My pain doctor requires psychiatric treatment along with pain therapy. I also need group therapy occasionally or maybe just one on one for stability. Pain can lead to suicidal thoughts and from the get go he told me that.

There is still stigma out there about mental illness. It is getting better but a lot of people including medical professionals are uncomfortable with it. If a doctor asks you about your mental illness it should be on a need to know basis such as medication interactions. A good doctor will not be judgemental and take concrete proof of your medical condition such as an MRI as a guideline for treatment plan/medication. your mental illness should be secondary to your physical problems. Such as is your back issues causing more depression/anxiety for you ?

To the point that I no longer mention anything related to mental health because, if I do, it becomes their answer to anything that comes up we it me medically. It is used as an excuse and laziness on the Dr's part. Absolutely disgusting.

Omg this is such a problem and I refuse to mention ptsd and bipolor2 to almost any dr I see. My dr know is see a psych dr but thinks it is related to helping with the severe chronic pain.....since I don't take antidepressants or other psych drugs I can get away with it. If it is that important it is on a need to know basis...severe chronic pain and depression can go hand and hand...it is exhausting keeping ahead of the constant pain

I know that feeling. At the pain clinic i go to they make u see a shrink too. He likes to say that we imagine that the pain is worse than it really is when we r manic! Like how would he know? Me, for one, im in less pain then because im more active and concerned about a lot of other things. He makes me so angry!