How to Make Your Visit at a New Psychiatrist Go Well

How to Make Your Visit at a New Psychiatrist Go Well Bipolar Disorder Treatment Print How to Make Your Visit at a New Psychiatrist Go Well By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial policy Marcia Purse Reviewed by Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW on January 24, 2020 facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our Wellness Board Amy Morin, LCSW on January 24, 2020 Getty Images/Tom M Johnson More in Bipolar Disorder Treatment Medications Symptoms Diagnosis In This Article Table of Contents Expand Appointment Anxiety First Appointment Preparation Watch the Labels Making a List After First Appointment View All Back To Top When you go to your first appointment with a new psychiatrist, psychologist, or another mental health professional, you may be nervous. Youre probably not sure what to expect, which can lead to making you feel out of control. Coping With Appointment Anxiety Your anxiety over this first appointment may be causing you to assume the worst or think treatment will be tougher than it actually is.?? For instance, you may be thinking you have too many problems to tackle. However, the reality is that your therapist will likely focus on just one or two issues to begin with and move on from there. Being prepared for your first appointment can help you manage your anxiety and nervousness. Prepare for the First Appointment Its important to take some time to sit down a day or two before your appointment. Use this time to reflect on your thoughts. Make a list of everything you are feeling and any questions you have for your doctor or healthcare professional. Bipolar Disorder Discussion Guide Get our printable guide for your next doctors appointment to help you ask the right questions. Download PDF You will also want to write down any details about triggers, as well as how your life is affected by each item. This is really helpful for your doctor. For example, your list may include: I have to walk to the other end of Wal-Mart when babies are crying because I cant take the noise.I dont always believe people are who they say they are.I can get very angry, to the point of rage. (If there are patterns to things that trigger your anger, include them.) Several friends are angry at me because I have become inappropriately angry.I feel very lonely and have an extreme need for support. As a result, I spend a lot of time crying.I can only get a few hours of sleep a night, or I am sleeping 18 hours a day. Whatever your sleep habits are right now,  include this information in your list.Sometimes my thoughts race and I cant seem to focus. If youre feeling paranoid, you need to list not just the feeling, but what you feel paranoid about and how it affects your life. List exactly what you are feeling and experiencing and how your life is affected. Watch the Labels Do not put labels on your feelings or triggers. Let the doctor do that. Therapists could inadvertently be influenced by your labels, which could affect your diagnosis. Taking this approach not only lessens the chance that your assessment of your feelings will misguide the therapist, but can make the whole process much easier for you as well. Once you start writing down or thinking about these exact feelings and experiences you have had, youll likely find that this is much simpler and easier than trying to give them names and label them yourself. If you find yourself feeling anxious while making your list, take a break. Make sure you are simply writing down your feelings and not trying to find explanations, patterns, or a diagnosis. Why a List Is Helpful for the First Appointment When you break down your feelings and how they are affecting your daily life, you paint a very clear picture for the doctor. Its very difficult to do that on the spot in a short visit when your brain is spinning and you arent prepared, so make the list ahead of time. At the same time, dont worry too much if you havent listed absolutely everything you are feeling or experiencing. Therapy usually takes place over many visits, and this first visit is laying a foundation that can be filled in later on. You may even wish to rank some of your feelings  or add notes so that you can share your feelings that are most bothersome right away. Make three copies of your list, two for you and one for the doctor. Leave one copy at home, in case something happens to the copy you take for yourself and take the other two along with you. When you see the doctor, give him or her the list and go over it together. This way, you wont have to remember everything you wanted to tell him or her on the spot and you wont go away beating yourself up because you forgot to say something. What to Do After Your First Appointment When you arrive home after your first appointment, you may wish to add notes to your list. While the visit is fresh in your mind, make notes for things you wish to talk about in more depth in the future or feelings which you did not have time to address during the visit. Take a moment as well to ask yourself if you want to keep seeing this person, or if instead, you would rather see a different mental health care provider. An important part of coping with any mental health condition is to develop a solid relationship with a psychiatrist or therapist you can trust. Mental health professionals, like all people, have a wide range of personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, and its important to find the one who is right for you as an individual. A Word From Verywell Creating a detailed list can make your first appointment with a mental health professional go much more smoothly.?? Your doctor will appreciate your preparation, too. Remember to keep your list simple and limit it to feelings and experiences, taking care not to fill in diagnoses which could mislead both you and your therapist. The Different Types of Bipolar Disorder