An Open Letter To The Therapeutic Community

To all the mental health professionals:

When I entered college to undertake the education required to become a social worker as I wanted to help those in a difficult position. Very early on the Professor stood in front of the class and said the following "As a mental health position you are obligated to treat whoever presents themselves in front of you regardless of the diagnosis or your personal opinions and beliefs. If you are unable to see past the problem and see the human being who needs help then you need to find a different profession". A number of people raised their hands and expressed concern about treating pedophiles, sexual deviants and people with psychopathic behavior. The professor quickly replied a human being with a mental illness is still a human being who deserves the best quality of care that a worker can provide.

A diagnosis is just a tool that is not being used effectively in too many different offices and hospitals across the world. A specific diagnosis is to be used to create a proper treatment plan guideline but not to be used to classify and rule out certain mental disorders and the human beings attached to them. Three years ago it was very easy to find a therapist as my diagnosis was severe major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post traumatic stress disorder so it was just a matter of finding a professional with an open slot. Since my last hospitalization the search for a therapist has gone no where as now I have the borderline personality disorder label and I am automatically ruled out before the first appointment can be booked. I have reached a point where I am going to have to hide the BPD diagnosis which is not right but the chances are this is the option I will have to take in order to get the assistance I need to get my life back on track.

Remember why you decided to join this particular field of work and chances are it was to help those in need. Yes treating people with Borderline Personality Disorder is a challenge and can require a lot of work but at the end when this person is in a safe and healthy place the reward will remind you why you chose this career path. I am a father, a son, a friend and a person who has devoted his life to helping others yet when the tides suddenly switched I became a walking diagnosis and no longer seen as a human being who deserves help.