Re: Psychiatric Labels and the profession

[Guest guest]

Dear Jim,

I know you don't believe in the DSM and psych labels but a group of my fellow

employees are convinced that our boss has a serious personality disorder or

mental illness.We are not joking and complaining about a bad boss, which we have

all dealt with; rather, we are all well-educated, ethical, compassionate,

religious, responsible professionals -lawyers, accountants, actuaries, insurance

agents- with extensive work experience who have never encountered his kind of

bizarre, erratic, contentious, self-destructive, abusive, irrational, lying,

rationalizing, illegal, paranoid, behavior before. He has basically chased

every client and employee away at some point or another. My co-workers want me

to do research on whether he fits any profile of a personality disorder or

mental illness. How would you approach this?

-Beth

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Dear Jim,

I know you don't believe in the DSM and psych labels but a group of my fellow

employees are convinced that our boss has a serious personality disorder or

mental illness.We are not joking and complaining about a bad boss, which we have

all dealt with; rather, we are all well-educated, ethical, compassionate,

religious, responsible professionals -lawyers, accountants, actuaries, insurance

agents- with extensive work experience who have never encountered his kind of

bizarre, erratic, contentious, self-destructive, abusive, irrational, lying,

rationalizing, illegal, paranoid, behavior before. He has basically chased

every client and employee away at some point or another. My co-workers want me

to do research on whether he fits any profile of a personality disorder or

mental illness. How would you approach this?

-Beth

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Beth --

My question to these fellow employees would be: what are they going to

do with any information you research, that " may indicate " he has a

personality disorder or mental illness??? All that would do is validate

their on-going discussion about his behaviors. In addition, none are

qualified to determine that from " some research " . Nor are they qualified

to confront him or provide an appropriate medical work-up including a

complete physical exam to rule out possible hidden food allergies,

possibly a serious metabolism problem, possibly a severe vitamin/mineral

deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, IBS, and a host of other possibilities.

Since everyone is in agreement with observing the behaviors you

mentioned, why doesn't " everyone " keep a log of what they observe

including date, time and description of the incidences ... then

collaboratively present them to your Human Resource Department. They

would then have enough " documented information " to refer him for a

physical. Just like they would with a " suspected " alcoholic, drug

addict, etc.

He could also be having severe side-effect reactions to SSRI's or other

prescription drugs, since approximately 50% of our population is taking

some kind of medications.

I can certainly appreciate everyone's concern about how he is impacting

other employees and clients ... however what are they going to do with

any information that may confirm their suspicions???

Just my thoughts...... Jan

===========================================

On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 11:37:21 -0800 (PST) BETH DBROWSKI

<bdbrowski@...> writes:

Dear Jim,

I know you don't believe in the DSM and psych labels but a group of my

fellow employees are convinced that our boss has a serious personality

disorder or mental illness.We are not joking and complaining about a bad

boss, which we have all dealt with; rather, we are all well-educated,

ethical, compassionate, religious, responsible professionals -lawyers,

accountants, actuaries, insurance agents- with extensive work experience

who have never encountered his kind of bizarre, erratic, contentious,

self-destructive, abusive, irrational, lying, rationalizing, illegal,

paranoid, behavior before. He has basically chased every client and

employee away at some point or another. My co-workers want me to do

research on whether he fits any profile of a personality disorder or

mental illness. How would you approach this?

-Beth

========

========

..

..

[Guest guest]

Thank you, but he is the big boss, ie., the owner. There is no HR group here. He

and his wife are the head honchos.

creativesources@... wrote:Beth --

My question to these fellow employees would be: what are they going to

do with any information you research, that " may indicate " he has a

personality disorder or mental illness??? All that would do is validate

their on-going discussion about his behaviors. In addition, none are

qualified to determine that from " some research " . Nor are they qualified

to confront him or provide an appropriate medical work-up including a

complete physical exam to rule out possible hidden food allergies,

possibly a serious metabolism problem, possibly a severe vitamin/mineral

deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, IBS, and a host of other possibilities.

Since everyone is in agreement with observing the behaviors you

mentioned, why doesn't " everyone " keep a log of what they observe

including date, time and description of the incidences ... then

collaboratively present them to your Human Resource Department. They

would then have enough " documented information " to refer him for a

physical. Just like they would with a " suspected " alcoholic, drug

addict, etc.

He could also be having severe side-effect reactions to SSRI's or other

prescription drugs, since approximately 50% of our population is taking

some kind of medications.

I can certainly appreciate everyone's concern about how he is impacting

other employees and clients ... however what are they going to do with

any information that may confirm their suspicions???

