Category: Education

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Education Lessons Medicine Policy

Involuntary Commitment (II).

His sister helped him move into the apartment about three months ago. She told you that he has a long history with the mental health system: His first hospitalization, which was over six months long, occurred when he was 19 years old. Since then, he’s been hospitalized close to a dozen times—often against his will—and each hospitalization has lasted weeks to months. Sighing, she said that because of his symptoms, he’s been evicted from nearly every apartment he’s ever lived in, fired from the few jobs he’s been able to get, and unable to complete his schooling to earn his college degree, something he’s wanted to do for many years now.

“When he starts to get better, he stops taking his medicines… then we start all over again.”

He had left the psychiatric hospital the day before you met him. His eyes looked flat and dull; he hardly blinked. Saliva was oozing from the right corner of his mouth. His head was tilted to the right. Though his arms trembled when he shook your hand, he spoke with a steady voice: “Nice to meet you.”

He understandably did not like the side effects from the medications he took.

“I feel so tired. I can’t think,” he said. “I can’t play my guitar.”

Because of his listlessness, you gradually reduced the doses of several of his medications. The drooling stopped. He showed more facial expressions. The tremor nearly resolved. He started playing his guitar regularly.

“I don’t think I need the medicine anymore,” he declared about four days ago. “They don’t help me. I’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

With the knowledge of his past history, you try to negotiate with him: How about taking this medication, but not that one? What about taking this medication right before bed to ensure sleep? Let’s try—

“No, I’m fine. You worry too much, doc! This time will be different. I can feel it. Everything is clear now. I won’t end up in the hospital.”

He begins to deliver monologues about his masturbation habits. He has taken an interest in a woman who lives down the hall… and the woman who lives upstairs and the visiting nurse for the man who lives in the corner unit. He spends his nights writing 1000-word poems of love and lust to each of these women. He plays his guitar for hours. The neighbors become annoyed, especially when he starts bawling and laughing at 3am.

It’s only been four days! He’s now dragging all of his furniture out of his apartment.

“NONE OF THIS IS MINE!” he roars. “GET THIS SH!T OUT OF MY APARTMENT!”

He’s thrown some of his belongings out of the window, as it is apparently easier and more efficient to clear out his apartment that way. His iron, toaster, and most of his silverware are scattered on the sidewalk below.

His brows are furrowed, his teeth are bared, and his hands are clenched into fists.

“SOMEONE is taking over MY room THEY plan to take over my body THIS is all MINE YOU can’t make it stop so I have to make THEM stop—”

He’s struggling to push a chest of drawers towards the door. Yelling, he yanks the top drawer completely out and throws it across the room.

“Please stop for moment—” you begin.

“YOU can’t make me stop no one can me stop YOU don’t understand THIS is an EMERGENCY SOMEONE is trying to make ME go away and NONE of THIS is MINE the furniture MUST be KILLED it tells to me to DIE—”

You see him reach for his guitar and you thank your instincts a few seconds later when you hear the guitar crash into the wall behind you.

Does this man have a mental illness? Does he need to be sent to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation? If he doesn’t want to go to the hospital, should he be forced to go to the hospital against his will?

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Education Homelessness Lessons Medicine NYC Policy

Involuntary Commitment (I).

It’s winter in New York City. The temperature is hovering around 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Large, slushy snowflakes are falling from the pewter sky.

You are already familiar with this woman; you had met her the previous Spring. No one is sure of her age, but she looks over 65 years old. She had said that she had immigrated to the US when she was in her 20s because she had a scholarship to a prestigious university. Something interrupted her schooling. She ultimately stopped attending classes and hitchhiked here. She’s been homeless on the streets of New York ever since.

She has never shared her date of birth for fear that the government would use that information against her. It’s not clear if her stated name is really her name. She’s a familiar figure in the neighborhood; people regularly give her styrofoam bowls steaming with hot soup, sandwiches wrapped in white butcher paper, shiny cans of soda, and cups of coffee. Some people have been giving her food for the past ten years. Upon receipt she murmurs, “Thank you,” and nods her head on her slender neck.

She never makes eye contact. The irises of her eyes have grey halos and her gaze is usually over your right shoulder. You’ve tried to learn more about her past, what led to her homelessness, and her interest in housing, but she usually ends the conversation and walks away. One time before bidding you good-bye she did comment, “The government secrets are safe with me.”

People in New York walk past her everyday while she sleeps and never realize it: She buries herself underneath black garbage bags stuffed with paper. What looks like a mountain of trash on the curb or underneath scaffolding is actually her private fort.

