Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Psychiatrist, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, spoke to GZT. Tarhan made striking statements about the cases he has seen and the field of psychiatry, touching upon his own experiences as a physician. Emphasizing preventive medicine, Tarhan said; “Since I started my profession, records show that we have treated 230,000 patients. However, what I truly value is not how many patients I treat, but preventing people from getting sick through the reading of my books, which have sold over 1 million copies. I find it more beneficial to raise people's awareness before they get sick, rather than treating them once they are ill.”
“The Basis of Most Psychological Disorders Lies in Childhood”
Tarhan stated that they first apply a childhood trauma scale when starting treatment with clients, explaining that many psychological disorders stem from childhood. Tarhan said; “For a long time, we have routinely applied a childhood trauma scale to every patient suffering from psychological distress. For example, we learn whether a child has experienced physical or emotional abuse during childhood using this scale. For instance, we seek answers to questions like whether the child has been subjected to physical abuse such as being beaten with a belt, threatened with fire, etc., or physical abuse like being starved as punishment. If, for instance, a parent forced a child to do something and emotionally abused them by saying, “If you don’t do it, I won’t love you,” this can be identified through the childhood trauma scale. Psychiatry has also changed today. We no longer openly tell people, “Let’s delve into your childhood,” putting them on the defensive. We start treatment by asking the right questions without the patient realizing, bringing their traumas to light without re-opening wounds. A psychiatrist must know how to ask the right questions.”
“It’s Not About How Many Patients I Treat, But How Many People I Protect from Getting Sick Is More Important”
Tarhan stated that they have treated 230,000 patients to date, emphasizing that what is important is not treating patients, but saving people from getting sick. Tarhan said; “Until 2002, I was seeing patients individually. After 2002, we transitioned from solo practice to group practice, starting to work as a team. Group practice is a widely used method today in many parts of the world, especially in the USA. In this way, we started seeing more patients and created an archive. We have treated 230,000 patients so far. However, what I truly value is not how many patients I treat, but ensuring people don't get sick through the reading of my books, which have sold over 1 million copies. I find it more beneficial to raise people's awareness before they get sick, rather than treating them once they are ill.”
“Narcissistic Cases Are Among the Most Difficult to Treat”
Tarhan stated that as a psychiatrist, the most challenging cases are treating narcissists, explaining that these individuals are unaware of their own problems until they experience narcissistic trauma. Tarhan said; “When narcissistic cases come, one must be very careful. Those cases do not see a problem with themselves; for example, if they are married, they say, “Let my spouse come instead of me, let them get treated.” Especially individuals with high professional achievements fall into this case type, such as successful business people. For these cases to accept treatment, they generally need to pay a heavy price, to experience narcissistic trauma. The greatest fear of narcissists is losing what they value. If they value their marriage, spouse, or child, they try to get their act together to avoid losing them. The most difficult cases are those with personality disorders.”
“The Stories in Psychological TV Series Do Not Reflect Reality”
Tarhan stated that psychological TV series, which have become a trend today, largely do not reflect reality, and pointed out that such programs should not be broadcast during prime time, also known as golden hours. Tarhan said; “I do not recommend watching psychology-themed TV series and programs. Such programs have a traumatic effect on people. Enjoying them while watching is not a healthy state, it’s a masochistic approach. While watching, one needs to be aware that most of these stories are not true. A story is created based on a five-minute incident, and 20 percent of this story is true, while 80 percent is mere exaggeration. The treatment methods used in these series are no longer applied in medicine. In the past, a patient would be followed for years, sometimes without even reaching a definitive conclusion. Now, there are definitive methods; it is possible to treat patients without reopening their wounds. With the currently applied clinical method, a definite outcome is reached quickly with the combination of medication and therapy. We also received many offers to publish the stories we encountered in our profession. In my opinion, publishing and filming these stories is not ethical. These series should be broadcast at night, placed in non-prime time, i.e., non-golden hours.”