AJ: MMPI

[Guest guest]

Dear AJ:

It might not be suich a bad idea to take it, provided you knew how the results

would be used, where they would be stored, etc.

I say this because when I started going tot he Environmental CLinic they had a

number of questionnaires for me and everyone else to do. One was the Interna/

External locus of control one (which I personally like because it gives insight

into personality which can help the health care professional underdstand why one

person might perceive their disability/ pain/life problems one way and another

totally differently. That was the purpose of these - and to have something for

later comparison

There is another reason - after I had CFS for a year after a major viral

illness, my internist, GP and psychologist got together and decided to try to

convince me I had a somatization disorder. Me, the workaholic who was literally

going mad because I couldn't work. Yeah, right. DIdn't matter that my symptoms

did not even match the DSM IV criteria for that condition (or anything remotely

similar). I went to the psychiatrist who they recommended to essentially " beat

them at their own game " after calling and being assured she would do her own

independent assessment and not just blindly treat what they came up with. I went

right into what could have been the lion's den, but I knew I was right and I

felt I had nothing to fear and given that this psychiatrist believes CFS is a

real; physical condition (some don't, just like some conveniently attribute too

much of a psych role to chronic pain) and she had an excellent reputation. SO,

she was able to tell them I did not have that condition (but of course, I

already told them that...) and she felt being accused of something like this/

not being believed was the main cause of a depression so severe I could hardly

function. I would have loved to have heard that phone call with the psychiatrist

telling the internist my problem was PHYSICAL and they had caused the depression

to go over the edge. Two of them managed to apologize. One, she is gone...

I would suggest seeing if you could get a copy of it, e.g. if you are near a

medical library, you should literally be able to walk in off the street, get the

book in the reference section and sit down with it and possibly copy it (if you

can use coins and don't have to buy a copy card, for whiuch you might be asked

for a student or hospital ID). I do this all the time even though I no longer

have an active student card, although I'd be considered alumni. You likely won't

have a problem if you don't try to take anything out. Same with the hospital

library.

SO, there is the chance of it DISPROVING things as well as PROVING them. Even

check out the doctor. Look on PubMed and the Net to see if he has published

anything (this could give you clues to any biases he might have like the CFS one

I mentioned) or look him p on the university/ hospital website. Most websites

give overviews of faculty and their publication, research and clinical

interests. If, like the wonderful psychiatrist I saw, he is seriously interested

in doing the right thing for the patient, it may be worth considering. But, be

certain to check out what he hopes to find out, what he hopes to do with the

results in terms of helping you, etc.

I tend to think most of us know our body and our mind better than anyone else

possibly can. If you are getting bad feelings, with some of your previous

unpleasant experiences - run, don't walk out of there. But if there is something

to be gained in moving you forward in a positive manner, then look at all the

angles and seriously consider if there is enough benefit for you to outweigh any

perceived risk

Joyce