Resource Link

https://www.nami.org/bipolar-and-related-disorders/shared-decision-making-getting-a-say-in-your-care/

Resource Description

Introduction: This article from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website is about shared decision-making in mental health care. It was written by Katherine Ponte in 2019. Ponte shares her own story about working with two different psychiatrists. She explains how having a say in her care made a big difference in her recovery from bipolar disorder.

Resource Summary

Content Summary: The author had very different experiences with two psychiatrists. Her first psychiatrist made her feel small and powerless. This doctor didn't listen to her concerns or let her help make choices about her care. The author often felt upset and fought with this doctor. This made her treatment less helpful. Her second psychiatrist used shared decision-making. This means the doctor and patient work together to make care choices. The patient shares what they want to achieve. The doctor shares their expert advice about different options. Then they talk about the good and bad points of each choice. The author shares three main examples of how shared decision-making helped her. First, she wanted to have a career. Her first doctor said this was just a symptom of her illness. But her second doctor believed in her goals and helped her find ways to reach them. Next, she was sleeping too much because of her medicine. Her first doctor ignored her worries about sleeping 14 hours a day. But her second doctor changed her medicine and helped her sleep less. This made a big difference in her daily life. Last, she gained a lot of weight from her medicine. Her first doctor didn't seem to care how upset this made her. Her second doctor helped her find ways to lose weight safely while still treating her illness. The author also talks about how the doctors worked with her spouse. Her first doctor often talked to her spouse without telling her. This made her angry and less likely to share when she was struggling. Her second doctor made sure everyone agreed on how to share information. This helped improve her relationship with her spouse. The author ends by saying that patients should have a say in their care. She believes she would have gotten better faster if her first doctor had used shared decision-making. She thanks her second doctor for showing how working together leads to better results. Today, the author helps others with mental illness. She created online support groups and helps people in psychiatric hospitals. She serves on the board of NAMI New York City and shares her story to help others get better care.