Psychiatrists are people, too

Ann Bracken paints the entire field of psychiatry as unscientific, ineffectual and often harmful. This is a dangerous mischaracterization and could lead folks who are suffering to avoid getting necessary help.

We psychiatrists are your daughters, sons, sisters, brothers and cousins. We decided to devote our lives to helping others. We studied chemistry and biology. We wanted to know as much as we could about the body, so we went to medical school. We trained for years after medical school in residency, caring for folks with severe mental illness.

We see folks who are suffering every day, try to understand their problems and help them. We work with primary care doctors, psychologists, social workers and other mental health providers. Of course we encourage healthy diets, exercise, good sleep and managing stress. We are physicians and know that a healthy body is important for a healthy mind.

We attend conferences, read journals, consult with colleagues, constantly trying to get better at what we do to help more of our patients. We know that there is much we do not know, that there are folks we are not yet able to help. But we know that there are countless folks whose lives we have improved, or even saved, as a result of our labors. We are human, and have also had loved ones suffer from mental illness. We are not your adversary; we are all in this together.

— Dr. Robert Herman has been practicing psychiatry since 1987 and based in Arnold for the past 22 years.