Preparing for an appointment

Hello,

I think it must be the 100th post I have made about it, but I just wanted to write about it somewhere. I don't have anybody IRL I could possibly vent to about this.

This is the first time I'm going to a psychiatrist and I have no idea what to expect. I don't know if I should be prepared to talk about my past or if it's alright if I don't feel comfortable saying much about it. I have no idea what my expectations are regarding treatment - I'm neither willing to take meds, be insitutionalized or start a therapy. I don't know if the lady will be symathetic and understanding, or if she'll be like "have you tried not being a monster?"

I'm thinking that maybe if she doesn't lead me by the hand through the session, or if there's something I don't like about it, I'll just be uncooperative and maybe passive-aggresive so I can at least have some fun.

I'm so nervous! I've spent a few hours already rehearsing my speech and it just made me feel depressed because it's all so ###$ up. I'm scared that if I don't stop this pointless rehearsal I'll start being suicidal again or something. Maybe it was a bad idea to make this appointment.

I've never gone to therapy either yet. I wouldn't want to tell them much either. And I think that's fine in the begining. Just see what's it about and how it works out.

I'm neither willing to take meds, be insitutionalized or start a therapy.

Why are you going? Or are you being coerced into going?

I prepared a speech, but I find this sort of thing never goes to plan. I was offered Seroquel in April but have never taken it - didn't even get a look in as to the things I thought might be helpful. I've washed my hands of psychiatrists - pretty damn angry about the whole thing right now but I'm responding to this post during a low moment.

My experience of psychiatrists generally is that they seem very clinical - not "cold" necessarily, but quite Freudian in their approach. It's been very straight to the point, factual and little eye contact. Best way, IMO, is to go in with no expectations one way or another, although easier said than done.

If you have any questions, write them down and take the list with you - my last appointment, I was in such a fluster and couldn't think straight or remember what I needed to say.

Not sure how it works where you are, but they tend to take a history (not massively detailed) and then ask you about current problems/issues - they might possible make a tentative diagnosis and then offer you some drugs. Out you go, settle into your pills and then go back for required top ups and feedback.

Good luck.

Lebkuchen wrote:I've never gone to therapy either yet. I wouldn't want to tell them much either. And I think that's fine in the begining. Just see what's it about and how it works out.

Thank you. I'm relieved to hear I'm not the only one feeling like this.

updown_14 wrote:

I'm neither willing to take meds, be insitutionalized or start a therapy.

Why are you going? Or are you being coerced into going?

I prepared a speech, but I find this sort of thing never goes to plan. I was offered Seroquel in April but have never taken it - didn't even get a look in as to the things I thought might be helpful. I've washed my hands of psychiatrists - pretty damn angry about the whole thing right now but I'm responding to this post during a low moment.

My experience of psychiatrists generally is that they seem very clinical - not "cold" necessarily, but quite Freudian in their approach. It's been very straight to the point, factual and little eye contact. Best way, IMO, is to go in with no expectations one way or another, although easier said than done.

Not sure how it works where you are, but they tend to take a history (not massively detailed) and then ask you about current problems/issues - they might possible make a tentative diagnosis and then offer you some drugs. Out you go, settle into your pills and then go back for required top ups and feedback.

Good luck.

It's about my combo of being impulsive/emotional and becoming increasingly aggressive over the past several months. I'm worried that I'll end up doing something I'll regret. Maybe the psychiatrist could recommend me some kind of sedative that I could take when I'm angry or anxious.

I also thought that maybe the psychiatrist could give me some advice on how to cope or something. All my knowledge comes from the internet and introspection, so there could be something that I'm missing that could push me in the right direction. But one hour is probably not enough to even do any real screening tests.

On the one hand it will be a good thing if the psychiatrist is cold and detached because it would help me keep calm, on the other hand what I initially wanted was a therapist and not a prescription robot. The lady is listed as both a psychiatrist and therapist, so I wonder what kind of approach she's taking.

Ah ok - I'm actually glad to hear that this person is trained as a therapist as well as find it pretty irresponsible for psychiatrists to be prescribing certain meds without any therapeutic framework in place. If you feel you can, maybe say to her that you respond (at least initially) best to a detached approach. I had a friend who was a therapist and she occasionally hugged people! I'm so glad I've never had that experience as I'd hate being touched (I hate being touched most of the time anyway - even by friends!)

You could ask her about emergency meds so you have something to take for those particular difficult moments. I use kratom (own supply) and Valium (prescribed) for that as felt the antipsychotics I was given weren't really something I wanted to take if I was supposed to be working through emotions with a therapist - I didn't get how I'd do that if they were all numbed to a degree.

I'm sure she can give you some tips on how to cope between appointments, or worksheets for you to document your thoughts and moods, but yeah, an hour flies by. Maybe once you're settled on the meds, you and she can come to some kind of therapeutic treatment plan.

Thinking about it, I went to my appointment not really wanting to take meds either - part of me did, but only because I was worried I might end up killing myself in the near future. Although I don't take the Seroquel, I'm glad I have it as have read that it can knock you right out so I feel better knowing I have it as a last resort.

i was very nervous at my first time.
i booked appointment, then called the doc an hour later and cancelled the appointment.
then went again after some days. in my first appointment i didnt reveal all details.
then after some months i went again.

I was scared to book the appointment through phone but realized i had to go.
I made a list of problems in paper and read it out to him. That helped. The doc encouraged me to read from the paper.

I wasnt a big fan of meds but took them anyway.

If you dont want to take meds, then mention this to doc. I was scared to mention this to my doc. But maybe if you tell ur doc, he may suggest alternatives.

General advice, exercise helps relieve the mind. I work out every day now n that has helped calm my mind immensely. whenever my mind goes in spiral of thoughts, or black n white thinking...i do plank exercise or push ups.
after that my mind is too exhausted to think.

i wish my psychiatrist had told me to do plank exercise every day. google it, it's very convenient to do.

For me, seeing a psychiatrist doesn't feel that much different to seeing a GP. The only difference is the psychiatrist doesn't bolt when I talk about having suicidal thoughts. They will almost certainly discuss meds with you because in essence that is their job - therapists can't prescribe medication and most GP's aren't that knowledgeable about psychotropic medication. The psychiatrist can also refer you for therapy. I don't take any meds for my BPD as discussed and agreed with my psychiatrist.

My appointments lasted about an hour, and all we did was discuss me - how I have been feeling, my symptoms. They asked the questions, so I didn't need a speech. It's a good idea to jot down any questions you have though - it's easy to forget when you're nervous.

They will also do some sort of risk assessment - the question about suicidal thoughts. My suggestion is to be honest - no one has ever tried to lock me up for thinking about it and it's the most common symptom of people with depression. Of course if you then go on to outline your plan in detail with dates you may find they get a bit concerned about risk.

I have seen a lot of psychiatrists, some were good, some were terrible (in the useless waste of space kind of way). But if you have a bad experience then ask to see someone else or ask your GP to refer you to someone else. I have refused to see a couple of them (one gave me a "plenty more fish in the sea" talk) and I have never had a problem seeing someone else. (on the NHS)

You're bound to be nervous, but for the most part the psychiatrists I've seen have been helpful, some actually very good.

And to Updown-14 be careful with the Seroquel. It's just that they don't really work very well on an occasional one day use kind of way. And they didn't knock me out, in fact they gave me insomnia and made me very agitated. There are much better meds for occasional use which I'm sure your doctor can discuss with you.