Just my thoughts...... Jan

===========================================

On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 11:37:21 -0800 (PST) BETH DBROWSKI

<bdbrowski@...> writes:

Dear Jim,

I know you don't believe in the DSM and psych labels but a group of my

fellow employees are convinced that our boss has a serious personality

disorder or mental illness.We are not joking and complaining about a bad

boss, which we have all dealt with; rather, we are all well-educated,

ethical, compassionate, religious, responsible professionals -lawyers,

accountants, actuaries, insurance agents- with extensive work experience

who have never encountered his kind of bizarre, erratic, contentious,

self-destructive, abusive, irrational, lying, rationalizing, illegal,

paranoid, behavior before. He has basically chased every client and

employee away at some point or another. My co-workers want me to do

research on whether he fits any profile of a personality disorder or

mental illness. How would you approach this?

-Beth

========

========

..

..

[Guest guest]

Thank you, but he is the big boss, ie., the owner. There is no HR group here. He

and his wife are the head honchos.

creativesources@... wrote:Beth --

My question to these fellow employees would be: what are they going to

do with any information you research, that " may indicate " he has a

personality disorder or mental illness??? All that would do is validate

their on-going discussion about his behaviors. In addition, none are

qualified to determine that from " some research " . Nor are they qualified

to confront him or provide an appropriate medical work-up including a

complete physical exam to rule out possible hidden food allergies,

possibly a serious metabolism problem, possibly a severe vitamin/mineral

deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, IBS, and a host of other possibilities.

Since everyone is in agreement with observing the behaviors you

mentioned, why doesn't " everyone " keep a log of what they observe

including date, time and description of the incidences ... then

collaboratively present them to your Human Resource Department. They

would then have enough " documented information " to refer him for a

physical. Just like they would with a " suspected " alcoholic, drug

addict, etc.

He could also be having severe side-effect reactions to SSRI's or other

prescription drugs, since approximately 50% of our population is taking

some kind of medications.

I can certainly appreciate everyone's concern about how he is impacting

other employees and clients ... however what are they going to do with

any information that may confirm their suspicions???

Just my thoughts...... Jan

===========================================

On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 11:37:21 -0800 (PST) BETH DBROWSKI

<bdbrowski@...> writes:

Dear Jim,

I know you don't believe in the DSM and psych labels but a group of my

fellow employees are convinced that our boss has a serious personality

disorder or mental illness.We are not joking and complaining about a bad

boss, which we have all dealt with; rather, we are all well-educated,

ethical, compassionate, religious, responsible professionals -lawyers,

accountants, actuaries, insurance agents- with extensive work experience

who have never encountered his kind of bizarre, erratic, contentious,

self-destructive, abusive, irrational, lying, rationalizing, illegal,

paranoid, behavior before. He has basically chased every client and

employee away at some point or another. My co-workers want me to do

research on whether he fits any profile of a personality disorder or

mental illness. How would you approach this?

-Beth

========

========

..

..

[Guest guest]

Dear Beth,

Sounds like he's just an asshole. I know that's a label too but I think it

has as much scientific validity as anything out of the DSM-IV. I have known

people like that and besides the fact that I really didn't like them I would

not want them diagnosed because I would not want them to get worse. I

usually don't try to save everyone but if I actually wanted to do something

for the guy I might gently get him to take a vacation or start working out

to blow off steam. He really sounds like trouble from your well worded

description so probably I would simply avoid him for my own well being and

get on with my life. If he behaves like you say then he is a criminal and

not to be trusted or really be around for long periods of time. I would be

upset around someone like that on a regular basis so I would be figuring out

how to get away from him but I would not send him to the wolves, even

assholes have inalienable human rights.

Best,

Jim

Dear Jim,

I know you don't believe in the DSM and psych labels but a group of my

fellow employees are convinced that our boss has a serious personality

disorder or mental illness.We are not joking and complaining about a bad

boss, which we have all dealt with; rather, we are all well-educated,

ethical, compassionate, religious, responsible professionals -lawyers,

accountants, actuaries, insurance agents- with extensive work experience who

have never encountered his kind of bizarre, erratic, contentious,

self-destructive, abusive, irrational, lying, rationalizing, illegal,

paranoid, behavior before. He has basically chased every client and

employee away at some point or another. My co-workers want me to do

research on whether he fits any profile of a personality disorder or mental

illness. How would you approach this?

-Beth

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Lol, now that's funny Jim. Let's see, what have we in the ol

DSM...ah yes....'Asshole', .....

[Guest guest]

Lol, now that's funny Jim. Let's see, what have we in the ol

DSM...ah yes....'Asshole', .....

[Guest guest]

What do you do when your boss is crazy? There's no easy solution

that's for sure. I can say that i've worked for my fair share. If

he or she is not overtly violent or abusive then it is difficult to

do anything. If society made it easier for people to seek out and

receive adequate and humane psychological treatments then i'm sure

that this problem wouldn't fall on the shoulders of everyone who

works under him or her.

But even then, there would be those who didn't think they had a

problem. This is a very difficult subject with no easy solution.