[Lika Li]

Hello new friends.

Next tuersday, I'll have an psychiatric consultation. Until now, he's the fifth psychiatrist in my life. But I don't now how to explain exactly what I feel, I feel very unconfortable and anxious to say anything in front a stranger and I always have the feeling that I didn't explained right what I was feeling.

How did you act in your first psychiastric consultation?

Thanks

[purplek0ala]

I know how that feels. It seems impossible to feel like you're accurately describing what only you can explain.

Maybe you could try journaling..writing down what you want to express to put you more at ease, so you'll have an idea where to start.
Good luck with the consultation!

[arundelle]

Just be completely honest. Even say, I'm nervous to tell you this. Try to think of it as a bubble, a short time and space to get everything out. You won't deal with everything that's said at once, but it will help them match you with the best people to help you. If you're suffering, you don't want to be forced to work with a "babysitter" therapist. Tell the truth and they'll get you the real help you need.

Originally Posted by arundelle

Just be completely honest. Even say, I'm nervous to tell you this. Try to think of it as a bubble, a short time and space to get everything out. You won't deal with everything that's said at once, but it will help them match you with the best people to help you. If you're suffering, you don't want to be forced to work with a "babysitter" therapist. Tell the truth and they'll get you the real help you need.

Exactly. Be real & honest and as clear as possible. Thoughts and complex emotions and all that aren't easy to put into words for most people. A good psychiatrist (if there is such a thing) should know that.

[Fuzzybear]

Hi Lika. I suppose I think of a consultation with a new provider as being an information-gathering session. The provider will ask you lots of questions to try to get the information he/she needs to diagnose you or understand the diagnosis you already have, if you have one. They also usually ask what meds you've taken in the past and which ones helped and which ones didn't help.

They should be polite and respectful towards you.

If I feel like I need to say something to a doctor that is complicated or that I'm afraid I might forget, I write it down. Sometimes I write quite a long bit and then condense it.

I know what you mean about feeling like you haven't explained everything right. If that does happen, you'll have the opportunity after the consultation to think about that you would have like to have said or explained and didn't and you can write that down and give that information to the provider at a later time.

Remember that you're sort of "interviewing" this provider to see if he/she seems to be someone you can work with. Your impressions are important. Maybe write those down too after the consult.

I hope it goes well for you. It *is* a bit of a tiring and anxiety-provoking process. I don't think that talking about ourselves and our history and problems for 45 minutes to a stranger is something that anyone would find easy.

I had an interview with a new provider about 3 months ago and it was tough. I was sweating afterwards. Now we're into the shorter visit, medication management phase. He is doing a terrific job for me, so I'm really glad that I sweated my way through the initial consult.

I hope that your new psychiatrist will turn out to be very helpful to you, too.

[i dont matter]

I have been in your shoes and in my opinion..... you have to forget who you are talking to and the topic.

Talk honestly as if you were talking to yourself. It is very hard to believe this - but they are not there to "trap" you or turn you into a sideshow freak.

Yes - it is hard to relax and let go of all those protective barriers that we use to protect our emotions from the real world.

[Lika Li]

Thanks thanks thanks!