I got a referral from my GP to see a psychiatrist. I have an appt with her on Wednesday/Thursday.
[I'm currently 17.]
I mostly struggle with impulse & anger control(hence I got in kind of some big trouble at school because I yelled at a teacher because some other teacher had told me soem horrible things...long story), low self-esteem[self deprecating thoughts], of course self harm, mood swings, some anxiety&mild dissociation and stuff like that.[i also have some eating issues but some of those started quite recently compared to all the others that have been going on for a few years now..and I'm definitely not ready to talk about my eating issues so yeahh.]
I have previously seen the school psychologist who tried to be nice but couldn't help me. I'm not sure why..maybe because she couldn't asses me properly or because the MH services were limited in school..and then she told my mom about my SH though i had asked her not to and she ****ing promised she wouldn't say anything(luckily my mom didn't believe her..!). She also said some cruel things to me like 'go ahead jump off the window, we'll cry for you one day and then you'll be forgotten' when I was feeling quite suicidal..So she has broken my trust and there's now way I can still see her.
Now I'm going to see this psychiatrist and I have no idea what to expect or how I should act. I also don't think I can trust her completely(like no way in hell I can tell her about my SH, which unfortunately is one of my biggest issues and one of my most frequently used coping mechanisms..). But i can tell her about other stuff..I think.
What should I expect? What do you think she is going to ask me when she first sees me? Like will she ask me sth like 'what are you struggling with' because I'm not sure if I can answer this question well...
Oh and I almost forgot, on the referral it says "Emotional disturbances" or sth like that(roughly translated).
Your psychiatrist will likely at first take a basic medical history, ask how things at home, in school, your relationships with other people etc. and then ask how you are and what you're currently struggling with. Depending on how much contact your GP has had with them, they may already know some details about you, giving them an idea of what sort of questions to ask. If you'd find it easier with that starting point you should be able to request that your GP send some notes about yourself along with the referral. :)
It totally depends on the psychiatrist as to if they ask very openly "What are you struggling with?" or if they ask multiple smaller questions, so if you find it hard to open up then maybe writing a letter or some notes to give to him/her might be helpful? Please try to be honest with them - I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with your school psychologist, but I assure you that not all professionals are like that! You have the right to full confidentiality unless he/she believes you are in acute danger, and he/she should be understanding and most definitely not tell you to jump out of a window!
Once you have got started and told them the problems you are dealing with, they will probably take the lead in the assessment and ask you questions to try and understand certain specifics more. You don't have to answer any of their questions, but doing so will allow them best to help you. :)
Good luck <3
- Holly
Last edited by Eccentrics : 04-02-2013 at 03:54 PM.
I was really anxious about this appointment, but i feel so much better now. The appt is tomorrow morning so hopefully it'll go well. :)
Thank you for the advice! I will try to be honest though I'm not so sure I can say anything about my SH, but if the opportunity arises I'll try to give them a hint.
Hey Lucy,
Yay for the appointment finally arriving. I think you should be VERY honest a about your issues and everything that's going on for you. I know it's going to be hard as its the first time your seeing your psych but I think you should try writing it down if your going to struggle saying things.
Why don't you let her take control of the session as she will know what to say and bring up certain things and queries about what's going on for you. The psychologist you saw said some very inappropriate things and generally professionals would never say anything like that. Please don't think all professionals are like your old psychologist.
Please mention about your eating - I'm really worried about your eating :(... Let us know how it goes love xxxxxx
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I agree with Tinkles, be honest about everything. I'm sure the psych will take control of the appointment, so try not to worry too much about that. Just be as open and as honest as you can and like Tinkles said, write stuff down if it is going to be hard for you to say it. good luck
"Never be a spectator of unfairness or studpidity. The grave will supply plenty of time for silence." Christopher Hitchens
'When words fail, music speaks'
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psychiatrist will push meds so be carefull . Trust me I thought seeign therapsit was a good thing and psych but it wasent for me and it sucked because I thought it would be a good experiance but it was not. Im saying this because I dont want you to go through what I went through.
I am telling you now get out as fast as you can run as fast as you can. they will push meds on you rather you want to take them or not and they will try to diagnosis you with all types of things. And every little thing like yelling at a teacher that you do they will say it s a symptom of some disorder. trust me run as fast as you can if you dont want to get diagnosed with **** you know you dont have and med s you dont want or dont need. Its not all good like its made out to be. Run as fast as you can.
