Seven out of ten Germans contact with health issues first in their family doctor. This has determined the IFAK Institute of opinion and social research in a representative study. Anyone who suffers from mental illness find, but the GP’s rarely help. For he recognizes psychological disorders often do not. The result: diseases are treated too late or even wrong. Therefore, experts recommend a change in health care and better cooperation between GPs and psychotherapists.
First contact is the family doctor
“The family doctor is a pilot in healthcare,” said Andrea Klein Breuer of the technician health insurance. “For he is it the first point of contact for patients.” GP’s diagnosis and make the transfer, if necessary, a specialist doctor. “But mental illness can be seen often more difficult than a sprained foot,” Breuer said Klein. The statistics also makes clear. Surveys conducted by the Bertelsmann Health Monitor shows only one in two who suffers from a mental disease and thus applies to the family doctor, receives the right diagnosis.
Tablets without concomitant therapy
Happy can appreciate the one who receives the right diagnosis? Unfortunately, there is a mistake, because even if the doctor has detected a depression followed, not always optimal treatment. “Many family physicians refer their patients despite no diagnosis of Psychotherapy,” said Dieter Best, psychotherapist and president of the German Federal Association of Psychotherapists. Most GP prescribe antidepressants but a psychological treatment the patient is not. General practitioners can prescribe drugs, of course – including psychotropic drugs. “But this should in many cases always include an accompanying psychotherapy by experts,” says Best
Psychotropic medications are often prescribed incorrectly
Similar problems also provide the health insurance company, the technicians: “Caution is advised if the doctor prescribes for a long period of strong psychotropic drugs,” Klein says Breuer. “A specialist can help you.” Does the doctor himself, no referral before, patients should ask this?
Another problem: “We also observe that GPs prescribe antidepressants, although no such diagnosis exists,” says the psychotherapist Best Under no circumstances is rare because the experts say 15 to 25 percent of diagnoses are wrong. These antidepressants are not harmless: many people take to clear by these drugs. They also do not encourage the willingness to actually work on the underlying problems – a prerequisite for successful therapy.
Many family doctors have no psychological training
Psychosomatic Medicine is the first since 1995 a component of continuing education for general practitioners. The physicians’ association, according to Federal, however, about 20 percent of family physicians are older than 60 years. If they have made in recent years, no training, they lack the necessary background knowledge to recognize a mental disorder.
“In addition, practitioners often too little time for a comprehensive interview, which complicates the diagnosis,” says the psychotherapist Dieter Best “Investigations have revealed that general practitioners who spend more time with their patients, mental disorders seen rather than those with less time have. ”
Better cooperation between GPs and psychologists
But how can the situation are improved? “It is important to support the family doctors,” says best, “The doctors are well trained -. There is a lack of cooperation between physician and psychotherapist, when it comes to mental illness”
It Can help education, which are specifically for practitioners. This should raise awareness of symptoms of mental illness and for situations that may trigger mental illness in many people, such as unemployment or loss of an important person. In addition, frequent changes of doctors and complaints that have no physical cause to be a warning.
Especially for the early detection of mental disorders, the German Psychotherapy Association has developed a concept which is counting on a strong collaboration between psychologists and family doctors. Here, the doctor suspected mental suffering is a good time to transfer to the expert. Then the doctor and patient sit together before doing the appropriate therapy. This relieves the one hand, the general practitioner, on the other hand, the patient receives the right treatment.