Park Myung-soo says psychiatric care is not shameful

Broadcaster Park Myung-soo said people should set aside prejudice toward psychiatry, speaking about times when he sought psychiatric care while dealing with depression and insomnia.

Park spoke with psychiatrist Lee Kyung-joon on the July 20 broadcast of KBS Cool FM's Park Myung-soo's Radio Show. The two discussed the increase in cases where people use artificial intelligence for personal concerns as well as health consultations.

Lee said some patients first receive AI counseling and then come to the hospital with the results. He said, 'At first, I worried that it might take away jobs, but over time I felt that AI can play a supplementary role, and that full-scale treatment ultimately has to be received at a hospital.'

Park then said he had also received counseling at a psychiatry clinic. He recalled, 'When I sometimes feel depressed and cannot sleep, I go to the hospital and receive counseling. At first, I felt anxious and wondered, 'Would people look at me strangely if I went in?' But when I opened the door and went inside, there were about 15 people waiting.'

He added, 'There are this many people? It was the first time I had seen so many people at a psychiatry clinic,' and said he felt it was not something to hide.

Park also said, 'It may be better to think of it as catching a cold in the head or brain and go to the hospital,' urging people to let go of social prejudice toward psychiatric care.