[Living Unraveled]

Just curious.... For the first time in my life I am seeking real treatment for my mental health issues. I have only talked to my family dr up until now - who says what I have is GAD. I'm seeing a therapist for the first time EVER on Tuesday. They will do an eval... What should I expect? Will she be giving me a diagnosis of her own ?

[Photo_Girl_Jenn]

i was originally diagnosed with GAD by GP but then with in a few years i slipped into a bad depression and ended up in hospital were the psychiritrist changed my diagnoses from GAD to Social phobia, PTSD and MDD...i say dont worry about the diagnoses just try to learn coping techniques and beleive me some of them are going to seem strange and silly, but you will be supprised what may work.

[Mike_J]

I would use the therapy session to interview the therapist as much as the therapist interviewing you. If you are going to have a therapist you need to have one that you are a good fit with.

A therapist probably won't be able to officially give you a diagnosis, but I know that before I could see a psychiatrist I had to be "examined" by a therapist first. That therapist only saw me once and referred me to a psychiatrist, who eventually talked me into seeing a therapist for regular visits and recommended an AWESOME therapist to me, and she has help me out so much.

I went to my Pdoc. I was so desperate I couldn't take one more second. I then found a great T (meds without talk therapy was not helpful for me).

I've been seeing different Ts off and on my whole life, but the T I have now is the first one that I feel I'm making headway.

I recall after a session or two, she checked in with me (and we were both on the same page in terms of chemistry and comfort level). She then said, "we can put a band aid on it and you can be on on your way" or "we can work on things longer tem and see where we go."

I chose to working on things (long-term vs. short-term T).

T is for you! Your T is there to help you.

[Hope-Full]

My primary care doc originally diagnosed my depression (something that I've had since I was 17) and it wasn't until it got to be too much for her to medicate that she sent me to a therapist, where I got a more detailed diagnosis and began working with a Pdoc (psychiatrist) to manage my meds. I owe my life to my health team!