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Sunday 27 November 2011

Anosognosia or non-compliance?

Anosognosia means that you are unaware of the depth of your illness or even that you are ill.  For those clinicians who want to punish their patients for not "buying in" to their recovery, a quick Google of anosognosia should clear up why this is not possible for some patients.

Dismissing a patient for non-compliance is not an option.  We are dealing with a serious mental illness here, not a missed Year 4 maths homework.

Gah!

3 comments:

  1. ah! I wish you were our therapist Charlotte x

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  2. Infuriating as it is, many teams DO see discharging someone for non-compliance as an option. I was threatened with it every time I was going downhill at the EDU in Dorset, which is probably why I only ever got worse under their care and eventually recovered without them. I was already suffering from a serious psychiatric illness, I didn't need to also be treated like a naughty child. Many of my friends have been discharged for non-compliance in the past too. I just don't get the logic. Surely if someone is struggling more they need more support, not less? Grumble.

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  3. Ditto Katie... During my teens I was regularly 'scolded' for non-compliance by the professionals treating me. I can see why they may think that such non-compliance is deliberate, because people with AN may 'cheat' at weigh-ins, which suggests a manipulative streak. However, that 'cheating' is a manifestation of absolute desperation and is fear-related, not the sign of a naughty child.

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