question to those who have seen a psychologsit/psychiatrist?

Question

i have scheduled an appointment to see a psychiatrist later in the week due to my depression/anxiety. what i want to know is do they make you fill out like a depression quiz or something and then diagnois your problem. or do you have to talk with them about your life for a couple of sessions before they can diagnois and medicate your problem. because i really wont feel comfortable talking about my life with a stranger. i hope i just have to fill out a test so i can get some medication to start helping me out immediately. if you have went to a psychiatrist what happend the first time you went?

Answer 1

There are no exact standards regarding a psychiatric evaluation for medication management (this is what you describe). Many psychiatrists will ask you to fill out forms giving a health history, just as any other physician, and they may include a screening form for common problems such as depression and anxiety. A diagnostic interview, where you tell them about why you want help or medication, will include a mental status exam (already described) and a screening for most major mental disorders. Depending on how you answer questions, more questions will follow pursuing answers that indicate a match to diagnostic criteria in the DSM-IV-TR.

A working diagnosis will be made by the end of the interview as the basis of prescribing any treatment and for insurance purposes. You say that you believe you have depression and there are a number of diagnoses that involve depression. Do not be disappointed if it takes a few months to arrive at a firmer diagnosis, a responsible diagnostician will not automatically make a diagnosis of Major Depression immediately so you may start with a diagnosis of mood disorder not otherwise specified. There may be additional diagnostic notes where the psychiatrist is not sure and needs more information so these might look like rule out adhd, rule out panic disorder etc. Do ask to see your formal diagnosis and have it explained.

Although you do not have to prepare, if you would feel better you could take a depression screening quiz on the Internet then print and bring the results to your appointment as a jump off place for conversation. http://www.dbsalliance.org

If medication is indicated, you will be given a prescription and counseled on benefits and risks. Ask for patient education materials published by the pharmaceutical companies on the medication that you are given. You may also be asked to have lab tests and possibly to see your primary physician to rule out physical causes of some of your problems. You may be given the name or names of psychotherapists to contact for psychotherapy.

Overall you should find the conversation flows easily and that your questions are answered. If you do not feel comfortable, please do not be discouraged, it is a huge step just asking for help. Either discuss your concerns with your psychiatrist at your next visit or make an appointment with another one. You need to find that match where you and your psychiatrist form a treatment partnership. Best of Luck!

Answer 2

I think it varies, depending on who you see.

The first time I went to a psychiatrist, he spent the session getting to know me. He didn't start asking more probing questions until we met a couple of times. I didn't take any depression quizzes or anything like that, but he did ask me to keep a journal.

And sorry to tell you this, but there is no "test" to get medication. You're going to have to talk to him about some things. He isn't just a stranger but a trained professional who is there to help you. Legally he can't tell anyone what you say in your sessions without your permission.

Unfortunately my parents wanted no part in these sessions, and it could have saved me a lot of pain in the long run. If they had been there to tell my psychiatrist certain things, I would not have been misdiagnosed. He told my family I was bipolar, when in reality I'm not. I have a physical illness. So it is very important to tell him everything you possibly can so that you can be treated correctly.

Answer 3

Every doctor has his/her own approach. A first visit with my doc consists of a written depression scale (multiple choice) and an interview. During the interview, he takes a health history, asks questions about when the problem started, what precipitated the feelings you are experiencing (if anything did), sleep habits, how the feelings affect your functioning in general and in work and relationships, and your estimation of how serious your symptoms are.
Don't worry; psychiatrists are very professional in their approach and not the slightest bit judgmental. Most will be very good at putting you at ease. Sometimes it seems like their questions are really personal, but it's all info they need in order to properly diagnose and treat your problem.
Psychiatrists are rarely therapists anymore; they are medical doctors who treat mental disorders with medication. The non-medical treatment is left to the behavior specialists-- psychologists and masters-level therapists.

Answer 4

I never got a quiz or any thing.If you want to get some relief from your depression it would be best to disclose what has been going on and how your feeling.The guy is a doctor after all.They get full medical training before they specialize in psychiatry.Depression is seen as a psychical illness.You should expect medication on your first visit , if your open to it. Some of the medications work great with little side effects.So buck up and get it done.

Answer 5

They just ask questions, that's all. They don't tend to go into things with much depth, it's not like seeing a therapist; psychiatrists are more 'technical'. Their priority is diagnosing which type of depression you have, and then finding the right medication.

Answer 6

Some psychiatrists may have you fill out a self-report measure like the Beck Depression Inventory, but generally your condition is assessed by interview alone and a diagnosis is generally reached within one session, possibly more if complicated by crisis.
A standard among psychiatrists is the mental status exam (one answerer mentioned a piece of it regarding the spilt milks question). The Mental status exam (mse) is conducted by interview within the context of a full psychosocial assessment. The mse is only a piece and consists of things like memory tests for immediate, recent and remote recall (remembering several words for a few minutes, recalling them 20-30 minutes later and questioning your knowledge of past events. Also included are questions to assess concentration (serial seven's, spelling the word world backwards, etc.) and abstract reasoning (proverb interpretation). Other questions are symptom specific around onset, duration, frequency and intensity of symptoms. Many aspects of the mse itself are observational. Other things seek to address the presence of psychotic symptoms, such as hearing voices or feeling people can read your thoughts, are following you, trying to harm you, etc. Manyquestions will explore aspects of physical functioning for associated symptoms: eating/weight change, sleeping excessively or not enough, general energy level, etc. as well as specific symptoms related to anxiety symptoms like shakes, sweats, palpiations, nausea, constipation, chest tightness, etc. Further there will be questions about your history and family history of psychiatric illness/substance abuse and your own alcohol and drug use past and present. There will also be questions about suicide and homocidal thoughts both past and present. Other questions will be determined from answers to some of these questions.

Don't worry or prepare-just let the doc guide you with asking the questions and be honest. If you prepare at all, write a list of YOUR questions for him/her and about any medications you are prescribed or are wondering about and what his/her availability is in the evenings/weekends/on call. Also, if you have a family member who has been successfully treated for an illness like yours, do find out what meds they are on and tell your doc. genetics play a role and what worked for a family member is often likely to work for you.
Good Luck!!!!

Answer 7

Either one can happen, but most likely they will talk to you first of all and see if you need medication (by psychiatrist) ASAP. For billing reasons they need to put down some kind of diagnosis, but this can always be changed the more you talk with your doctor.

Answer 8

My initial appointments have always consisted of the doctor asking questions in order to get to know me. There are tests that can be administered, but it's more thorough to talk to the doctor. He's not a stranger, he's a doctor. It's his job to listen and he's legally obligated to keep everything he hears confidential.

Answer 9

I'm sure they all differ but when i went he just gave me an oral test. Like he would tell me some thing and have me to explain it to him in my own words what i thought it meant. I remember one of the things was "dont cry over spilt milk" (i had to tell him what i thought that meant). He/she will just check you to see from where they think you should start your treatments. After that you will probley have to start seeing a councelor or some thing like that. Most of them have you to talk about ur life but most psychiatrist never ask you any thing like that, they just do testing.

Answer 10

Hopefully you will have one that will want to talk to you. I dont care if youre uncomfartable with it. C'mon they cant tell anyone about what you tell them. Its like talking to a dog (They cant tell anyone). What the hell, do you really trust a test over a trained human mind with intuition and compassion?