Dr. Gary Byron Watts, MD

I'm being generous with a 1. Dr. Watts presents with an aggressive condescending and argumentative personality and these qualities are at odds with ethical treatment and good outcomes in the field of psychiatry. Be wary.

I was charged $300 for not making it to my appointment on account of having a fever. They require 3 days' notice in advance to cancel. I got a sore throat about 8 hours too late. On the afternoon of my scheduled appointment, my temperature was over 100 degrees. In the covid era, I didn't even consider showing up, not knowing what I was sick with, in order to avoid a $300 charge. I expected taking that responsible action would be rewarded with my fee being waived. However, when I called, I was not allowed to speak with Dr. Watts. I was told I had to pay or be sent to collections. They did not offer any kind of payment plan. I am on disability due to mental illness and traumatic brain injury, and $300 is almost 1/3 of my monthly income. Reading other reviews, I see that mentally ill people have been taken advantage of by him in this way going back at least twelve years. Dr. Watts is clearly abusing his position of responsibility over suffering individuals for his own monetary gain.… Whoever posted here that all the negative reviews are written by one person is wrong. I have never written a review of any doctor, nor do I want to spend my time doing so, but I have to call this out. This is no way to treat people struggling with their mental health.

Dr. Watts walked into my hospital room without a mask or any protective gear, breaking the rules as personal protective wear is supposed to be put on before entering my room because I was a COVID positive patient...a bit hypocritical if you ask me...to be in the at-risk population for the virus and waltz in acting like you hate your job and it would appear that he also had a disregard for his life if his own health was not important to him. And yet, he sat there judging me for having attempted to take my life...how could he do that if he was putting his own life in danger and not caring that he was doing so? His cold demeanor and emotionless personality in not even greeting me or looking at me is evidence to appear as though he does not appreciate the work that he does. I was the one that greeted him friendly and asked him how he was doing and yet his response was void of emotion as he said “I’m okay.” Was he though? As someone that is about to become a mental health professional, I… know for a fact that I was not treated correctly and I am determined to change the stigma around mental health because the hospital’s treatment of suicidal ideation patients and Dr. Watt’s interaction with these patients is NOT okay and no one should be treated as such, especially at their lowest point in life. The fact that Dr. Watts disregarded anything I was saying and degraded me in not believing what I was saying about what I was feeling, goes completely against the study of psychology...and I know because that is what I’m studying. You are NEVER to tell a client that you do not believe them or to tell them how they feel or should be feeling. It is unethical and invalidating. He never smiled once or showed any care whatsoever for me as a person, acting like I was just a waste of his time. How could such a ruthless, cold individual even become a mental health professional? It is hypocritical to be working in the mental health field while being discriminatory towards individuals that struggle with mental health. That blows my mind and I’m fighting for change...as a published author, it should be known that I will be sharing my story. May it be a lesson learned that everyone should always be careful of who they are interacting and talking with as ALL people should be treated with empathy and heart, and that’s the TRUTH. I’m an advocate not only for myself, but for all future suicidal ideation patients that step foot into a hospital and all those that fall into the hands of Dr.Watts. Know in advance that you deserve so much better by someone that will actually listen, try to get to know the real you, and encourage you to get better instead of making you worse. I will be a listening ear to your story because you are so loved, so please don’t hesitate to reach out as I’d love to connect with you! You can contact me through my website www.jannaherron.com <3

Dr. Watts saw me monthly from 1995 to 2005. My difficulty is chronic depression, which probably runs in my family. He prescribed medication I still take in 2020. It has helped me with stress and especially with relationships. Sometimes you say or do things that cause long lasting harm. You feel like you’re falling downstairs and can’t stop. Dr. Watts and the medication helped me. I’m afraid the reviews that are printed here have been done by one vindictive individual and shouldn’t be taken as fact. If you are honestly needing help, please use him; he is a good doctor.

I saw Dr. Watts as part of an inpatient program. He was one of the main reasons I had a very traumatic experience. Dr. Watts was arrogant, demeaning, and downright combative. He was incredibly rude, made several snide comments, and repeatedly cut me off from asking any questions about my treatment including the reason why he was prescribing a certain medications. He also would not listen when I tried to provide pertinent information about my prior negative experiences with certain medications. When I asked about his approach of total medication withdrawal instead of tapering off and explained that I believed it would make me worse, he snidely replied with a “maybe so.” His uncaring attitude, his refusal to listen to me or my family, and the very limited amount of time he was willing to provide me made him unqualified to treat me. He should not treat anyone without clinical background or interest in their well-being. His actions and statements made it clear that he was not… interested in mine.

Dr. Watts should have his license revoked. He is not fit to care for anyone let alone patients with mental and emotional illness. His abusive language, uncaring attitude, and unwillingness to listen caused additional anxiety for my daughter who was already in a vulnerable state of mind. Even with a signed authorization by the patient, Dr. Watts did not respond to the family's desire to provide input, ask questions, or express concerns. He was not interested in information about my daughter's medical history from my daughter or from me. My requests to speak to him went unanswered. He was also vindictive and interfered with our efforts to acquire the services of a different physician. It is obvious that he does not care about his patients and should no longer practice.

Very short visits 15 to minutes. Did not address my concerns. Rude staff.

I ended up in the hospital for an attempted suicide, which I admit, was absolutely so stupid. I was skeptical about going to an inpatient facility as i’ve had bad experiences in the past. Well, Dr. Watts was assigned to me by MedicalCity and I told him my issues with inpatient care, but was more than happy to go with outpatient. He basically told me that if I didn’t agree with his direction for my care, that I was a waste of time. First of all, I was in the hospital, at the lowest I could possibly be and he decides to come into my recovery space and abuse me. Second of all, how dare you say that to a mentally ill person, hours after said patient has already tried to end their life because they felt insignificant. Third, this man has absolutely no idea how to talk to his patients. I strongly believe that his “31 years of experience” has gone to waste. Yes, I disagreed with inpatient because I didn’t think it would benefit my mental health, however, that’s absolutely no way to talk to… someone who literally just tried to end their life. His license needs to be taken away and this unprofessional jack wad needs to brush up on his empathy towards others. Completely unprofessional. Moreover, I had my mother and boyfriend visiting me and Watts walks in, doesn’t even acknowledge the fact that my mother is in the room (she had to take initiative to introduce herself) and shooed her out of the room like she meant nothing. A professional psychiatrist should never act like that. He needs to go ahead and retire if he’s going to continue to treat his mentally ill patients like garbage. A lot of mentally ill people have dealt with abuse in their lives, in some form or another. They don’t need to be abused by someone who is supposed to be a helpful part in recovery. I’m not one to complain about “professionals” in their workspace but i’m horrified at how he could treat another human being, the way he treated me and my family. Disgusting man, he is.

A narcissist, ABUSIVE, sad excuse for a person.

I am not a person who writes or reads reviews and I stumbled on these accidentally but felt compelled to disagree. I have been a patient several years and have experienced none of the things mentioned here. I have found Dr Watts and the office staff to be courteous and professional. They do have a clear policy for missed appointments but that is fair. They are running a business. When I visit a doctor I am not looking for a warm and fuzzy experience but a courteous professional.