Psychiatric self referral?

[Lillop]

Hi I've bn suffering from anxiety & depression for years now, probably most of my life really. I've bn on several antidepressants I.e. citalopram, sertraline & now venlafaxine 225mg daily. I feel less down on this med but feel flat, no energy or motivation 2 do anything (dont get dressed for days, shower or go out , unless I really have to) I work p/t in a stressful job but am off now due 2 stress at work (horrible senior jobsworth higher management) I was seeing a mh practitioner but I didn't feel was helping, I had asked for counselling (past trauma my dad took his own life when I was 13, my mum died of breast cancer when I was 2, then my darling big sis died from breast cancer after an on/,off battle of 10 yrs- she was like a mum 2 me) but theres a long waiting list, so they put me back to mh practitioner, I asked about increase of meds & explained how I was feeling but she was of no help.

Due to my fathers poor mental health & subsequent suicide & also my brother being diagnosed with bipolar & seeing a psychiatrist, I thought this may b of help to me.

Have I done the right thing, psychiatrist sounds sooooo scary.

Thanks for reading, any advice gr8ly appreciated

Xxx

🙃

[gajh]

I think it is great that you are going to see a psychiatrist. They may either increase your meds or recommend a change. Hopefully they will be more helpful than your mh practitioner. It is good that you are advocating for yourself. Keep reaching out for support.

[Tallbud]

we all need some one to talk to at times so maybe seeing a psychiatrist is a good step. The unknown can be scary but remember they are there to help and support you they don’t judge or anything nasty. Even if u don’t click with the first person try again. You may find talking helps you so worth trying it

[Starie]

if the meds wtf not working then always let your practitioner know it’s all about finding thr right meds for you and dosage. If your not getting the help from them ask to change practitioner as there is nothing more deflating than the wrong person helping you.

I can highly recommended joining a gym! I am not one of those gym people and really couldn’t think of anything worse than going but I joined one last year and it really s a big help, sometimes I go and spend 20 mins and just walk on tred all my friends and family couldn’t believe i actually joined one and it was the best thing I did to help myself.

Good luck 😊

[Titan2857]

A clinical psychologist helped me more than psychiatrist or psychotherapy but that was years ago on nhs. I doubt it is available now.

[Brickroote]

Yes you have done the right thing. Medication isn’t always the answer and a psychiatrist can do at least two things. Firstly, they can help you to rationalise how you are feeling and why this might be so that it looks like a manageable problem rather than ‘everything your life consists of’, then secondly, they can help you to devise a plan to take back your life on your terms. It might be that even though you feel you know why you have been grief stricken (eg lots of death in the family), you might not understand exactly why this brings perpetual sadness after a period of logical grief. A psychiatrist will help you to explore that and will then encourage you to test ways forward, eg by saying ‘I miss these people, but they would’ve hated to see me unhappy’, Good luck. Xx

[tykesammy]

Yes go to the psychiatrist, any help you can get is a good thing.x

[kama24]

You are not alone here. We all understand. I am a mass of fear from childhood happenings and now my senior years have brought so many other issues to deal with. Im in Ontario and there are hardly any family drs available and no psychiatrist. Mine retired a yr ago, not that he ever did talk with me just one new pill after another. To go to an ER its often a 7 hr wait No available beds most of the time. I truly hope you find help. Hang in there.

[13cats-lives]

Hi,

I’m very surprised that you aren’t under a mental health team already. Medication will not get to the root of your problems.

You have done the right thing for yourself. Medication is just a sticking plaster on an open wound. It will not be effective without you being supported by a mental health team. A psychiatrist will only give you a diagnosis and medication. The team will put you on the road to recovery. It’s not a quick fix. You should get a treatment plan once under a mental health team. This is (or should be) reviewed yearly.

You should get a registered psychiatric nurse from there, who will keep a close eye on your health. She or he will be in regular contact. They prefer you to go to them wherever they are based, but you can opt for a home visit if you cannot get to the suggested venue. They will help you in times of crisis, and they should offer you helpline telephone numbers for emergency situations. I hope that I’ve helped you. Don’t be put off doing something that is right for your mental health.