[sleelverrex]

expect doctors to cure you of all ills would be unrealistic

And, as a retired physician, I would add such a notion could be risky, especially in the psychological/psychiatric fields, where the treatment can, at times, be worse than the ailment, especially if the ailment is relatively mild.

As I have indicated before, medicine is very far from the precise "science" it is sometimes portrayed to be, often by people who are not very knowledgable about it and who's description represents a wish rather than reality. Certainly, if you have an illness which is potentially life-threatening, you should seek the advice of a (trusted) physician and understand the situation and the possible treatments (and the likelihood that any given treatment would be of benefit). But, fortunately, the vast majority of symptoms that we humans develop are transient and need no specific treatment and, in fact, treating such transient symptoms has the potential to do harm.

I was an internist and the rule of thumb that I was taught: 85% of the patients that come to see you with complaints need no treatment and their symtpoms will resolve with time. This is especially true of psychologicaly-based symptoms such as occur in panic attacks. Unfortunately, at least in America, the populace expects (almost demands) "medicine" no matter what the doctor advises - the most obvious example being antibiotics for a viral infection - there will be NO benefit and the risk of side effects - and tranquilizers to modulate the effects of life's stresses, also with numerous possible, sometimes dangerous, side effects.

Enough, I'll get my soap box now..






Edited to create spacing