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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by stickywicket on June 7, 2006, at 8:25:19
At my last pdoc appointment I was pretty manic and not in control. I told him that I Googled his name and found out alot about him, that I knew where he lived, his wife's name, that he has one son and where he lives; even his mother and father's names. His son has a webpage with family pictures that I found where I saw pics of pdoc with friends and family. I suppose I felt if all this is on the Net, that it's not bad that I accessed it. OTOH, it did feel like an invasion of his privacy. I had absolutely no intention of mentioning it to him before my appointment, but once there, I just blurted it all out. I assured him I wasn't a stalker, that I was just out of curiosity. I don't think he was too happy to say the least.
Now I don't know how to repair the damage I've done. Any ideas?
BTW, I'm BPII and have been rapid cycling. Needless to say, he made a med adjustment.
Posted by Phil on June 7, 2006, at 10:17:03
In reply to Crossed the pdoc boundary...dilemma, posted by stickywicket on June 7, 2006, at 8:25:19
It's not your fault that it's public information.
It's not like they don't know every stinking thing about our lives. Why should they be more protected than us?
Besides, who knows if he's not Googleing our names looking for arrest records or whatever else they can get?
Tell him to grow up. There's a lot more that can be found out about him. For instance you can call your medical examiners office and see if he's ever had complaints or lawsuits, etc. It ain't like he'll volunteer the info. Heck, he may not even have a degree, who knows, ya know?Angry Phil
Posted by Phil on June 7, 2006, at 10:36:11
In reply to Re: Crossed the pdoc boundary...dilemma » stickywicket, posted by Phil on June 7, 2006, at 10:17:03
BTW, I've called the State office before on all my doctors to see if they had problems. I also will call the BBB before I make a large purchase from an unknown company.
Am I supposed to trust a doctor w/ my life when I don't trust JimBob's Washing Machines for a square deal?
I'm BPII also and am definitely agitated today so forgive me for going on and on.Phil
Posted by Phillipa on June 7, 2006, at 12:53:35
In reply to Crossed the pdoc boundary...dilemma, posted by stickywicket on June 7, 2006, at 8:25:19
Phil's right if he didn't want that info on the web he should have told his Son. It's his fault not yours. He probably looked angry cause he was angry at his Son not you. Love Phillipa
Posted by Tamar on June 7, 2006, at 16:34:47
In reply to Crossed the pdoc boundary...dilemma, posted by stickywicket on June 7, 2006, at 8:25:19
Pdocs and therapists need to understand that it’s routine these days for patients/clients to Google them and find out stuff about them and their families.
I can’t believe you are the first person to have Googled him, though you may be the first person to have told him. I have Googled my therapist, and I know his home address, home telephone number, email address, partner’s name, where he went to school, his parents’ names and address, brothers’ and sisters’ names and addresses… even the names and photos and email addresses of uncles and cousins. I don’t know how close he is to his extended family; I might know more about them than he does. But I haven’t told him I know.
I have two rules: I won’t do anything illegal to get information about him, and I won’t part with any money. But that’s just me. I have heard of someone who figured out their therapist’s email password and read his email. I have heard of people who paid for financial and other background information about their doctors. In today’s world, very little information is truly private. In my view, Googling people is not an invasion of privacy. Going through his garbage would be. Phoning him at home would be. But typing his name into your computer is not.
And it’s not just people with mental illness who Google virtual strangers. Many people will Google colleagues, bosses, potential dates, friends’ partners… the list goes on and on.
> Now I don't know how to repair the damage I've done. Any ideas?
I don’t know much about your relationship with your pdoc. Maybe it would be best to let it lie. Or maybe you feel you want to explain a bit about it. I think that’s a decision only you can make.
I’d look at it like this: instead or worrying about repairing any damage, maybe it would be a good idea to work on what you need and want from this information. For me it’s a safety valve from the transference. I feel more comfortable knowing he isn’t the person my transference seems to describe him as. What’s your deal with it?
Posted by stickywicket on June 8, 2006, at 15:14:21
In reply to Re: Crossed the pdoc boundary...dilemma » stickywicket, posted by Tamar on June 7, 2006, at 16:34:47
>For me it’s a safety valve from the transference. I feel more comfortable knowing he isn’t the person my transference seems to describe him as. What’s your deal with it?
>
>
Same as yours but I couldn't describe it as well as you did. I idealize him too much (even fantasize) so knowing about his personal life grounds me in reality. He has a life beyond his patients.
This is the end of the thread.
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