Doctor Mike's Opinion on Gaga's Stance on Medication

[ThatAsianGuy 2,365]

This doctor can inject me with his syringes anytime tho.

[RenegAde 16,126]

He literally had the nerve to refer to gaga as "another celebrity" 

[aussypat 73]

3 hours ago, Edonis said:

I mean I get both sides and I think discourse around the topic is entirely diluted from what it really should be about.

Beyond just insurance and health accessibility, there are fundamental flaws within the medical (and by extent, scientific) communities regarding the roles of primary care providers and specialist physicians. You 100% should trust your PCP and should go to them first about any problem. However, PCP often times do overstep their expertise and venture into territories that they, to be quite frank, don't have the training to compensate for.

Additionally, mental health care and treatment is regularly overlooked by PCP, and are often times ridiculed and ignored. The simple fact of the matter is, many physicians and scientists don't take mental health as seriously as they should. It's incredibly complicated.

Adding to this, Gaga did kind of word things weirdly, and, as a person from a biomedical background, I would hope she steer clear of these kinds of conversations if she isn't going to properly check sources and diction. The language you use in these kinds of conversations are incredibly pertinent, and while she isn't posing as a mental health expert, it's essential that you have a good understanding  of all angles before going so hard for advocacy. I don't think she's wrong, but I don't think she shared a complete picture. 

As for this "Doctor" and his YouTube channel...heh heh...no. He's hardly one to talk about misinformation given his really really poor track record. Considering he has a degree in osteopathic medicine (a DO) but routinely ventures into subjects that would require an MD-expertise, his recommendations on these subjects shouldn't be taken any more seriously than a health coach or  advisory. 

 As a general rule, stay away from "celebrity physicians". Stay far, far away from them. 

 

DO and MD students are taught the same classes and are together in residency programs. The degree name is different, but an MD and a DO in the same speciality will know the same information, just so you're aware. It's similar to DDS vs. DMD (two dental degrees) -- they are both the same thing at the end of the day.

[Gov Hooka 8,008]

2 hours ago, Doot said:

Basic care, sure. 

If you have a schizophrenic walking into your dad's office tho...how could he possibly set up a long term treatment plan for something like that after meeting with someone for like 20 minutes?

(Not attacking, just generally curious since you legit have two parents within the fields) 

I mean family practice physicians are knowledgeable enough to recognize a schizophrenic patient in front of them and then refer them to a psychiatrist as they would do for any patient that requires a specialist. Sometimes they can also start the patient off on a certain treatment plan based on what they think is best for the patient or after their own quick consultation with a specialist. But yeah no primary care physician should be involved in the prescriptions long term treatment of a case that requires a specialist. But that’s not what this doctor is saying. Gaga thinks any prescriptions for antidepressants from a primary care physician are invalid and she’s completely wrong as the YouTuber explains. 

[aussypat 73]

As a medical student myself, I do have to agree with what Dr. Mike said. Primary care physicians are definitely generalists, but there are standards for treating mental illnesses. What will be initially prescribed after a thorough exam and history will be the same, if you have the same history and physical exam, regardless of if you go to your PCP or a psychiatrist. You will then need to be monitored to make sure that the medication is working as intended, as many psych drugs cause exacerbated symptoms in some patients for reasons unknown. If that specific drug doesn't work, then there are other drugs that PCPs will know about and can try because all medical students have to known neuroanatomy and neurology, which includes pharmacology for psychological conditions. If a PCP exhausts their options and is unsure how to proceed, or after the initial exam the PCP realizes that there are too many compounding psychological conditions where treatment does require a specialist's opinion, then that would be an appropriate time for a referral. There is no reason a PCP cannot treat a psychological condition long term if the treatment plan that the PCP made is effective.

 

Also, for people's general knowledge, this is how medical school works in the USA:

1. 4 years of undergraduate school with specific undergraduate class requirements

2. 2 years of medical school taught in a classroom. You then take a national board exam, and if you pass it then you can continue medical school.

