Should a doctor diagnos a person with depression within 20 minutes of meeting the patient and perscribe meds?

Question

I don't think 20 minutes is long enough. I had a doctor try to do this to me once. My problem was situational not biological. I changed my job and was fine. The job was working with people with mental disorders. The problem was not understanding the bi polar disorder nor did I know how to deal with it. I was also very afraid of her and I think she knew this. Anyhow I want to know what other people think about diagnosing someone with a disorder within 20 minutes of meeting the patient.

The doctor I went to was a medical doctor, not a psychologist. My symptoms was crying on my day off because I knew I had to go back to work. I worked many hours and doubles. The client with bi-polar disorder would scream and talk real fast one inch from my face for 8 or more hours straight. I told the doctor I have had bad jobs in the past but none of them made me feel like this. I became extremely stressed out and passed out the wrong meds. I turned myself in and lost my assistant manager position and the pay that went with it. I told my doctor that I wanted some time off so I could have time to look for another job. He asked about sucide and that was not a thought I had. I understand he asked this of me because if I were sucidle then he is required by law to do something about it. I am not saying meds are bad and for some people they need that temp. help. This visit was the first visit. This was about 2 years ago and I am fine now with a different job and going back to college.

Answer 1

Can a doctor give a diagnosis in 20 minutes? Yes, if the patient is being honest and upfront with their feelings and their answers to pertinent questions. We are good at masking our feelings and giving responses that are not truthful. Some doctors can pickup on your mood, body language etc. My husband is a therapist and I would see someone that specializes in treatment of depression and bipolar disorder if needed. Honesty is best. We have a way of staying in denial when it comes to mood disorders. It is okay to ask for help! Be honest with yourself and your doctor. So back to your question...can a doctor pick up signs of deprssion in 20 minutes? Yes, if you are honest about your thoughts, feelings etc.

*some questions and topics of discussion

I feel sad or irritable.
I have lost interest in activities I used to enjoy.
I’m eating much less than I usually do and have lost weight, or I’m eating much more than I usually do and have gained weight.
I am sleeping much less or more than I usually do.
I have no energy or feel tired much of the time.
I feel anxious and can’t seem to sit still.
I feel guilty or worthless.
I have trouble concentrating or find it hard to make decisions.
I have recurring thoughts about death or suicide, I have a suicide plan, or I have tried to commit suicide.
Have you or anyone in your family ever suffered from depression or another mental disorder? If so, how was it treated? Do you get satisfaction and pleasure from your life? Do you ever have thoughts about suicide or have you attempted suicide?
Do you drink alcohol? If so, how often and how much? Do you use any drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, crack, or heroin to get high or relax? If so, which drugs and how often

I covered up my depression for years. I was too ashamed to admit it to myself or anyone else. I am now on medication and much happier and easier to be around. Be honest...ask for help!

Answer 2

It's done. They do it for infectious diseases in less time!

Using a body of tests doesn't make things better. In the Army I had a high fever and they did a white cell count and I was under the limit for antibiotics, 24 hours later I was in the hospital and it took them a week and a battery of tests to determine I had bronchitis, then the next day they decided it was pnuemonia.

One week I was sick and it kept getting worse and wose and on a Sunday night I had body aches an 104 fever. I called my doctor, gave him my symptons and he prescriped Tetrex for me and two hours after I took it I was comfrotable again and well by the end of the week. Maybe the placibo effect helped, but it could also be the drugs and we just talked for 3 minutes.

Any wide spectrum anti-biotic will help with pnumeonia. Tetrex, Pen-C although E-mycin is the drug of choice and it's an alternative for Pen-C in people with allergies.

So a doctors looks at the symptoms, knows the phamachology of the drugs available and picks one to TRY and then follows up to see if the drug is working or not.

It's that simple.

You and I could do it over the phone if we know the phramacology of a given set of drugs.

You ask the pateint about alergies and general health, eliminate the drugs with potentially destructive side effects and try a low dose of the first safe sounding drug. Then you increase it. If no results you try another drug.

A person is type A and stressed out like crazy, you give some Valium in a 5 MG dose and try it twice a day, then three times a day and see if they respond.

A friend of mine is definately mentally ill. Without meds she manfests multiple personalities that compete for control, including a 5 year old, 14 year old, 25 year old and her normal 50 year old self. Off meds she does things like setting fires, burnings lots of candles, setting papers on fire in the trash cans and filling the place with smoke, When the smoke alarms go off she tears them down.

She has problems sleeping.

They have her on Klonapin and two other drugs. These dope her up, make the adult stay in control and make her sleep 12 hours a day.

Answer 3

I would think that was a little fast. He needed to spend more time determining what the factors are to come to that conclusion. There should have been a physical to make sure there wasn't an imbalance somewhere like in your hormones. Then a discussion to see what things in your life are causing the stress and anxiety problems. I would probably seek out another doctor or even a specialist. Ask friends or family if they can recommend anyone. Good Luck...I know its hard to find a doctor you feel comfortable enough to trust with your personal things. But don't give up......

Answer 4

No! I have seen several doctors about this and have been insulted by each one of them adding to my own depression! I was first diagnosed after talking to a doctor several times and taking some written tests. I trust his result but seeing other doctors after this first one was very undesirable. I think these phsycoligist have to put you off or ignore youir problems sometimes becuase they know they themselves might get overwhelmed. SO, they just take the quick buck and leave you with there iunsult so you will go away and not go back to them. It is sad some people a profession that require's them to care and show concern would act in this way, leaving you empty and worse off then you were.

Answer 5

Just making the appointment gets you .05 mg of Xanax already and if you talk up good you may walk out with 1.0 or higher.
Doctors are not stupid...it's natural instinct that when the patient arrives for the first time there is Problem just for the fact you have walked in that door and yes he can prescribe you medication after 20 minutes of visit and diagnose you pretty good.

You have to remember that a Psychiatrist has over 10 years of College so don't underestimate their power to to feel you out quickly.

Answer 6

It depends. If you have been seeing the doctor ongoing for other problems, he/she might be quite aware of a situation that has been leading up to depression. If not, then it would appear that the time span is not sufficient to come to such a diagnosis. If the doctor is a specialist in the field of depression (and there are doctors trained for this) 20 minutes might be quite long enough for him to read the signs. In any case - I would seek a second opinion.

Answer 7

I agree, people are too quick to get on anti-depressants these days and it might not be the answer. I had problems at work and 3 people at separate times told me to go get anti-depressants and I didn't, i changed my situation and now i'm fine. 20 mins ain't long enough but you know the more patients a doc sees the more money they make! Whatever gets you out the door quicker it's all the same to them

Answer 8

He's a quack who's all about making some money off of you!

Report him to the medical board in your state and warn others about him. Those kinds of meds can cause very serious side effects in people who aren't diagnosed correctly.
Stand up and be heard!

I'm sick of all the doctors in this country playing God and only concerning themselves with the almighty dollar. Don't let him take advantage of you!
Good luck and I hope your life is happy now! :)

Answer 9

A mental health diagnosis takes much longer than that and no doctor should ever be that quick to prescribe mood altering medications. However, anti-depressants can be helpful for situational depression as well as the chronic kind. Sometimes you need some temporary medication to see you through.

Answer 10

I think lot's of doctors think that people come to them hoping to get on the anti-depressants so they are just quick to write up a prescription because they think it is WHY you are there...when really you want to talk, figure it out, and then if absolutely necessary, obtain a prescription for the mood altering happy pills. It sounds wrong and aweful...but I know too many people who woke up, decided they wanted to be on anti's, made an appointment and the same day...they were!