Posted by
Dr. James Bender, DCoE psychologist on February 25, 2011
 | | Doc Bender on top of the Ziggurat of Ur in Southern Iraq, in February 2009. | |
Dr. James Bender spent 12 months as the brigade psychologist for the 4-1 CAV out of Fort Hood. He served for four and one-half years in the Army. During his deployment, he traveled through Southern Iraq, from Basra to Baghdad and many spots in between. He writes a monthly post for the DCoE Blog on mental health concerns related to deployment and being in the military.
Hello. Last month, I focused on those who are already receiving or seeking mental health treatment and the responsibilities of the patient. This month’s post is about what your health care provider should be doing to help you get better. Remember, you and your provider are a team and you both have responsibilities when it comes to your health care and treatment.
There is no single mold of what makes a good therapist and each psychologist or psychiatrist has their own style. However, every good mental health provider should take the following steps:
Explanation of Diagnosis
Your provider should explain your diagnosis. Diagnoses can change throughout the course of treatment, but make sure if given a new diagnosis, you understand why.
Treatment Plan
Your provider should clearly explain the plan to get you healthier. Your doctor should also involve you in creating the treatment plan and explain what options are available. The medication that you are prescribed should be explained in detail. The following should all be discussed with you about your medication:
- Possible side effects
- What time of day you should take it
- Should you take it with or without food
- What to do if you miss a dose
- Symptoms the medication is targeting
If psychotherapy is part of the plan, you should know what type of therapy (cognitive-behavioral, prolonged exposure, etc.) you’ll receive and why that particular type was chosen.
Therapy Goals
Your provider should work with you to develop therapy goals. These goals should be more specific than “stop being depressed” or “the patient will start to feel better.” There should be specific symptoms or behaviors to be aware of to help let you know when you’ve reached your goals. There should also be at least a tentative timeline of when you hope to reach your goals (this timeline may change during treatment).
Open Dialogue
Your provider needs to be a good communicator. A good provider should be able to explain complicated concepts, like how medications work or what your diagnosis is, in terms you can understand. You should be able to reach your provider in a reasonable amount of time.
Even in the military mental health care system, you have choices about your providers—especially if you’re seeing a civilian provider through TRICARE. Most mental health care providers are good, a few are bad, and sometimes you have to be a consumer and shop around to find the right one. What is most important is that you feel comfortable with your provider – click here for suggested questions to ask.
Next month’s column will focus on brain injuries. What happens to the brain and your thoughts when you’re in an emotionally-intense situation, like combat or disaster? Stay tuned for the answer and, as always, thank you for your service.