The literal truth

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Kathrin

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I got a doctor’s note for my next trip to the U.S., I am going to translate it from German into English and then my doctor will sign it.

I already discovered about two things that are maybe not totally literally true. For example, he wrote that my disorder was not a danger or burden to those around me. Now, OCD CAN be a bit burdensome on others…😉 😉 Also we discussed about whether to write that my OCD is totally compensated by medication (I told him no, I still have symptoms. Thinking especially about my scrupulosity. So he said, ok, write it a little different…)

Now the Catholic stance, just so I am doing this right without getting TOO scrupulous: What about all these technicalities? How seriously to take this? The purpse is to say that I am nto a danger to myself or others.

Am I getting too scrupulous here, or is it really morally very important to use the exact right words so there is no tiny little half-lie anywhere?

The doctor told me I didn’t have to be “holier than the pope”. 😉

Kathrin
 
I admire your honesty. You are to be commended.

Your doctor is writing what he believes to be the truth. I think you should allow him to use his medical judgment. 🙂

So where in the USA are you going? Back to California? (I vaguely remember you saying something about San Francisco some time ago.)
 
rpp said:
So where in the USA are you going? Back to California? (I vaguely remember you saying something about San Francisco some time ago.)
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Yeah, going back. Not before the end of July though, probably.

Sometimes it seems sooo complicated, all the formal stuff. I guess that has to be because a lot of people are NOT honest? making sure people don’t come to do illegal things. Me I just want to see my friends, write my poetry and DO GOOD, that is, help the homeless again.
 
You are hardly a burden and a danger to anyone in the sense the words are meant. You know very well what message the doctor in his wisdom and knowledge wishes to convey. It is your responsibilty to get his words into English without questioning his opinion, which quite straight forwardly is that you are not a burden and a danger to anyone. It was up to him to judge what was a danger or a burden not you with your OCD turn of mind. You are not going to strangle someone on the plane with one of your guitar strings. 🙂 Be :cool: .
 
Kathrin said:
Now the Catholic stance, just so I am doing this right without getting TOO scrupulous: What about all these technicalities? How seriously to take this? The purpse is to say that I am nto a danger to myself or others.

Am I getting too scrupulous here, or is it really morally very important to use the exact right words so there is no tiny little half-lie anywhere?
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You are being too scrupulous. You should interpret his words with charity, not with scrupulosity. He is talking honestly about the big picture, saying you are not a burden, meaning not in any way that is substantial. Anyone might be considered a burden at the level of scrupulosity that you are applying. As for the compensation by medication, he obviously is referring to some type of significant beneficial effect of the medication, not to a complete lack of all symptoms (which no medication can be reasonbly expected to give).

Speaking in general, scrupulosity is partially due to arrogance, because one cannot be scrupulous unless one always places one’s own judgment first. It is also partly due to a reliance on the letter of the law, rather than the spirit of the law.

[Matthew 12]
{12:1} At that time, Jesus went out through the ripe grain on the Sabbath. And his disciples, being hungry, began to separate the grain and to eat.
{12:2} Then the Pharisees, seeing this, said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbaths.”
{12:3} But he said to them: “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
{12:4} how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
{12:5} Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and they are without guilt?
{12:6} But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.
{12:7} And if you knew what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would never have condemned the innocent.
{12:8} For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
 
Kathrin said:
I got a doctor’s note for my next trip to the U.S., I am going to translate it from German into English and then my doctor will sign it.

I already discovered about two things that are maybe not totally literally true. For example, he wrote that my disorder was not a **danger or burden **to those around me. Now, OCD CAN be a bit burdensome on others…😉 😉 Also we discussed about whether to write that my OCD is totally compensated by medication (I told him no, I still have symptoms. Thinking especially about my scrupulosity. So he said, ok, write it a little different…)The doctor told me I didn’t have to be “holier than the pope”. 😉

Kathrin
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I think the ‘danger or burden’ refers to specifics: like do you have a tendency to be violent from your condition and does someone need to provide physical assistance to you because of your condition. If I understand OCD correctly the answers are, no.

Regarding the second question I would answer, yes. The other symptoms are still part of the original diagnosis which the medication you are taking is attempting to correct.
 
Well, thanks everyone.

I remember reading here once that lying is always wrong, but I guess this is not about lying but about technicalities.

But yes, regarding the question about the symptoms being fully compensated - well, you can see that at least the srcupulosity part is still very active sometimes. Fortunately, yes, I have seen an immense improvement after starting medication. I went throguh a really really bad time right before that, getting very overwhelmed because I was pushing myself around to do all kinds of things until late at night.

I think I’ll find a way to phrase it ok. I shouldn’t be so anxious about it!

Kathrin
 
What about just in general, if something is too complicated to put in simple turns and so will not be literally totally true?
For example also, I just went back up to 30mgs of Prozac because I felt the obsessive thinking coming back more (yeah, I know). My goal in the long term MAY be though to go back down to 20. So if the doctor writes 20 for the doasge on the letter, that is wrong. But if he writes 30, and then I go back down to 25 or something, then I feel like I am breaking a “contract” (even though it’s not really a contract, it’s just a statement).
Would it be ok to just write either 20 or 30, for simplicity’s sake, and forget about all the adaptations I might still make? I doubt that the doctor would take this so serious and say, ok let’s write “20-30”, because that would sound confusing.
 
Kathrin said:
What about just in general, if something is too complicated to put in simple turns and so will not be literally totally true?
For example also, I just went back up to 30mgs of Prozac because I felt the obsessive thinking coming back more (yeah, I know). My goal in the long term MAY be though to go back down to 20. So if the doctor writes 20 for the doasge on the letter, that is wrong. But if he writes 30, and then I go back down to 25 or something, then I feel like I am breaking a “contract” (even though it’s not really a contract, it’s just a statement).
Would it be ok to just write either 20 or 30, for simplicity’s sake, and forget about all the adaptations I might still make? I doubt that the doctor would take this so serious and say, ok let’s write “20-30”, because that would sound confusing.
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Kathrin,you are obsessing again. Your doctor is not an idiot. Just translate it as he has written it and get on with your life. I know of what I speak as at age 19-22 I also suffered the terrible disability of scrupulosity. The way out was to absolutely trust my priest and authority figures like doctors. It is hard to trust someone else’s judgement, but it is the only way out. Pills help and may be necessary for your lifetime, but you need to help the pills.
 
I’m sorry, yeah, I have been obsessing about this. I talked to a friend today too who also said that I was exaggerating big time. That a letter like that was only a momentary statement, not something like a contract.
I do think I should probably write the correct dosage as good as possible. But it shouldn’t be an anxiety-provoking obsessive thing at all!!
Life is too good to waste time on such matters, right? Just making myself miserable.
Thanks again.
 
Kathrin,

At least we will always know that anything you say is absolutely truthful. That is a very good quality! 🙂

We will always be able to trust you! 👍

As long as we do not obsess.

Kathrin, may God grant you the graces you need and have a safe trip!
 
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