice. While there are countries in which psychology is more recognised, Singapore does show some signs of becoming a place where psychology is a growing field. Hell, it sure beats being protested against by a bunch of religious leaders.
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Boring. Deleted.
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why?Originally posted by M©+square:I seriously think you should reconsider. -
Why is that so?Originally posted by M©+square:I seriously think you should reconsider.
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You have got to have a reason strong enough to school in that subject and carry with it for the rest of your life.Originally posted by bismarck:why?
If you're at your crossroad, choices you will make will affect you. Lean on passion and what you can cope with.
This is not a easy subject to talk about. Because Psychology is specialised. -
My view on psychiatry ( not psychology)
The world is too compartmentalised by psychiatry. Every person that behaves, contrary to the norm, is labelled mentally ill. Social stigma and labelling will drive these people to a corner like some animal and they will lash out. Psychiatry creates more problems than solutions. Anti psychotics give out more side effects than benefits. ECT has a health risk. Yet who is to say who is normal and who is not? The people, labelled mentally ill, could view us "normal" people as mentally ill and vice versa. It is just a farce for the medical profession to create a niche job market.
I met people who were diagnosed with depression . It becomes a joke when they are actually reacting to an unexpected situation, like a death in the family. Grief takes time to heal. I would not call them mentally ill just because they are grieving for 2 years. Psychiatry dishes out their antidepressants , hoping to make the person better which in fact makes them even worse- mood swings which changes their personality. Pills are no substitute for treatment . In actual fact, people need psychological support, like friends- a someone to talk to , not goddamn medications, or do something socially to distract themselves (i.e. community activities). -
Its hard for ordinary people to understand if they have never suffer from mental illness. Individuals have a choice whether they want to take medication or not. For most medication helps them reduce their anguish and live a more " normal " live. Some problems cant be " talk away " if only life is as simple as that.Originally posted by fymk:My view on psychiatry ( not psychology)
The world is too compartmentalised by psychiatry. Every person that behaves, contrary to the norm, is labelled mentally ill. Social stigma and labelling will drive these people to a corner like some animal and they will lash out. Psychiatry creates more problems than solutions. Anti psychotics give out more side effects than benefits. ECT has a health risk. Yet who is to say who is normal and who is not? The people, labelled mentally ill, could view us "normal" people as mentally ill and vice versa. It is just a farce for the medical profession to create a niche job market.
I met people who were diagnosed with depression . It becomes a joke when they are actually reacting to an unexpected situation, like a death in the family. Grief takes time to heal. I would not call them mentally ill just because they are grieving for 2 years. Psychiatry dishes out their antidepressants , hoping to make the person better which in fact makes them even worse- mood swings which changes their personality. Pills are no substitute for treatment . In actual fact, people need psychological support, like friends- a someone to talk to , not goddamn medications, or do something socially to distract themselves (i.e. community activities). -
Ppl in SG have little knowledge on mental health as feelings of sucide are just "passing moments" to them. The idea of seeing a doctor is commonly perceived as "Siao".... I once been thru a very bad stage of depression and was being referred to a doc at IMH for sessions and my boyfriend kept calling me "Siao" and my family thought i faked all of it up so i can get sleeping pills... since then i never went back...
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You better now ? Seek help if it is necessary dont care about what others say. They dont understand what you have to go through.Originally posted by subzero_baby:Ppl in SG have little knowledge on mental health as feelings of sucide are just "passing moments" to them. The idea of seeing a doctor is commonly perceived as "Siao".... I once been thru a very bad stage of depression and was being referred to a doc at IMH for sessions and my boyfriend kept calling me "Siao" and my family thought i faked all of it up so i can get sleeping pills... since then i never went back... -
how to seek help?? IMH appointment are set months before, not forgetting the long wait even though u have already booked a appointment... other hospital are charging like $40- $60 per 15mins block... medication not included ok!!! how to go? rather be Siao lor...Originally posted by phobic:You better now ? Seek help if it is necessary dont care about what others say. They dont understand what you have to go through.
My depression is/ should be better already lar... at least now i don't sit on my window with legs swinging out my window on the 11th floor.... nowadays even if i'm really depressed, i'll go drink and drink and drink.... the worst part of my day is every morning when i wake up.... the first question that comes to my mind is "how come i'm still alive" -
If you go private you dont have to wait so long to see a doctor.Originally posted by subzero_baby:how to seek help?? IMH appointment are set months before, not forgetting the long wait even though u have already booked a appointment... other hospital are charging like $40- $60 per 15mins block... medication not included ok!!! how to go? rather be Siao lor...
