Your patient is crying, what to do?

Do not reflexively refer the patient to a psychiatrist, that’s the take home point.

Great advice from Maria, who is a psychiatrist herself:

That hasty referral sends the message that (1) it’s not okay to cry, (2) I don’t want to see you cry (or I can’t tolerate seeing you cry), and (3) there must be something wrong with you since you are crying. (“Not only do you have Medical Condition X, but you might be mentally ill, too!”)

Here’s what you should do instead.