You do NOT need meds you can do this with out meds. Psych will give you meds and say you need it bec there psych but that doesnt mean you cant live a life off meds and doesnt mean you need them. You can do this with out meds maybe work on in therapy anger .
I have been through many psych and therpasit horrible experiance felt in my gut I was not bipolor no one would believe me sayed it was denial when i felt in my gut i was not bipolor I had to fight and fight for a long time no one heard me no one listened it wa so hard fighting on my own but i told my self i will not stop until some one hears me and thats what i did. Today a psych I see said I dont have bipolor I cry tears of relief it s like finaly some one is hearing me finaly some one believes me finalyy this weight is off my shoulders.
im crying right now because I dont want you to get hurt like I did and I dont want you to be druged up on meds that you dont need you can do this with out meds. I just wish and hope you dont see the psych and you run and run as fast as you can away from them. I knwo what I have been through and I am seriously crying bec I dont want you to go through that. They will bring your self esteem down you will feel trapped and controlled. RUN RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN BE HAPPY BE YOUR SELF dont let them take that from you dont let them take any thing from you. Im scared for you im serious im crying because I want you not to go I dont want to see another person pushed on meds }: There not wonder drugs they come with side effects sometimes and getting off them is hellll.
I don't think that's a very productive reply. Just because you had a bad experience with a psychologist and medication, doesn't mean everybody else will. Some people will always have bad experiences, that's just the way life works. Psychiatry, and the health field in general, is not a perfect science. There's no magic pill that will work for everybody. But, please don't sit there and post replies like that- that type of attitude is probably not going to help the OP feel any better or less anxious about their situation.
OP- I hope the appointment goes well and that you get the help you need. Remember to try and keep an open mind, it'll be worth it in the end.
I just wanted to pop in and say that I hope your appointment goes well today. Remember to write a letter if you're nervous - it's better to communicate to them someway than not at all and they'll totally understand. Please really try your hardest to tell them about your self harm and be honest, but rest assured that if you don't manage to you'll have other opportunities down the road of treatment so stay positive <3
Also please do not be scared by Lauri Lauri's response.
A diagnosis is not at all the end of the world. It's not set in stone, and it helps them, and other professionals you may see, to understand what you are going through without the need for you to explain your whole life story again. Also, medication is not as bad as the minority of horror stories make out! Unless you are in acute danger you will not be forced to take anything, so you will have complete control over your treatment. Not everyone reacts badly to meds, in fact most side effects are very similar to other medications (feeling sick, feeling sleepy etc.) and they almost always wear off with time. Withdrawal symptoms are the same way. I can vouch for that fact as I'm currently lowering my dose of sertraline and I don't have any withdrawal symptoms at all!
Rupi, I will try to be as honest as I can. I'm sorry I've made you worry! I will tell them at least a bit about my eating issues, not all but at least as much as I can. Will let you know how it went x
Thanks Oliver as well x I don't think it's going to be that hard for me to say stuff. I mean last time I wrote sth like that down it was mostly in vain 1 because stupid me wrote it in english and the therapist didn't speak english(lol!) and 2 because it was idk..too artistic if this makes any sense. I also think it would be helpful for me to try and speak out more. :)
Lauri - See finally someone had listened to you with the bipolar thing! I think that is evidence not all therapists are as horrible as you think. Some may be but not all. I appreciate your concern, but there's no way I can run, especially because the situation I'm in asks for this kind of thing(I did stupid things, there's no way I can explain them to some people..)
+ I'm the type of person who doesn't like to run when faced with challenges. I haven't tried this yet, and I can't know if it's going to turn out well or not before it actually happens-you know how they say 'You never try, you'll never know' x
All I know- Thanks! I will keep an open mind, I usually do that so yeah :) x
ETA: Thank you Holly <3 I'm not too nervous! Which I guess is a good thing :) I'll try my best to tell them about my SH, but I think I'll ask before about the confidentiality(sp?) so I know for sure if they absolutely have to keep it secret or not because I'm underage etc who knows maybe the law where I live is different? Anyways I will try to be as honest as I can and I will let you all know how it went :) x
It went well! At first I thought the lady didn't seem nice and that I won't be able to talk to her. But I was wrong! She was really nice and we got along quite well and I told her a ton of stuff and I was honest about many things including my SH. I also mentioned abit about my eating though I wasn't able to be fully honest about that. I still think it went well though! At first I noticed she was asking me questions to see if I'm bipolar or not. But then she kind of changed them so I don't know what she thinks I might have..