My depression is/ should be better already lar... at least now i don't sit on my window with legs swinging out my window on the 11th floor.... nowadays even if i'm really depressed, i'll go drink and drink and drink.... the worst part of my day is every morning when i wake up.... the first question that comes to my mind is "how come i'm still alive"
Hope these hotlines here may help.
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=116159 -
Hmm. Sure enough there are a fair few psychiatrists out there who match your description, but there are also a few good ones who are trying to change things.Originally posted by fymk:My view on psychiatry ( not psychology)
The world is too compartmentalised by psychiatry. Every person that behaves, contrary to the norm, is labelled mentally ill. Social stigma and labelling will drive these people to a corner like some animal and they will lash out. Psychiatry creates more problems than solutions. Anti psychotics give out more side effects than benefits. ECT has a health risk. Yet who is to say who is normal and who is not? The people, labelled mentally ill, could view us "normal" people as mentally ill and vice versa. It is just a farce for the medical profession to create a niche job market.
I met people who were diagnosed with depression . It becomes a joke when they are actually reacting to an unexpected situation, like a death in the family. Grief takes time to heal. I would not call them mentally ill just because they are grieving for 2 years. Psychiatry dishes out their antidepressants , hoping to make the person better which in fact makes them even worse- mood swings which changes their personality. Pills are no substitute for treatment . In actual fact, people need psychological support, like friends- a someone to talk to , not goddamn medications, or do something socially to distract themselves (i.e. community activities).
I had the good fortune to work as a research assistant with John Mathai at the Royal Children's Hospital, and he's a psychiatrist who's of the firm view that medication is absolutely the last resort.
One problem you will find in the psychiatric field is inappropriate use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. The key characteristic of DSM-IV is differential diagnosis, by which diagnoses are reached only when all other possible causes of symptoms have been ruled out. Of course, ruling out all other causes is often a long and complicated task, and so I have seen many cases of psychiatrists not performing the differential diagnosis thoroughly.
A classic case of this is ADHD. Research has already comprehensively documented that the presenting symptoms of PTSD in children are very similar to those of ADHD. Proper differential diagnosis is carried out by taking and examining a comprehensive patient history, with particular attention paid to family history. I have seen plenty of cases where practicioners have failed to do so, and kids with PTSD end up diagnosed as having ADHD instead.
Of course, the worst part of this is the medication. They go straight on to Ritalin, with a dose of Catapres at the end of the day to offset the hyperactivity spike when the Ritalin wears off. As you would know, fymk, Catapres is also used to reduce blood pressure - you can just imagine what effects keeping an 8-year-old on Catapres would have after an extended period of time.
Anyway, back to John. He was not satisfied with the diagnostic method, and came across some research into EEG readings showing that hyperactivity episodes are related to increased theta-wave activity and decreased beta-wave activity. John was trying to get funding for research into using EEG as a diagnostic tool - if it can be validated as a diagnostic method, it gets us away from the guesswork that is currently used to diagnose ADHD (and that unnecessarily puts a lot of kids on Ritalin).
So, despite the ongoing rivalry between psychiatry and psychology, I'd say that there are a feww good psychiatrists out there, and if they have their way, the field will improve. -
Hmm - that's a tough one. I do know someone who was on antidepressants for years - tricyclics, SSRI, the works. Eventually he got tired of having to deal with all of the side effects and decided to stop taking them altogether. These days he's coping, although he does have depressive episodes now and then.Originally posted by phobic:Its hard for ordinary people to understand if they have never suffer from mental illness. Individuals have a choice whether they want to take medication or not. For most medication helps them reduce their anguish and live a more " normal " live. Some problems cant be " talk away " if only life is as simple as that.
He's a rare case, though - I've seen a few other people try to get off the antidepressants, and within a week things have gotten so bad they've had to get back on the meds.
On the point of "talking away" a problem, most people naturally have a tendency to ask why someone is depressed. If the depression is event-related like what fymk described, fine, but some days there is no "why" - it just is. Of course, unless these people have experienced or witnessed this sort of depression before, it's a bit of a tall order to expect them to understand it. That in itself is an additional problem for people with depression to deal with. -
Good thread, phobic!Originally posted by phobic:If you go private you dont have to wait so long to see a doctor.