3. 2 years of more teaching but hands on in hospitals through rotations that last months at a time (core rotations: internal medicine, OBGYN, general surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, family medicine, sometimes an additional neurology rotation depending on the school, and two elective rotations of any two specialities you want). Several shelf exams and a few other national exams are required and have to be passed before being able to graduate.

4. 3-7 years of residency. For family medicine, residency is typically 3, sometimes 4, years. Psychiatry residencies take 4 years to complete. 

5. 1 year of fellowship is sometimes finished if the physician wants to specialize further (e.g. orthopedic physician does a fellowship in knee surgery). Physicians do not need fellowships to start practicing, but some seek them out to be regarded as more of an expert in a specific area of their speciality.

[Mars 1,423]

I don't see any problem with Gaga's statement, at least she is willing to talk about her struggles and what helps her whereas other people in public life do not. I think that is where she was coming from.

Yes she has vast amounts of money to throw at her health care plan but she is creating a conversation to be had on a wider scale and for people to feel less shame with the issues they experience.

From personal experience I was prescribed an SSRI by my GP (general doctor in the UK) and meanwhile I was placed on a waiting list for CBT. I was diagnosed with GAD and depression. The CBT helped much more so than the medication which gave me horrible side effects and made me feel completely out of it so I slowly stopped taking it.

I began research and started to change my behaviour which took a lot of effort. I started with herbal medicine instead such as Valarian to help me sleep/calm me and 5-HTP for my depression - this combination worked for me amazingly well, but I'm sure for others it wouldn't work. 

[AdmistTheLight 2,269]

5 hours ago, Chickens in Malibu said:

 

Do we forgive him?

I hate you

but yes, a little bit 

[Diamond heart99 5,262]

But LG also went on to say that she wanted everyone to have access to this type of care and understands that people do not.

She is not wrong, a PCP is NOT who should be treating mental health. It’s not their speciality. 

But we can be adults and realize she didn’t mean don’t use your PCP if that’s all you have. 

 

 

[Bradley 54,989]

Oh wow this doctor... wow... @KinneyUnderYou

Educate me doctor!

[krystlel 66]

Okay, I already knew that health care was bad in the US, but I didn't realize that there was a long waiting list for mental health in the UK as well.  That's pretty awful.  Here in Australia, we all get access to a mental health care plan of 10 sessions a year either for a psychologist or psychiatrist (with no wait time), and at my workplace, we also get access to psychologists as well (for free).  It's not enough sessions, but it definitely could be worse from the sound of things.

[mindintransit 465]

Someone who calls himself Doctor Mike is being quoted. Help me. I actually wasted time looking him up. He went to the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. There is no indication that he has any expertise in mental health. I just can't believe that otherwise intelligent people on GGD think that because he has Dr in front of his name he knows what he's talking about. I'm also not impressed that he used Gaga's name to get attention. He's not the first and won't be the last. He's on youtube to make money. 
I don't know anything about osteopaths but I do believe that family doctors are the heart of our health care system. But they also have a lot of responsibility for the opioid crisis. And for the antibiotic resistant infections crisis that is coming because 30% of antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily. They are not above criticism because they are doctors. And they are not mental health professionals.
Everyone (especially here) knows that Gaga has been committed from the beginning of her career to raising awareness of mental health issues. She's not a doctor but she has worked tirelessly to see that there is a real conversation about the need for access to treatment for mental health problems. She cares.
Gaga obviously believes that medications help people. It is doctors themselves who are expressing concern about the treatment of mental health problems with medication without accompanying psychological help and support. The reality is that medications are being used as the quick and cheap solution. As long as someone is getting drugs they're getting treatment. They shouldn't expect more because that's the way the world works. They should settle for what they can get. We aren't going to help people who need help by just settling. Our health care system will continue to deny real resources to mental health if even progressive people just nod their heads and agree that, well, family doctors can handle it. I don't hear people suggesting that family doctors should treat cancer patients because oncologists are too expensive and maybe not really necessary. 
Mental health problems ruin lives.  I live in a country where suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-35. That's just the tip of the iceberg. There needs to be a fundamental change in the way mental health problems are treated.  Gaga is trying to make that happen. 

