11/06/2025
Something I've noticed since my MSW program ten years ago. ⠀
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Whether I was working in community mental health or inpatient psychiatry or an outpatient clinic, in all assessments there would be this technical clinical jargon to describe the client. ⠀
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If you go look up what a mental status exam is, you'll see what I mean. ⠀
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Are these words on the left helpful? Yes, they are very helpful. They describe something going on in the person's present. But in my experience in mental health, it stops there. ⠀
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"There...we fixed it. You're dysthymic and probably need meds. You're all set."⠀
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Why is the person given that diagnosis - dysthymia? ⠀
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Why? ⠀
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What got them there? ⠀
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What life events have they gone through? It's not just genetic. ⠀
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Our stories matter more than the terms. The story also points the way out and how to recover by looking at what the person didn't get. ⠀
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What emotional impact do you feel when you read the text on the right compared to the left?
