HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR FIRST PSYCHIATRIST APPOINTMENT?

1. HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR FIRST PSYCHIATRIST APPOINTMENT Are you currently struggling with mental health issues? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, one in every five American adults deals with a mental health problem at some point in their lives. Mental health issues can lead to social isolation, a loss of productivity, or feelings of extreme sadness. The decision to make a psychiatrist appointment can be an extremely emotional one. You may feel weak, embarrassed, frightened, or even angry that you couldn’t heal yourself on your own. These feelings are completely normal — but they can be managed by knowing what to expect from your first appointment. Read on to learn how to best prepare.

2. Ensure That You’re Actually Ready No matter what’s triggered you to get help and book your first psychiatrist appointment, you need to check in with yourself and make sure that you’re truly ready to embrace the process. Remember, sometimes the best time to start seeing a psychiatrist is when you’re an upward swing. When it comes to your mental health, proactivity and preventative care is extremely important to your continued success. So, before you even book that first appointment, start journaling about why now is the right time to talk to someone. Write down not only what you’d like to discuss with your psychiatrist, but also how you plan to stick with the process. No one can hold you accountable for your mental health other than you, and you should not be in treatment for anyone other than yourself. When you make that first appointment, remember that it’s not a “one and done” situation. You are instead taking the first step on a long journey that may not yet have a definite end date. Make sure you’re ready. Know Why You’re There So, you’ve established that you’re in the mental headspace to make your first psychiatrist appointment. Now, it’s time to make a list of what brought you there in the first place. Try to identify the biggest stressors in your life. Maybe it’s your parents, your partner, or even your workplace. Maybe it’s addiction. Maybe you’re struggling to find a definite “cause,” and want to work with a mental health professional to uncover what’s making you feel this way. Also, write down a list of the things that you enjoy doing —what “takes your mind off of” or helps you to manage your anxieties and other issues. How much do these activities help, and why do you think they do? Have you noticed your mental health declines when you don’t have the chance to do them? Maybe you’re there to address a recent, extreme trauma, like a sexual assault or the death of a family member. If possible, try to write down a detailed account of the incident, how it made you feel then, and the effects that you suspect you still feel now. This will help you to communicate the more difficult parts of your life with your psychiatrist. To that end…

3. Be Honest You didn’t make an appointment with a private psychiatrist to sit in the room and stare at the walls the whole time. Instead, you came to talk, to share, and to express your vulnerabilities to a qualified professional who is willing to listen. Still, we know that, especially since you’ll be talking to a stranger, it can be incredibly difficult — and intimidating —to open up. Know that, whatever you’re considering sharing with your psychiatrist, we can pretty much guarantee that they’ve heard worse. Also, keep in mind that your psychiatrist isn’t there to judge the choices you’ve made or the situations you’ve found yourself in. They are there only to offer an ear that’s free from ulterior motives, that is unbiased, and acts in the best interest of no one else but you. Forget about worrying if you’re “oversharing” with your therapist. Instead, reveal what you’re comfortable with when you’re comfortable sharing it. Know What To Expect This is a big one. Especially if you’re new to therapy, you may expect your first psychiatrist appointment to provide you with a step-by-step list of things you need to do to get better. You might also want your counselor to offer you advice and to tell you what you should or should not do. If this sounds like you, then you need to take a step back. Realize that therapy and counseling is not going to provide you with concrete answers. Instead, it is going to give you the tools and self-understanding that you need in order to take control of your life and make the choices that will benefit you the most. Know that you won’t be able to get into your entire history in one appointment and that it might take a while for you to get comfortable with your psychiatrist (and vice versa.) You may or may not walk away from your first appointment with a prescription, but you should walk away feeling empowered and knowing what the next small step you’re going to take is. Ready To Make Your First Psychiatrist Appointment? Congratulations on taking the first step towards getting the power back in your own life.

4. We know that the decision to see a psychiatrist isn’t always an easy one, but knowing what you can and should expect from your first appointment can make you feel much more at ease. Of course, one of the most important things is finding the therapist and psychiatrist that’s right for you. Be aware that sometimes, this may take several initial consultations. To find the person who can help you, spend some time in our online classifieds section to connect with best psychiatrist in Dubai.