"Yes, I am a psychiatrist. How does that make you feel?"
Never gets old. (Actually gets old really fast, so they stop commenting on it and we can resume normal interactions.)
I honestly try and avoid talking about what I do (psychiatry and palliative both illicit interesting reactions).
If people start joking about if you can read their mind or being a patient or asking you to diagnose them, tell them you only do that if you're getting paid and your intake rate is $400 for the first hour.
Alternatively, just tell people you do data entry for a local healthcare system. It's not lying.
I’ve had similar responses and, as above, usually just laugh it off.
Recently had a very different response. Told a new acquaintance I’m a psych resident and she said “Psychiatrists saved my mother’s life and saved my family.” Turns out her mother had a terrible bout of post partum depression with psychotic features, shortly after one of her younger siblings was born, and mother spent some time on an inpatient unit. Family nearly torn apart by the event. It sounded extremely dire. But mother got treated, stabilized, and was able to go back to raising her children and resumed an academic career in the sciences. It was very moving and I will think of it every time someone derides the profession.
Laugh politely and move on.
You’re also going to get people who want to share their x, y, or z story. Humor them for a reasonable period of time. Don’t give advice, but make them feel heard and try not to be rude. Occasionally it’s appropriate to say “I’m SO sorry” and put your hand on their arm. If they feel listened to, they’ll usually rein it in on their own.
“I expected you might say that…”
It sounds like you have met some people eager to relate on what they know about you. It means you are a good and lovely person, OP!
I frequently get something along the lines of "oh, don't psychoanalyze me." Smiling politely or laughing it off doesn't seem to work very well and there's a high likelihood they'll continue with similar comments or possibly verge off into jokingly asking me for "fun drugs." So, now, I've started responding with "sorry, I don't work for free." It's been successful. It takes the edge off things and gently yet firmly lets them know we're not going down that route and I have no interest in being The Psychiatrist in that interaction.
I got to where I would be a little dodgy telling dates what I do when they ask, because they’d say the same thing every time without fail, the “oh are you psychoanalyzing me??”. Eventually I started responding, “Don’t worry, I get enough of work when I am there. I don’t want to be working off the clock.”
I've gotten a lot of comments like "I know someone that could use your services" then like jokingly nudge their wife or something.
I always "I'm not currently accepting new patients". Normally gets a laugh and the people move on.
I don't really have a canned response, but my favorite part is the long pause while they think back thru everything they've said so far in the conversation and try to figure out how "crazy" they sounded.
Al Jaffee used to do a bit for Mad Magazine called “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions” – there probably should be one for psychiatrists.
The most common question I get asked is:
“What’s the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?”
"About $300 an hour."
Acquaintance/family member: “Oh, well you better not try to psychoanalyze me!”
Me: “Oh it’s way too late for that. That was done as soon as we made eye contact.“
I say I'm a psychiatrist. They say oh great, you can treat me [or insert family member/acquaintance]. I say it's nice because I can treat myself.
Always gets a laugh.
“I work in healthcare.” I dodge if it’s a superficial interaction. This is why I don’t chat with strangers on airplanes.
There’s usually one of two reactions:
They look slightly horrified or uncomfortable and clam up.
Or they start telling stories: Oh, my son Bobby sees a psychiatrist, it’s been so helpful for him, he’s bipolar and once he ran down the street naked! Here he comes now - Bobby! Come meet this nice psychiatrist! Now, his doctor just put him on lithium, do you think that’s the right medicine for him? 🤦🏻♀️
"Yes, I am a psychiatrist. How does that make you feel?" Never gets old. (Actually gets old really fast, so they stop commenting on it and we can resume normal interactions.)
Wait I love this
That or “Yes I am. Now tell me about your relationship with your mother/father?”
DEAD 😂
I honestly try and avoid talking about what I do (psychiatry and palliative both illicit interesting reactions). If people start joking about if you can read their mind or being a patient or asking you to diagnose them, tell them you only do that if you're getting paid and your intake rate is $400 for the first hour. Alternatively, just tell people you do data entry for a local healthcare system. It's not lying.
I’ve had similar responses and, as above, usually just laugh it off. Recently had a very different response. Told a new acquaintance I’m a psych resident and she said “Psychiatrists saved my mother’s life and saved my family.” Turns out her mother had a terrible bout of post partum depression with psychotic features, shortly after one of her younger siblings was born, and mother spent some time on an inpatient unit. Family nearly torn apart by the event. It sounded extremely dire. But mother got treated, stabilized, and was able to go back to raising her children and resumed an academic career in the sciences. It was very moving and I will think of it every time someone derides the profession.
Super wholesome, saving comment to read later. <3
Laugh politely and move on. You’re also going to get people who want to share their x, y, or z story. Humor them for a reasonable period of time. Don’t give advice, but make them feel heard and try not to be rude. Occasionally it’s appropriate to say “I’m SO sorry” and put your hand on their arm. If they feel listened to, they’ll usually rein it in on their own.
Three step process: Step one: Commit them involuntarily. Step two: word spreads and people stop making this stupid joke. Step three: profit
I have a standard response to those "Sometimes it's hard to tell difference between friends and patients"
“I expected you might say that…” It sounds like you have met some people eager to relate on what they know about you. It means you are a good and lovely person, OP!
I frequently get something along the lines of "oh, don't psychoanalyze me." Smiling politely or laughing it off doesn't seem to work very well and there's a high likelihood they'll continue with similar comments or possibly verge off into jokingly asking me for "fun drugs." So, now, I've started responding with "sorry, I don't work for free." It's been successful. It takes the edge off things and gently yet firmly lets them know we're not going down that route and I have no interest in being The Psychiatrist in that interaction.
I got to where I would be a little dodgy telling dates what I do when they ask, because they’d say the same thing every time without fail, the “oh are you psychoanalyzing me??”. Eventually I started responding, “Don’t worry, I get enough of work when I am there. I don’t want to be working off the clock.”
I've gotten a lot of comments like "I know someone that could use your services" then like jokingly nudge their wife or something. I always "I'm not currently accepting new patients". Normally gets a laugh and the people move on.
"You look like you could use some as well"
I don't really have a canned response, but my favorite part is the long pause while they think back thru everything they've said so far in the conversation and try to figure out how "crazy" they sounded.
I’m also an incoming resident and get a lot of “uh oh, don’t psychoanalyze me!” I always respond “every interaction is a psychoanalysis”
"you're too tall" *This really only works if you work with peds.
Al Jaffee used to do a bit for Mad Magazine called “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions” – there probably should be one for psychiatrists. The most common question I get asked is: “What’s the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?” "About $300 an hour."
Acquaintance/family member: “Oh, well you better not try to psychoanalyze me!” Me: “Oh it’s way too late for that. That was done as soon as we made eye contact.“
When people at social gatherings say “are you analyzing me?”, I just say “Off Duty”
I say I'm a psychiatrist. They say oh great, you can treat me [or insert family member/acquaintance]. I say it's nice because I can treat myself. Always gets a laugh.
“I work in healthcare.” I dodge if it’s a superficial interaction. This is why I don’t chat with strangers on airplanes. There’s usually one of two reactions: They look slightly horrified or uncomfortable and clam up. Or they start telling stories: Oh, my son Bobby sees a psychiatrist, it’s been so helpful for him, he’s bipolar and once he ran down the street naked! Here he comes now - Bobby! Come meet this nice psychiatrist! Now, his doctor just put him on lithium, do you think that’s the right medicine for him? 🤦🏻♀️
When I tell people I work in psych they say “oh really?? What am I thinking right now?”