Finding A Psychiatrist: 10 Factors To Consider
On my depression journey, I have encountered many other individuals with depression, in addition to men and women without a mental illness. The reason why I sharing this with you, is the fact that I’m amazed at just how few people figure out what a psychiatrist does.
For instance, multiple people I have talked to believe that all that a psychiatrist does is write prescriptions for medication, that’s it!
The simple truth is that psychiatrists do so even more than just dish out medication prescriptions…
… psychiatrists are physicians whose speciality is within mental health.
10 Things to consider When Finding A Psychiatrist
- To begin with, you will probably need to get a referral letter out of your doctor. Try not to worry, most general practitioners already have a list of their favorite psychiatrists whom they can recommend. I use the job “favorite” as the doctor is a great resource for recommendations as their patients often give them feedback on which psychiatrists are accomplishing well. Also your doctor will have been told by other doctors which psychiatrists get good feedback.
- Inform you for your doctor regardless of whether you prefer visiting a male or female psychiatrist. I say this because when I was referred to my very first psychiatrist, he was a male and that i didn’t understand him (or the next 2 male psychiatrists!). It really is a personal choice. For me, I’ve found that I am able to be more open and say what I am getting at with a female psychiatrist than I possibly could with a male one.
- Once you have a referral, phone the psychiatrist’s office and make an appointment. Don’t be discouraged if you need to wait several weeks prior to a scheduled appointment as that seems to be the standard time period.
- At your first appointment (usually about 1 hour) with your psychiatrist, it really is a get to know you appointment. The psychiatrist will ask you many questions to enable them to better understand you and also what your expectations are regarding seeing them. It’s unlikely that any CBT will require place only at that initial appointment.
- Now, please seriously consider this factor when finding a psychiatrist. While you may have had to wait a few weeks for the appointment, but you don’t understand the psychiatrist unconditionally — don’t feel obliged to see them again.
- Trust me, in the past Two decades, I’ve had to determine more psychiatrists than I choose to remember, before I found one who I possibly could use and trust. The defining element in every one of my first appointments was this “Is this psychiatrist listening to me?” Basically felt that they weren’t, then I would swiftly move on to the next psychiatrist. My point here is when a psychiatrist is not hearing you, then how on earth would they speak with you about how exactly you feel and what issues you might have. The answer is simple: they can’t! I will allow you to in on a secret… …psychiatry is like any profession, you will find great people there are also some very ordinary individuals. My advice for you is don’t quit! Visit another person. I’m well aware that it may be difficult for you to deal with your emotions and finding a partner who you enjoy speaking with — but it’s worthwhile to persevere.
- At your first appointment, I would recommend that you bring up the problem of privacy. The best way to approach this? Well, I received my psychiatrist to agree that any information which i provide during an appointment is private. Seriously, you need to know your rights! And those rights include your psychiatrist keeping that which you let them know confidential, unless you give them express permission to waive that right. It might be amiss of me if I didn’t point out that there are very limited circumstances where they are able to break this confidentiality. These circumstances are: When a court of law orders these to provide information, o When the psychiatrist believes that you simply or someone else is at risk of serious harm. I urge you not to allow these rare circumstances put you off locating a psychiatrist. In over 20 years, my information has not been distributed to anyone without my consent.
- Another good point to find a psychiatrist, is the cost. You shouldn’t be afraid to inquire about a psychiatrist just how much you pay. If you’re unable to afford a personal psychiatrist, then in most instances if you notice a psychiatrist who works at a community health centre or the government in a hospital, then you do not need to pay anything.
- Let’s say that you’ve applied the 8 factors above in finding a psychiatrist who you are confident with. Good on you — I am talking about that! Happen to be on the right path in managing your depression. For most people the urge to face up to medicine is very strong — I’m one of those people! Then when my psychiatrist (number Five to six, I forget!), discussed prescribing an anti-depressant for me personally, I had been totally against it. Why? If I needed to take anti-depressants then that must mean that I’m not “normal”! Oh boy, how naive I had been back then! I have since learnt that taking anti-depressants is a very effective way to manage my depression — in fact, I would go so far as to state that anti-depressants have saved my life…literally. Now we all know that’s a bold statement, but it happens to be true. Without seeing a psychiatrist AND taking my medication, it’s impossible which i would have the truly amazing quality of life which i have finally.
- This factor follows on from factor 9. Once you have went through necessary steps for find a psychiatrist, you should place their advice — they are the experts in the end. However if you simply differ or understand their advice, then let them know. This gives the psychiatrist a chance to explain their reasoning and thoughts on why CBT, IPT and/or medication may be ideal for you.
Okay, that’s it! See, it really isn’t that difficult locating a psychiatrist, keep these 10 factors in mind and I am sure that you will find a great psychiatrist.
