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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think a UK psychiatrist shouldn't think that magic spells cause mental illness?

38 replies

Februarystars23 · 20/02/2023 12:45

Colleague from Nigeria told me that he believes some mental illness is caused by spells and evil spirit possession and he's seen exorcism work.

He is also incredibly homophobic and thinks it should be illegal.

AIBU to have concerns that this man is working with very ill people who are detained under the mental health act?

Or am I just racist or culturally insensitive?

OP posts:
NEmama · 20/02/2023 12:50

Report

DaisyDays123 · 20/02/2023 12:51

Omg that’s terrible. He shouldn’t be anywhere near vulnerable people.

Goodread1 · 20/02/2023 12:55

It's obviously his views are backward so much in depth of history that it's like he has stumbled back into a time wap votex,

His views are damaging toxic if and people do believe in him as as a so called professional,

I do have 🕷 spidery sense this is a made op thread, to make a point about wokeness in a subtle manipulative way, to be a bit provoke

Tat2too · 20/02/2023 12:58

Report him. He sounds very similar to a psychiatrist I saw who had some similar/weird beliefs.

Tat2too · 20/02/2023 12:59

Goodread1 · 20/02/2023 12:55

It's obviously his views are backward so much in depth of history that it's like he has stumbled back into a time wap votex,

His views are damaging toxic if and people do believe in him as as a so called professional,

I do have 🕷 spidery sense this is a made op thread, to make a point about wokeness in a subtle manipulative way, to be a bit provoke

I can see why you'd Spidey sense it I would but I've sadly experienced someone like this in the system and did report them. Different subject matters but still grotesquely inappropriate things were said

Original poster
Februarystars23 · 20/02/2023 13:00

Goodread1 · 20/02/2023 12:55

It's obviously his views are backward so much in depth of history that it's like he has stumbled back into a time wap votex,

His views are damaging toxic if and people do believe in him as as a so called professional,

I do have 🕷 spidery sense this is a made op thread, to make a point about wokeness in a subtle manipulative way, to be a bit provoke

It's definitely not fake. I have name-changed. I wish it was made up.

OP posts:
KattyKattyKatz · 20/02/2023 13:00

He's just working for the money . He doesn't care one bit with those views .

ComtesseDeSpair · 20/02/2023 13:12

Does his view on either influence his mainstream psychiatric practice? There are plenty of doctors and scientists who believe in
a god, the power of prayer, a karmic system, creationism etc. Unless they’re allowing their beliefs to directly influence their practice against their formal training, against the needs and wishes of their patients, and against workplace policy, ultimately their beliefs are theirs.

Likewise, there are without a doubt a great many homophobic, racist and sexist doctors and medical practitioners of all kinds. Is he telling his patients that being gay is wrong? Is he failing to adequately treat his gay patients or treating them unfavourably?

None of this is to say that he’s right, but that in terms of making a report, you’ll need to have substance.

Hoppinggreen · 20/02/2023 13:14

Goodread1 · 20/02/2023 12:55

It's obviously his views are backward so much in depth of history that it's like he has stumbled back into a time wap votex,

His views are damaging toxic if and people do believe in him as as a so called professional,

I do have 🕷 spidery sense this is a made op thread, to make a point about wokeness in a subtle manipulative way, to be a bit provoke

Hmmm
I might be suspicious too but there was also a thread today about a poster whose African colleague was extolling the virtues of FGM

GarlicGrace · 20/02/2023 13:14

These beliefs would be dangerous in anyone working with vulnerable people of any kind. He shouldn't be anywhere near inpatients with serious mental illness; I imagine several of them are receiving treatment for similar ideation and he isn't going to help at all! Another vote for reporting him.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 20/02/2023 13:20

Similar thread here

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4746834-colleague-discussing-the-benefits-of-fgm

Dinkleberg · 20/02/2023 13:20

Of course you're not being racist or culturally insensitive, and you know you're not. This has nothing to do with his race and everything to do with the damage such beliefs could do to vulnerable patients under his care.

