betroc asked this question on 3/29/2000:
I was once hospitalized for detox. Well many times, but it was my first time. In my first 24hrs of withdrawl cold turkey in comes a shrink. I say if you guys give me pain med i will eat/i was in withdrawl obviously. This idiot with a 'Dr' in front of his name labels me with 'borderline personality disorder' after seeng me for 15 mins. while i am in sev. withdrawl. There used to be another bogus diagnosis on the books called passive/agressive disorder, the big book social workers and shrinks use to give diagnosis, sometimes only to get ins. to cover. The pasiv/agrs above was taken off the book yrs ago(you see it was given to 85% of the male population & males usually overlook the bookwriting I wish i could think of the name)Now Borderline(BPD)is given to about 90% women, women who have different opinions, who won't 'go along' with what they are being 'told' to do. I can't get this bogus thing off my records now. I don't care all that much, but it is wrong. jeez does anyone else realize this? I volunteered to go to a class on it once, a class in social working they asked me to talk about it. It really is getting ridiculous.
karunap gave this response on 3/29/2000:
I can definitely understand your fury. Making an accurate diagnosis after only 15 minutes when the person is in the middle of withdrawal seems impossible to me as well. Your insight about insurance is also right on. If you don't come up with an immediate diagnosis than the insurance companies will not pay for the treatment.
I no longer work with any HMO's because I thoroughly disagree with their controlling practices.
When I did take insurance, I used diagnosis that were as uninflammatory as possible.... especially until I had time to be with the client for an extended period of time.
The average rating for this answer is 4.7.
betroc rated this answer a 5.
Thanx I said I once spoke to a College class about this as they were challenging current practices as you are. I was critisized for being a 'guinea pig' by a collegue.This really hurt. If the word doesn't get out somehow, nothing gets done. I also am on methadone and advocate it. somethings need to be mentioned esp life depends on it