How to Get a Psychiatric Evaluation

How to Get a Psychiatric Evaluati

Your reaction to having someone (perhaps a doctor) recommend counseling is certainly an individual one. You may feel anxious or even panic at the idea of having your "head examined", but the key is always attitude. Here are some steps to help you, both in coping with the initial visit, and helping your therapist to help you.

Steps

1. Realize that you're not alone. Depression and other forms of mental illness affect many individuals, and you may be able to ask for advice from people that have "been there".
2. Recognize your illness for what it is, and understand it. Even in the last century, mental illness has had mixed reception among people who don't understand or study it. Today, a large number of illnesses (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, for example) have been recognized as treatable and legitimate, whereas they were considered incurable previously. It helps to realize that the human brain is an organ just as the heart and stomach are - it requires nutrition, serves a definite function, and can become unwell or not function correctly. Therapy and medication are intended to diagnose and treat the brain when it doesn't perform as it should, and perhaps correct the problem.
3. Ask for recommendations. Ideally, your psychiatrist and/or counselor should be people you feel you can trust. If you aren't comfortable with a particular center, it's perfectly alright to make a change for your well-being. Recognize that, while not all professionals have the exact same qualifications, your needs may require someone specific.
4. Talk it out. ALL information which you share is confidential (there are policies to protect this). No one needs to know that you need medical attention if you don't want them to. With this in mind, address what bothers you and be honest with yourself, even if it's difficult. Professionals who deal with emotional problems have seen their share of tears and probably heard their share of unusual stories. You probably won't surprise them with anything. It may surprise you how easy it is to open up after you've made the first leap and told them something in confidence.
5. Don't expect an instant cure. If life offered us immediate relief for every disease, mental or otherwise, no one would have to suffer. As it is, recovery and progress take their own time. Compare it to cancer in this way - chemotherapy is an agonizing treatment which is almost never brief. You require some help, and you can receive that help readily, as long as you have the patience to keep going.
6. If you have a prescription, take it regularly. A doctor is the ONLY person qualified to make decisions regarding your medications. It's dangerous to mix-and-match drugs, and even more dangerous to pronounce yourself "cured" and stop taking them altogether. Organize the medications you take so that you can remember to take them. If you notice any side-effects, notify your doctor. Your dosages may be too high or too low, but don't try to adjust them without consulting with the professionals. More often than not, they can make adjustments and accommodations that work.
7. Know what to expect. You can usually expect a therapy session to be around an hour in length, with some variation. Most questions will involve your reaction to some things in your life, your feelings lately, and possibly references to past sessions. It's only as personal as you want it to be, so it might help to list some things you'd like to talk over before you start.

Tips

• Be as open as possible, no one's going to make fun of you or judge you. You can come to terms with many problems simply by giving them a voice, and it may not be long until you can talk openly about things that used to bother you.
• Check for warning signs - If you're feeling every bit as bad as you were before medication and evaluation after the first month, make that known. Help them to help you.
• Medical insurance is a tough issue, but plenty of insurance providers are willing to cut the cost for you. Do some research to find out which companies will cover your specific conditions.
• Most of all, be confident. You're making a bold and positive step, and trying to do something to help yourself feel better about life. This is admirable, and by continuing, you have the potential to live more happily and fulfill more of your goals.

Warnings

• Ignore anyone who says you should "snap out of it". It's obvious they haven't had a mental illness and have nothing to judge it by. You can't "snap out" of a heart disease, and you can't "snap out" of a chemical imbalance.
• Stay away from behaviors that promote your condition. A person who is manic depressive, for instance, should avoid things that make them feel worthless or unhappy. You have the power to choose, even when you feel powerless.
• Don't shut out the people who are trying to help. This is a regrettable situation, and your problems are unbearably on your shoulders when you don't allow someone to help you along.

Related wikiHows

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• How to Express Your Emotional Pain the Healthy Way

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