Laughably deep and meaningful for Friday

[cimorene]

The culture barrier is like a wall of glass that gradually gets dirtier the longer you look through it; it's not transparent at all anymore, even though I hardly knew what it looked like at first.

I never know if I have the social register right over here, regardless of whether I speak English or Swedish. (I'm homesick for Alabama even though I only have to think about it for five minutes to remember all my loathing for it. I don't want to go back for very long. Maybe just a month or so.)

I have gotten up early three days this week to make an appointment with a shrink only to be thwarted by the stupid health centre all three times. Bastards. ("Oh," says the mental health division secretary, "you want to see a psychiatrist? Well, there's a problem, in that unfortunately none of our psychiatrists have any time. At all. So we're recommending that you see a general practitioner. They know a lot about psychiatry too!" wtf? I'm a unique snowflake, damn you!)

Comments

[perhael.livejournal.com]

I cannot believe how hard it is to get a psychiatrist in Finland. Seriously, if they're all busy over there then they should find you one at another practice. Wtf is up with that, Finland?!

[cimness.livejournal.com]

You and me both. For a second it sounded like all their therapists weren't that overbooked, though! Sadly I couldn't be like GIVE ME AN OLOGIST THEN, because I seriously need some chemicals for this anxiety. :|

[hollsh.livejournal.com]

A GP? WTF?? Tell them you hear voices and shit, see if that lights a fire under their asses.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

If only I could do that without it resulting in a misdiagnosis... seriously, wtf.

But my new plan is to play up the compulsivity, dependency and panic attacks with the GP: that might get me a referral to a therapist, at least, which isn't like expert medication advice but might be useful anyway.

[hollsh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think that's the best course of action.

Good luck, hun. *hug*

[cimness.livejournal.com]

LOL, if I can remember to call and make an apptmt with the GP tomorrow. I still have my 'call the fucking shrink' desktop.

[norah.livejournal.com]

The culture barrier is like a wall of glass that gradually gets dirtier the longer you look through it; it's not transparent at all anymore, even though I hardly knew what it looked like at first.

God, this is so true and perfect. Not only of the culture barrier but of the barriers between individual people, even. Cim, you really know how to see important shit and say it right.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Thank you! When I think about it, you're right, it's true of individual other people as well, although I like to think that seeing the barriers to communication with one particular other person eventually leads to successful new communication strategies, if you know them well enough.

I've been morose about the culture barrier all week as I struggled to compose emails to a professor. Because it's so brief, email really shows up the divide. I have no idea how to achieve the tone I want: I don't know the right degree of intimacy and formality, how much to gush, etc, so I don't know how what I've said will come across. Which is true, I think, to a greater or lesser extent, in face-to-face interaction as well.

[norah.livejournal.com]

I like to think that seeing the barriers to communication with one particular other person eventually leads to successful new communication strategies, if you know them well enough.

Yes and no, the more you know the more you know but the less you know, too, eh? I know my husband both better than anyone and less than I ever did these days.

Damn language and culture and subjectivity! Damn them all, I say!

[achiasa.livejournal.com]

If it works anything like the system here, you need to already be in the mental health system to see a health service psychiatrist. The GP thing is to make sure you do actually need the psychiatrist, give you some help in the interim (they're used to dealing with the more common problems like anxiety and depression and blah, and can prescribe standard meds; if you've taken something before you should be able to get a prescription for it), and get you a referral.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be surprised, but I've seen their psychiatrists before so I'm fairly sure that's not it.