Bigotry on Parade

Bigotry on Parade

Byron Diggs' denial is not unique among medical professionals who seldom
admit their negative bias toward persons with disabilities. Who would believe
that doctors are prejudiced? Ahem! (Byron R. Diggs, "Psychiatric Care Needs
Medical Care," Letter, Cambridge Chronicle, May 31, 2007) This doctor celebrates
and boasts of his bias.
Diggs declares that statements with which he disagrees are inaccurate and
distorted showing his intolerance. Diggs denies that he suggested that all
persons with disabilities are violent by citing two extreme cases of criminal
acts. But that is what journalists, police and prosecutors do all of the time.
Diggs is part of the clueless majority hateful population who fear and demonize
persons with disabilities.
Medical professionals are a major barrier to persons with disabilities
being treated the same as ordinary persons. Diggs is unaware that saying his
"answer contended that such patients are potentially dangerous," shows his
prejudice. How are persons with disabilities more potentially dangerous than the
rest of the population? They are only so in Diggs' biased mind.
Diggs shows intolerance by stereotyping all persons who arrive at the ER
in an unconventional manner. If a person with Muscular Distrophy who uses a
wheelchair arrived at the ER, would Diggs forceably drug him because he was
unable to walk and acted funny? Diggs is unable to perceive that being upset may
be a person's disability. He equates being upset to violence and crime. He
recognizes that there may be other reasons than psychiatric causes. But he
asserts that "such patients are suffering greatly and out of control." Oh?
Diggs would never generalize about women, homosexuals or blacks as he does
about persons with disabilities. That is evidence of his prejudice. He needs
some sensitivity training. Shame on this clueless prejudiced doctor.

--
Roy Bercaw, Editor
ENOUGH ROOM
PO Box 400297
Cambridge MA 02140 USA
http://www.enoughroom.blogspot.com
http://www.enoughroomvideo.blogspot.com

Cambridge Chronicle
Letter
May 31, 2007
-
Psychiatric Care Needs Medical Care

I read, with a growing sense of deja vu, Cathy A. Levin�s letter in today�s
Chronicle.

On April 27, Ms. Levin and colleagues wrote an oped piece in the Chronicle
criticizing psychiatric care in the emergency room. It was replete with
inaccurate and distorting statements. On May 10, my countering letter was
printed in the Chronicle. Ms. Levin�s response, �Surprised by letter,� is the
source of deja vu: more inaccuracies and distortions.

She writes, �We had written that � (ER psych patients) are usually not
dangerous. Diggs� astounding answer was to reference two sensationalistic news
stories: Andrea Yeager and �Seung-Hui Cho, the murder of 32 at Virginia Tech.�

That was not my answer to the above comment. Yeager and Cho were mentioned to
point out the fact that if they had been seen in the ER, the subsequent tragedy
might have been avoided.

My answer contended that such patients are potentially dangerous; the reasons
for their ER visit often involve escalating behavior that is fraught with danger
to themselves and/or to others.

Ms. Levin writes, �It is alarming to us that a medical professional like Dr.
Diggs says that it is impossible to even diagnose an emotionally out-of-control
person.� Their surprise is incredibly naive.

Whether referred by their clinicians, brought in by the police or family
members, such patients are suffering greatly and out of control; physically
active or passive, they cannot communicate or cooperate with health-care staff.
This is not blame, but reality. These patients need prompt medical evaluation to
rule out/rule in nonpsychiatric causes: low or high blood sugar, low or high
thyroid hormone, metabolic syndromes, brain hemorrhage � the list is very long,
possible causes not uncommon. Prompt psychiatric evaluation normally follows
this �medical clearance.� None of this can be effectively performed if the
patient is punching and combative, or inert and unable to cooperate. To
experienced healthcare providers, the necessity for temporary chemical or
physical restraint is axiomatic; I am at a loss to explain Ms. Levin�s lack of
understanding of these basic necessities, nor the need to distort my meaning.
BYRON R. DIGGS, MD
Arlington