“The paper keeps me warm,” she has said. To prove her point while the autumn winds sent the dying leaves swirling through the air, she rolled up a sleeve of her parka to reveal wads of newspaper crumpled in her clothing. At times she donned a hat made out of a paper bag and stuffed it with newspaper to warm her head.

It is not yet 10am on this snowy morning and the weather forecasters predict that the storm will worsen as the day goes on. The snow is already sticking to the sidewalk. Over six inches are predicted to fall in the next few hours.

Today, the woman’s camp is underneath the short awning of the back door of a clothing boutique. Underneath her is a flattened cardboard box, the corners already beginning to darken and soften from the snow. On top of her are only four or five garbage bags, fewer than what usually covers her. Upon hearing you, she sits up and her face, as expected, does not show any expression.

Her parka is unbuttoned and underneath is a thin white shirt with a tattered collar. The skin of her neck is mottled and red.

“There’s a snowstorm coming through, it’s supposed to be pretty bad. Would you be willing to stay in a shelter until it’s done?” you ask.

“No, I’ll be fine.”

“It looks like you’re cold; you don’t have as many bags as you usually do and your skin is turning red. We don’t want you to be outside when it is this cold out,” you try again.

“I’m fine.”

“We worry that if you stay out here, you might get frostbite.”

“I’m fine.”

“Where have you gone in the past when there were big snowstorms?”

“I’m fine.”

Meanwhile, snow is beginning to collect on her coat, her bags, and in her hair. She makes no motion to move.

Does this woman have a mental illness? Does she need to be sent to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation? If she doesn’t want to go to the hospital, should she be forced to go to the hospital against her will?

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Consult-Liaison Education Informal-curriculum Medicine

Difficult Interactions (III).

(Note: If you found the previous posts in this series “woo woo”, you might find this one nearly intolerable.)

A final reason to stop talking in the midst of a difficult clinical interaction is so you can accept what the other person is doing.

When you accept someone else’s behavior, this does not mean that you necessarily agree with it. It doesn’t mean that you condone it, support it, or want it to happen more. It just means you accept what is happening.

We cannot control the behaviors of others. We can influence them, but we cannot control them. If we do not accept what is actually happening, we have no chance of influencing what happens next.

I worked in a residence where two men would occasionally pee in the elevator. They weren’t incontinent, there was no Foley catheter and bag that malfunctioned… they just periodically voided their bladders in that small space.

Willfully ignoring the yellow puddle in the elevator won’t resolve the problem. The odor would fill the elevator and other people would inadvertently step into the urine.

Wistfully wishing that they had voided their bladders elsewhere won’t resolve the problem, either. “Why didn’t they use the bathroom? If they really had to go, they could have at least peed into the plant next to the elevator. Should they wear adult diapers?” Trying to solve the problem before having a clear definition of the problem often only leads to frustration. You cannot define a problem until you accept that it is a problem.

It’s also common to realize that, when you’re silent and accepting what the other person is doing, the difficult interaction often softens. It is hard to argue with or resist someone when he is accepting what you are doing and saying in that moment.[1. It takes two to fight, two to tango, blah blah blah….] Furthermore, you are also practicing and modeling a useful skill. The other person might realize that he could use that skill at that moment, too.

To review: One reason why it is useful to stop talking during difficult interactions is so you can acknowledge the emotions you are experiencing. Another reason is to recognize and adjust the language you are using to describe the situation to yourself. A third reason is to accept what is actually happening so you can plan and take next steps. It seems like all of this would take a long time and result in awkward silences, but that doesn’t happen. For many people, staying silent isn’t a habit. It takes practice.

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Consult-Liaison Education Informal-curriculum Medicine

Difficult Interactions (II).

Another reason to stop talking in the midst of a difficult clinical interaction[1. I focus on clinical interactions here, but this arguably applies to any difficult interaction we have with our fellow human beings.] is to recognize what you are thinking and adjust the language accordingly. The words we use to describe events, even if only in our heads, will influence both our emotions and behaviors.

Here is an example. Who would you rather work with?

Person 1: This is a 28 year-old woman who is manipulative and immature. She will do anything to get attention; she’s so dramatic. She never takes responsibility for what she does and everyone else has to clean up the messes that she makes.

Person 2: This is a 28 year-old woman who struggles to deal with emotions she feels like she can’t control. She has difficulties with relationships, but she’s doing the best that she can with the skills she has to get her needs met. If she knew how to work with people more effectively, she would. She might also have fears that if she tried harder, she might fail. No one likes to feel shame.

