I was talking to my doctor the other day about the possibility of antidepressants being overprescribed. Her reply was that people often go to the doctor when they’re feeling depressed, rarely report ever experiencing manic symptoms (probably because they were feeling pretty good at the time), and may even hide the truth about any mania they have experienced in the past because they are afraid of being labeled bipolar and having to be treated for it.

That made me wonder… how many people are completely honest with their doctors? How many patients bend the truth to avoid getting labeled with a particular diagnosis, prescribed a certain medication, or have restrictions placed on their diet or lifestyle?

Have you ever lied, concealed important facts/symptoms/behaviors, or bent the truth to influence your healthcare provider’s recommendations? If you are a healthcare provider, have you had patients who have attempted to sway you to facilitate their own agenda… if so, how do you deal with it?

Because this blog focuses on bipolar, I’d like to see more comments from people with bipolar disorder and providers who treat them, but I don’t want to single out people with bipolar disorder. I suspect plenty of people who don’t carry the diagnosis also fudge the facts during visits to their healthcare providers.

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From Psych Central's website:
PsychCentral (July 4, 2009)

    Last reviewed: 4 Jul 2009