Hope these hotlines here may help.
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=116159 -
thanks.Originally posted by M©+square:You have got to have a reason strong enough to school in that subject and carry with it for the rest of your life.
If you're at your crossroad, choices you will make will affect you. Lean on passion and what you can cope with.
This is not a easy subject to talk about. Because Psychology is specialised.
anyway there's something weird in my head. when i selected psychology as a first choice for my uni admissions. there seems to be something holding me back. something "freezing" my hand when i want to click " Confirm"
i have a feeling that subconciously i am aganist this choice. i'm not sure. facing so much stress in sch i cant think straight. -
Sorry to hear about your plight. Hope that you are better nowadays.Originally posted by subzero_baby:how to seek help?? IMH appointment are set months before, not forgetting the long wait even though u have already booked a appointment... other hospital are charging like $40- $60 per 15mins block... medication not included ok!!! how to go? rather be Siao lor...
Long wait? Are the queues long or is there a lack of psychiatrists in Singapore?
If the queues are long, then it's not a good sign in Singapore. -
The respiratory doctor gave me zyban to quit smoking. As you heard , zyban is an antidepressive which has been proven useful in clinical trials for smoking cessation.Originally posted by Gedanken:Hmm - that's a tough one. I do know someone who was on antidepressants for years - tricyclics, SSRI, the works. Eventually he got tired of having to deal with all of the side effects and decided to stop taking them altogether. These days he's coping, although he does have depressive episodes now and then.
He's a rare case, though - I've seen a few other people try to get off the antidepressants, and within a week things have gotten so bad they've had to get back on the meds.
On the point of "talking away" a problem, most people naturally have a tendency to ask why someone is depressed. If the depression is event-related like what fymk described, fine, but some days there is no "why" - it just is. Of course, unless these people have experienced or witnessed this sort of depression before, it's a bit of a tall order to expect them to understand it. That in itself is an additional problem for people with depression to deal with.
Taking zyban made my moods swing - I was in nocturnal manic/hyper episodes then went into cycles of depressions where I cry for nothing and I was very verbally aggressive when I felt very irritated ( that happened for 80% of the time ) I thought I was going mad. I went to see my gp who told me : forget the zyban .
Went back to smoking and never had a problem like that again. The symptoms took one month to settle back. That is another reason why I don't believe in anti depressants. One was enough to make me nearly insane. -
wah...free advertising in this forum huh?Originally posted by phobic:If you go private you dont have to wait so long to see a doctor.
Hope these hotlines here may help.
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=116159 -
The person who gave you the antidepresstant is a respirator doctor not a psychiatrist. Why put the blame on psychiatrist ? You mood swings could be caused by the withdrawal symthoms of quitting smoking rather than the zyban.Originally posted by fymk:The respiratory doctor gave me zyban to quit smoking. As you heard , zyban is an antidepressive which has been proven useful in clinical trials for smoking cessation.
Taking zyban made my moods swing - I was in nocturnal manic/hyper episodes then went into cycles of depressions where I cry for nothing and I was very verbally aggressive when I felt very irritated ( that happened for 80% of the time ) I thought I was going mad. I went to see my gp who told me : forget the zyban .
Went back to smoking and never had a problem like that again. The symptoms took one month to settle back. That is another reason why I don't believe in anti depressants. One was enough to make me nearly insane. -
I am blaming the antidepressantOriginally posted by phobic:The person who gave you the antidepresstant is a respirator doctor not a psychiatrist. Why put the blame on psychiatrist ? You mood swings could be caused by the withdrawal symthoms of quitting smoking rather than the zyban. . Not withdrawal symptoms - I quit smoking for 3 months before - that caused mild mood swings but not the ones I got from zyban. I was frustrated , I would tear up my whole room on zyban - usually I just grumble.
The point being that if it can do such things to a normal person , then I won't be surprised that people with mental illness won't get better with psychiatrists prescribing these drugs. -
I see. They do have strong effects. Nobody like taking them unless absolutely necessary.Originally posted by fymk:I am blaming the antidepressant . Not withdrawal symptoms - I quit smoking for 3 months before - that caused mild mood swings but not the ones I got from zyban. I was frustrated , I would tear up my whole room on zyban - usually I just grumble.
The point being that if it can do such things to a normal person , then I won't be surprised that people with mental illness won't get better with psychiatrists prescribing these drugs.