FatOaf · 20/02/2023 13:27

You can't tell people what they can & can't believe. The question is whether those beliefs influence his professional actions.

The GMC will not discipline a doctor for his beliefs. Unless you have evidence that he has been telling patients their illness is caused by evil spirits, or that their homosexuality is wicked, you have no grounds for reporting him. As others have stated, many doctors are deeply religious but they don't impose their religious beliefs on their patients, or diverge from guidelines or professional behaviour standards where they are in conflict with their beliefs.

Dogsitterwoes · 20/02/2023 13:27

I believe you, OP.

I used to be very involved with highly educated professionals from Nigeria, including GPS, and they all held very biblical Christian beliefs, which includes 100% certainty about the influence of the devil, demons, witches etc on people's health and behaviour.

They werent physchiatrists though. That would really concern me.

Tat2too · 20/02/2023 13:29

Something to consider, professionals are as susceptible to mental illness as any other person in society. If they are seeing demons and goblins and similar perhaps they need assessing by their colleagues....

Seeing there are now 2 threads about similar issues posted on the same day it's a bit Sus.

Newwardrobe · 20/02/2023 13:29

In what capacity is he working and have these beliefs had a detrimental affect on the patients?

whatsup00 · 20/02/2023 13:31

I have witnessed a psychiatrist like this. A lot of patients walked out. Didn't get proper treatment. And because they were in such a bad place they felt unable to complain, it carried on. Please don't let the possibility of this carry on.

WhisperingAutistic · 20/02/2023 13:32

Are you the person who posted about a colleague who agrees with FGM too?
The writing styles are very similar, as are some of the details.

unclebuck · 20/02/2023 13:34

Would you mind if they were a Catholic and believed transubstantiation? This is a genuine question. I find both utterly unacceptable but I suspect I am in a small minority.

TheEponymousGrub · 20/02/2023 13:37

So, your colleague is a psychiatrist but you honestly don't know whether his holding/sharing these beliefs is acceptable? Aye right.

Untitledsquatboulder · 20/02/2023 13:38

Belief in evil, possession and exorcism is widespread in a number of religions and occurs in just about all cultures, so its interesting you chose to share his with us. If you feel his beliefs are damaging his patients then surely you have professional routes for reporting him, so it's doubly strange you are posting about it on Mumsnet.

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 20/02/2023 13:38

Does he share his personal beliefs with his patients or treat them in accordance with his beliefs ie casting spells and exorcisms?

If he is professional in his practice and keeps his beliefs to himself then I don't think you have any basis for complaint.

There are plenty of practicing Christian's who believe in God and who speak to him and believe he communicates back, who take communion and believe they are ingesting the body and blood of Christ. Who believe in devils and angels.

Do we say that they are incapable of practicing psychiatry?

Brieandme · 20/02/2023 13:41

I've known mental health professionals who personally hold similar views - it's their cultural belief and it is promoted within certain churches. However if they're not sharing their beliefs in work, not discussing them where they're linked to their role (eg sharing on social media while identifiable) and they're treating patients in line with NHS guidelines then there isn't any recourse.

People can believe whatever they want, whatever job they're in. If you're a colleague of them and they've had this conversation with you then you could raise it and they'd probably be told to keep their views to themselves, but they can't be made to change their mind on it.

Brieandme · 20/02/2023 13:46

Just to add on the flip side also; black African heritage men are significantly more likely to be medicated and medicated against their will due to institutional racism in the mental health system - where they are most likely to be assessed by white men (re medication) white women (re MHA)
One accepted reason for this is a lack of cultural sensitivity around beliefs about god, ancestors and communicating with them.
Having a variety of views in a mental health service is better than only having that of white/western medicine. I mean, it was the latter that gave us the diagnosis of hysteria and wandering wombs....

Lunde · 20/02/2023 13:53

I would flag this up given that there was a case last week of someone working in the NHS for 20 years with faked credentials
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/feb/15/fake-doctor-zholia-alemi-nhs-guilty-fraud