[Magui 2,600]

@Economy. (i live in Portugal). I can only give you my experience. I went to my family doctor cause i couldn't take it any longer, i couldn't sleep, i was anxious, at times i had to run away from classes cause i simply couldn't be there, i was exhausted and didn't understand what was wrong with me. She gave medication to sleep and something called Sargenor. A month later i was horrible, i couldn't sleep still... I was struggling even more. I went to the family doctor again. She then told me that it  se thought that it was better to send me to specialist (we have a psychiatric hospital in the area). So I went, i got a very different treatment regarding medication, also started to have appointments with that doctor. I had panic attacks, my anxiety was unbearable to me. Anyway things got better, i finally was understanding what I was happening with me. I brought my diagnosis to my family doctor and the prescription i was taken (it changed during the treatment) 

My family doctor would prescribed me the same medication wen need it. 

This happened to me years ago when i was still in school and the first time i felt that something was going wrong with me regarding my mental health. 

Later, i was already working i went to a period of not sleeping again, i was feeling depressed and rather anxious again. I payed for an appointment with the same psychiatrist (the same one, he also works at a private clinic) cause i had the money and i thought he was the one help me and i knew that it would take time if i would go to the family doctor. 

Anyways i just want to explain to you that the family doctor can be the first step to find a great treatment, but if it's a severe case i feel that the specialist is the only one that can help you. The unfortunate thing is that things are to slow sometimes... To the point if you have money the best is to pay and go. If you don't have the money you will have to wait. @Economy

[RenegAde 16,126]

13 minutes ago, mindintransit said:

Someone who calls himself Doctor Mike is being quoted. Help me. I actually wasted time looking him up. He went to the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. There is no indication that he has any expertise in mental health. I just can't believe that otherwise intelligent people on GGD think that because he has Dr in front of his name he knows what he's talking about. I'm also not impressed that he used Gaga's name to get attention. He's not the first and won't be the last. He's on youtube to make money. 
I don't know anything about osteopaths but I do believe that family doctors are the heart of our health care system. But they also have a lot of responsibility for the opioid crisis. And for the antibiotic resistant infections crisis that is coming because 30% of antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily. They are not above criticism because they are doctors. And they are not mental health professionals.
Everyone (especially here) knows that Gaga has been committed from the beginning of her career to raising awareness of mental health issues. She's not a doctor but she has worked tirelessly to see that there is a real conversation about the need for access to treatment for mental health problems. She cares.
Gaga obviously believes that medications help people. It is doctors themselves who are expressing concern about the treatment of mental health problems with medication without accompanying psychological help and support. The reality is that medications are being used as the quick and cheap solution. As long as someone is getting drugs they're getting treatment. They shouldn't expect more because that's the way the world works. They should settle for what they can get. We aren't going to help people who need help by just settling. Our health care system will continue to deny real resources to mental health if even progressive people just nod their heads and agree that, well, family doctors can handle it. I don't hear people suggesting that family doctors should treat cancer patients because oncologists are too expensive and maybe not really necessary. 
Mental health problems ruin lives.  I live in a country where suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-35. That's just the tip of the iceberg. There needs to be a fundamental change in the way mental health problems are treated.  Gaga is trying to make that happen. 

You literally  typed everything  i was too lazy to type in your first paragraph 

[Monster Voices 1,024]

I personally would never trust my PCP to prescribe me literally anything lol She's there to give me referrals for specialists and sick leave notes, at best some antibiotics when I'm sick. I would never ever let her treat me for mental conditions but this is how things work here in Bulgaria. You can get to any kind of specialist (maybe not the best one but a specialist) the very day you decide you want to go.  For the really good ones you do have to wait but like a couple of weeks which is in most cases doable. God bless the messed up Bulgarian health case system. 

[Thats stupid Luv 629]

10 hours ago, WholesomeOOf said:

I have no idea where to post this so I just thought I'd share it here for you all to discuss. Remember guys please be civil and don't be rude 

Also here is Gagas statement with actual context and not just a single sentence incase anyone needs it,

Full talk here,

 

But isn’t her whole point that everyone should be given affordable  access To healthcare that covers therapy and treatment of mental health?