To think these comments left by my gp were rude

[Ispy9]

This isn’t really relevant anymore as I am in a much better place now than I was but I’m still quite annoyed about it. A year ago I was suffering quite badly with anxiety and depression so I went and saw my GP about it.

I recently downloaded the NHS App and I thought I’d have a look through my notes. I saw that on the appointment about my mental health my GP had wrote these notes.

‘Examination: Not sleeping, not looking after herself. Unkempt, looking down, shoulders hunched, not wearing a bra, hair not brushed’

aibu to think these comments on my file are quite rude?

My GP notes are very boring in comparison, they restrict themselves to a sentence!

When I had PTSD part of the reason I was denied any medication or further referral was because when I presented at the GP (twice) I was 'well groomed'. Both GPs said this to my face. Never seen my notes, tempted to check now.

The bra thing only makes sense in this context if the next time they see you they notice you are then wearing one it suggests you normally do if that makes sense.

I got a comment on the brightly coloured top I was wearing in my medical records. They thought it was an indication of my improved mental health/positive mood. It was the only top I had clean that was long enough to cover my tummy, thighs and bottom. I was feeling fat.

I don’t think it’s rude op, more a factual description of how you presented.

I'm really not seeing the relevance of wether or not you were wearing a bra. Was it a breast exam or just a chat about your depression?

Me too. If I have an early appointment I quite often rush out without brushing my hair. And I hate wearing a bra but usually do if I'm seeing a GP but I certainly don't at home!

Perhaps you should have taken your bra off to prove you had PTSD lol

If it was accurate then it’s not rude, it’s true.

Someone’s effort in their appearance definitely correlates with their MH.

This was an observation, just like they’d observe other things.
Putting them all together can paint a big picture.

I hope you are ok now OP.

It's an indication that you're depressed as you don't care about the usual social norms, it's a part of the bigger picture. It probably wouldn't have been noted in a small chested woman.

If you saw the GP more than once then maybe that was their observation that how you normally dressed vs how you presented on a specific day was noticeably different so they noted it. In which case on a future visit they could then compare again if they saw you were presented better as part of their assessment.

This is probably why they didn't bother releasing them in the past as it just gives people more fuel to waste time at a surgery making sure their notes are going to be to their liking

the bra comment is odd. Why would whether you wear one or not indicate your state of mind?

Hmm that’s not on! Some people are good at masking their feelings but can really struggle inside.

thanks for letting me know how to access the notes op!

Did he perform any form of physical exam - if so that might explain the comment

I think those comments are fair, including lack of bra. Most women would wear a bra for an appointment

Hope you are better now

Good clinical care, I’d have thought. Your GP is recording evidence of your illness, so that colleagues will know if they need to hand over, or if you return. Your GP can see if there’s a pattern in you [lack of] self care etc.

Would you rather that your symptoms were not recorded and your illness potentially mistreated as a result?

Nah, you can't see that on the NHS app.

Here's my visible notes from the app for my breast examination 2wks ago (there's a thread on that).

The bra one is a bit off unless it was very obvious/bordering on inappropriate.. Guess it depends on the top you were wearing at the time. Either way it's nothing to write home about.
I darent look at my mental health notes, between the blank bits I can't remember, all the kick offs and bits I think I remember but probably something completely different happened it's just going to be traumatic af.

The bra thing is odd, but I can see maybe they overall felt there was a lack of care/interest if your appearance and were trying to boil that down factually and briefly.

Imo lack of bra suggests you've been in bed or lounging at home and just chucked any old thing on top to be decent enough to leave the house...i.e. you're in a really bad place.

I look like that everyday :D no bra is my standard and the rest is just harassed and tired teacher uniform

I hope you're doing better now.

My sister was denied whatever amounts to sickness benefits with DWP a few years ago because she showered before her assessment and wore smart, ironed clothes (drilled into us by my mother for anything "official").

They specifically noted that her appearance didn't match her symptoms, therefore she was exaggerating her debilitating depression and anxiety.

Your GP was being factual, not rude and probably wrote it that way because of the amount of people that present in genuine distress who are subsequently denied financial support from the government.

I know plenty of unkempt women with messy hair, spend a lot of time gardening or working outside. Most women I know hate bras and resent the pressure to wear one. Some even think them unhealthy! Also know a few academics of hunched posture, often looking down ruminating on Shakespeare and the like. So, I would say some of the comments are not only rude, but highly subjective and rather narrow minded. I would prefer a doctor accepted your description of symptoms, without making a judgement on your looks. I suppose it's how they are trained, though, and they mean well. I hope you are feeling better too.

Pretty much the first thing I stop doing when my mental health is declining is stop wearing a bra

It's just that thing that takes effort to do but there's few consequences to not doing, so if I'm struggling to get dressed I'm not bothering with a bra

In itself it's not an indicator, unbrushed hair in itself is not an indicator but as part of the bigger picture it maybe.

What makes you think the GP was a man? A woman would be much more likely to pick up on the potential significance of not wearing a bra if you usually do, in the context of concerns about mental health. It's not the lack of a bra, itself, it's the change from whatever is normal for the individual patient.