The second opinion from an infoscian

The second opinion

I always wonder whether the doctors ever go to see a doctor when they fall ill. Or do the beauty parlor ladies go to another parlor to get their hair and eyebrows done. Or do the psychiatrists take a second opinion when they start hallucinating.

It’s kind of intriguing to think from the psychiatrist’s point of view. Imagine that he knows everything about human psychology, has everything that it takes to be what he is. He is able to listen to and give unprejudiced suggestions to his patients. But I always wonder whether he would be able to do that if one day he starts hallucinating or starts experiencing the games of the psyche. I am not sure whether he would be able to convince himself that he does need a psychiatric treatment.

The point that I am trying to drive at is it becomes difficult to reach or ask for help when you are more learned. For eg the psychiatrist would understand from a doctor’s point of view that he is mentally unfit but at the end of the day he is a normal human being and suffering from a mental illness. In his sane minutes he would understand all the logic but once the insane mind takes over…will he able to put all his advice to cure himself???

And even in his sane mind, if he is fully convinced that he needs help will it be possible for him to go to another psychiatrist and seek help?? I don’t think so…..

Sometimes I feel that reading books and becoming wiser doesn’t help all that much. When I see people fight over trivial matters I often think why people cannot understand a simple fact of life that no two people can have the same way of thinking and there is bound to be a difference of opinion. Trying to convince other people of what you think to be right is, in my dictionary, an absolutely ridiculous idea. That is unless your life depends on it!!!!!!!!!! JJ

But the point is, having understood that myself, I haven’t gained much happiness or less misery!!!! Because although I understand it, the people around me don’t. And since I don’t believe in coaxing them to understand my point, so most of the times my side of the story is left unheard. And at the end of the day people around me make me feel like I am at fault and I, knowing fully well that I wasn’t even given a fair chance, do feel guilty conscious of hurting them. And because of knowing and understanding everything, i.e. both the sides of the coin, it is difficult to discuss your problems because I know what is the next piece of advice coming –“try and understand their point of view also”. So it’s kind of frustrating because I am in that situation because of understanding the other side. Otherwise even I would have fought and either ‘won’ or ‘lost’ the argument and as well would have enjoyed or sulked about it.

Sometimes being a little ignorant also makes your life a little simpler and a little bit happier. You can blurt your heart out as well as not worry about any crap advice (or the “Second opinion”) coming from other people because you don’t already know it and so it doesn’t sound all that clichéd and more importantly….does not push you off the edge!!!!!