Shrink apppointment
 

I have my third shrink appointment tomorrow. And to be honest I'm not sure if I want to continue going. It's neither helping me nor hindering me, it's doing nothing. I'm in there for only 10 minutes every 3-4 weeks...how's that supposed to help? I'm supposed to be seeing the nurse counsellor in conjunction and was told last time that she'd call to arrange an appointment with me cos it's been like 8 weeks since I've seen her. She hasn't called. And I was supposed to be referred to a SH support group but that hasn't happened. I also feel that what's going on with me goes beyond depression, I think there are other things going wrong in my head and nobody's listening to me or even TRYING to delve deeper than the obvious. I really am not capable of saying to them that I'm extremely frustrated with the care I'm receiving (in that I don't feel like I'm receiving any care).

I'm just so angry and frustrated and really don't know why I'm doing this and really just needed a bit of a rant, sorry.

x

I hear you.

I take it that it's the psychiatrist who you see for 10 minutes once a month or so? Generally what they do then is review how you're doing on the medication, and adjust as necessary.

What do you feel that the troubles beyond depression are, for you? What do you feel's wrong, for you? How would you describe it?

Have you spoken to your GP about what's happening? When I was frustrated with my [now ex, as I was discharged just over a year ago] psychiatrist, I told my GP, and she was great. She also advised me to phone the office when my appointment letter didn't come through. It might be worth phoning the reception office to ask about the other referals, they should be able to track for you where things are.

Hi,

Yeh it's the psychiatrist...he's the only person I'm seeing at the moment, which is another thing that's frustrating me, I don't think drugs are the answer and that's all I'm getting.

As for the other things, kind of hard to explain...if I'm being honest I personally believe that I have borderline personality disorder. It is exactly me and everything my personality is. But I'd feel kind of silly going in and saying "here's what I think is wrong with me" I don't think I'd be listened to.

I tried to see my regular GP but he wasn't there and so the GP I did see, when I told him I was always exhausted basically told me to "ignore the tiredness"

I find it hard to articulate myself and find it extremely difficult to talk to someone I've only met a couple of times...I tend to just freeze and not say anything.

And I rambled again. Sorry

Gah. What an unempathic GP. How can you ignore tiredness from depression and anxiety? AGGGHHHH!!! When's your regular GP back?

What is the main part of BPD that you can relate to? Maybe try saying - e.g. - "I get really upset and angry when someone leaves me on my own, and I'm concerned what this might be, it doesn't come under the listing for the diagnostic criteria for depression, and I wonder what it is. I need help for it." Something like that, maybe.

The psychiatrist I saw told me I have long-standing treatment resistant depression, anxiety, panic attacks and other problems due to things that happened to me in my past! [yes, you can breathe now!]
Which would basically mean that was depression with borderline and PTSD features, or some such. [actually my therapist and I agree I have Complex PTSD, which is basically PTSD with some borderline-ness.]

The most important thing is that you get treatment for what is distressing you.

Thank you. Just thank you.

x

if you want more than just "how are your meds doing? mhm... well, I think you should raise the dose of this, and maybe you should try some of this medication...." then you need to see someone other than a psychiatrist. They're there for meds and that's it.
I'd suggest first of all really trying to schedule an appointment with the counsellor if you feel you should have more therapy and less meds.

As for your theory about BPD, I would suggest that you talk about the aspects of it that you feel are causing problems rather than telling them you think you have the disorder. In most cases, as you pointed out, they'll just disregard it if you say it. They'll think you're just overreacting about something. If you tell them the reasons without mentioning the conclusion that you've come to, they'll be more likely to pay attention to what you're saying and possibly even come to the same conclusion.

I know when I knew I had the wrong diagnosis and thus the wrong medications, I told the shrinks and they completely disregarded me. It wasn't until I described the symptoms without mentioning the conclusion (bipolar) that they finally took me seriously.

10 minutes, OMG my psych sees me for an hour!