These descriptions could be of the same person. However, your reactions to each description might be noticeably different.

Some may argue that this is an exercise in semantics or, worse, indulgence in delusion. “But, Dr. Yang, she really is manipulative….”[2. Like I noted here, we manipulate each other all the time. I’m arguably manipulating you right now with these words. We often use the word “manipulative” when the manipulation isn’t skillful. People would do something different if they could in that moment.]

It’s our job to be more flexible than our patients. That’s why we get paid to do what we do. Yes, you could argue that these are just word games. However, would you rather be helpful or would you rather be “right”?

If describing patient behaviors in neutral, if not generous, language will help you maintain your professionalism and deliver quality care, then give strong consideration to what words you choose.

Please note that you can still use neutral language even when you feel angry or frustrated:

She’s screaming and trying to bang her head against the wall right now because that’s the best that she knows how to cope with the situation. I’m getting really annoyed with this… and if she could do something different right now, she would.

What is happening and how you feel are both “true”.[3. Using neutral language in your head during difficult interactions can have the added benefits of making you slow down and reducing the intensity of your emotions.] Remember, you feel what you feel. Own it.

To review: One reason why it is useful to stop talking during difficult interactions is so you can acknowledge the emotions you are experiencing. Another reason is to recognize and adjust the language you are using to describe the situation to yourself.

One more reason to follow before we all resume talking.

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Consult-Liaison Education Informal-curriculum Lessons Medicine Observations

Personality Disorders to Difficult Interactions (I).

I successfully delivered my talk on personality disorders recently. The second half of the talk strayed from personality disorders to a discussion about how to manage difficult interactions with people. The two topics are peripherally related, as you will recall that individuals with personality disorders often have difficulties with interpersonal relationships.

To be clear, though, just because you have a difficult interaction with someone doesn’t mean that that person has a personality disorder. There are plenty of people without personality disorders who behave in unbecoming ways.

Think about the last time you had a rough day. It is within the realm of possibility that, during that slice of time, you behaved in ways that suggest you have a personality disorder. It may not happen often, but it happens to all of us at some point.

Most of us rely on “gut feelings” to identify when we’re having difficult interactions with people. There are behavioral cues, though, that can serve as “red flags” to alert you that an interaction isn’t going well:

1. There are frequent interruptions. The other person keeps interrupting you… and you keep interrupting the other person.

2. There is a lot of repeating. You keep saying the same thing over and over again… and the other person keeps saying the same thing over and over again.

3. Many words are spoken, but nothing is really said. The literature describes this as “disengagement”. You’re just saying things to end the conversation. (e.g., “There’s nothing else I can do. Sorry. There’s nothing else I can do. Sorry.”)

Though emotional cues are valuable, sometimes it is easier to recognize these behavioral cues. We may not realize how we’re feeling until it reaches an uncomfortable intensity.

Once you recognize that you are in the midst of a difficult interaction, what can you do?

A useful first step is to stop talking.

The reason why it is important to stop talking is because when you stop talking, you can then self-reflect. I know that sounds “woo woo”. Hang in there with me.

Acknowledge the emotions you are experiencing. If you do not recognize and acknowledge what you are feeling, those emotions will likely manifest themselves in behaviors that you may not like.

If I refuse to acknowledge that I feel angry with someone, I might speak in a tone of voice that sounds sarcastic and condescending, give an icy glare, or say something biting and rude. Acknowledging what I am feeling gives me the opportunity to adjust my behavior accordingly. It gives me choices as to how I want to proceed.

To be clear, people aren’t stupid, so the other person probably knows that I feel angry. Acknowledging my anger, though, can cue me to take a deep breath, relax my face, or do something else to prevent the situation from getting worse. If I’m not paying attention to how I feel, I won’t do any of those things.

The other important aspect about acknowledging your emotions is that it grants you permission to feel what you feel. People sometimes have this idea that you must like all of your patients (or clients or customers or…). However, you won’t like all of your patients. That’s okay. That’s not the expectation. The expectation is that you show respect and provide the best care you can to them. That doesn’t mean that you have to like them.

You feel how you feel. There may be days when you feel anger towards people you like. And that’s okay. You will be much more effective if you acknowledge how you feel to yourself because you will be giving yourself choices. Those choices can give you significant influence over the rest of the interaction.

This is one important reason why you stop talking. More reasons to follow.