She said she wants to talk to my mom and then a bit more to me and see what medications they agree on.
I have another appt tomorrow so hopefully it'll also go well :)
I cant read this stuff it makes me too emotional }: seriously makes me cry. Its not runing it sjust not being labeled bipolor or whatever just being free being yo uinstead of being shub on meds. Just whatever I cant talk here nay more I jsut im scared for you I want you to not go but your not listening. I dont want you to go through what I have been through it has been hell painfull and hurtfull.
Whatever every ones journey is diffrent. Its not fair others get a good experiance and I dont }:
I jsut wan tlucky to be careful I was navie like you thought it is all good and **** but im telling you its not get out now while you can run as fast as you can.
Im finally after fighting and fighting for some one to hear and blelieve me im not bipolor. My new psych told me I dont have bipolor and since I dont ahave it he said I could take risperdal onyl when needed which I didnt think you can take a antipsycotic only when needed. I guess you can thats what my psych said to do.
Good luck but I still wish you wouldnt be navie I was to just like you. Still makes me sad and worried you wont stop seeing a psych.
Psychiatrists make mistakes too. They are human. And trust me, not all my experiences have been good.
All I will say is that its not good for you to be telling people not to get help just because you've had a bad experience, it could be very damaging if someone decided not to see a doctor.
I suggest that if this thread upsets you, then dont look at it.
I'm fine! Totally fine. I don't know why it's coming out all loud and squeaky, 'cause really, I'm fine!
Thank you Aardvark :) <3 [off topic but did you change your avatar/sig, I think I remember them being different :)))the image is lovely anyways & I find the fruit thing hilarious! ]
Lauri, sweetie as I said before I appreciate your concern. I am not being too naive. I'm good with understanding people and as I mentioned before, I have had bad experiences too. It's not like all of a sudden I believe all is pink and this person is perfect. No way, there's no such thing as perfect people. Some of them may hurt you intentionally(sp??) and some of them might hurt you unintentionally. You get the idea.
But I admit that I need help. Most of the time I'm out of control, all over the place, struggling and I get into trouble because of it. A mood stabiliser would most probably help :)
Oh and the psych told my mom I am 'very intelligent' so I don't think she will try to control me or anything. Also both my mom and I have to agree to anything the psych suggests so if anything seems like it's not right we can just say we don't agree with it. x
Oh and just as you said, I am convinced I don't have bipolar disorder and I will make it clear to my psych that she is wrong if she really thinks I have this.
I think it's a good thing that even though she thought I might have bipolar disorder, she didn't jump to conclusions and said she wants to see me again and also speak to my mom about my behaviour and how it has changed during the past year or so.
I am a very enthusiastic&energetic person, but the thing is I'm quite sure this has been one of the personality traits I've had ever since childhood. And I'm also quite sure she might have mistaken that for mania. So hopefully she will understand if my mom also explains it to her :) We'll see how it goes tomorrow. :)
It was thought at one point that I had bipolar, but the psych took my opinion into account because I didn't think I was, and after explaining more about my symptoms (like you, I think some of my behaviour can sometimes be mistaken for mania) then it was mentioned no more!
Just be honest, their job is to help and being honest with them will help them to help you in the right way. It could be meds, could be therapy, could just be keeping busy!
Things won't get better immediately, and its hard work, but it will all pay off and is well worth it!
Xx
I'm fine! Totally fine. I don't know why it's coming out all loud and squeaky, 'cause really, I'm fine!
Aaaaaaa big well done for telling her everything Lucy!
I'm so glad it went well and I hope that now you can get the support you deserve :) <3
Psychiatrists will ask a very large range of questions just to be absolutely certain about your issues. I've been asked allsorts in the past, including things that were clearly the complete opposite of how I was! If you disagree with what you are diagnosed with, you can always ask her to explain to you why she has come to that conclusion. But at the end of the day your care will be tailored to your individual needs, so try not to worry too much about that! All that matters is that they are helping you well.
