how do i tell my parents that i want to see a psychiatrist?

Question

i have no idea how to begin. everytime i start, i end up saying "nevermind" and i'm really scared that my mom will get mad at me or will think that i'm crazy. it also feels really awkward...help?

it's for social anxiety disorder, by the way.

also, if anyone went into therapy for something similar, can you tell me what it was like?

Answer 1

Ok, I have totally Been there and Done that.
Going and seeing someone helped me SO much. I wanted to go and see someone but was worried.
So finally, I firgured...either I can never say anything and never feel better, or try. If I fail, at least I know I tried.

So I sat my parents down, I assured them that I was NOT going to kill myself or anything like that. And I told them:
"I love you mom, you know that. But I have been having some trouble lately, and I dont want to talk to my freinds about it. And Its not that I dont want to talk to YOU about it, its just....its would help to speak to a proffesional.
When I talk to you about some things I worry that you might tell dad/your good freinds....and if I talk to my freinds, I am worried they will spread it around...."

Go from there. I assure you, your mom wont get upset as long as you MAKE SURE she knows that you dont plan on hurting yourself, you love her A LOT and that you just want someone to talk to.

Good luck! ANY more questions, feel free to message me.
It helped me out a lot to get my feelings out to someone without having to worry about other people hearing about it.

Answer 2

I have social anxiety too. I work w/ a therapist (psychologist) to discuss things that freak me out. I see a psychiatrist once a month for a medication check. I take Pexeva which is similar to Paxil. It has made such a huge difference for me to work w/ both doctors. Taking meds isn't the total answer. Talking out the problems & helping you get through why the anxiety is created is what is most helpful.
Anxiety is all stress we create by out thoughts. It is all about getting control of those thoughts to move forward so you can do the things that you want. I let social anxiety stop me from doing lots of things that I really wanted to do. Get the help you need now so you don't have regrets.
Be brave & talk to your parents. If you ever want someone to chat w/ you can e-mail me. Good luck!

Answer 3

Hi moomix I am a trained professional in the psychology field. I recommend going to a psychiatrist and just telling her the truth about the drug use that has been going on. Don't worry about her telling your parents. She will more than likely tell you from the beginning to trust her and that everything you tell her will be confidential, with that being said there is no need to worry about her telling your parents. The only way she could tell your parents is if you are doing something very dangerous such as hardcore drugs including heroin, meth, etc,etc. A psychiatrist might tell your parents depending on if you are addicted to such illegal substances mentioned above. As with marijuana, it is not a hardcore or very dangerous drug. Well I wish you best of luck. John

Answer 4

I;m a mental health therapist, and was counseled by a therapist long before going into the field.

Just to help you get a handle on mental health:

Psychiatrists are M.D.s--they typically write prescriptions but don't counsel. They normally see their patients every 30 to 90 days for a 15 minute consultation.

Psychologists are Ph.D.'s and often do lots of testing assessments; many actually do therapy.

Master's Level Therapists specialize in counseling and therapy. These can include: Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Clinical Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists.

When I needed counseling I got therapy from a Master's level counselor and she really helped me a lot! When I went to university and then graduate school, I earned my graduate degree in Counseling (Master's level).

If I counsel a client who needs meds I refer them to psychiatrists.

Hope this helps some!

Good luck!!

Answer 5

Possibly do some research on the matter. If you're in School maybe talking to a guidance counselor or the school psychiatrist first. Once you've done the research on the disorder present that information to the parent you're more comfortable having a "heart to heart" with. Since you've done the research and related that research to your own problems you can have an educated conversation with them about it and try to come up with solutions together. Your parents will be happy you came to them for help. They're not there to critisize you, they're there to support and love you! Good Luck with everything! I hope things turn out well.

Answer 6

I had to tell my mom I wanted to see a psychiatrist for the exact same problem. =) I have social anxiety disorder too. I remember one day I broke down because I was so depressed from having the disorder. It was really hindering my life. I knew I had to tell my mom because I desperately needed help. Earlier I had printed out this sheet from online with a list of symptoms of social anxiety disorder, lol, and I just remember going to her and I started crying, and I showed her the sheet and told her I thought I had this disorder. I think it kind of helped for me to have a visual aid, lol. I didn't have to say as much and explain what was wrong with me, because it just said it all on the sheet! At first I could tell she felt uncomfortable with it, and she didn't want to believe that I really had a psychiatric disorder. But you HAVE to tell your mom. Or you're never gonna get the help you need. She'll be a little uncomfortable with it at first, but over time, she'll get used to it, trust me. You don't want to live your whole life with this problem. So just gather your courage for this one time, and you'll FINALLY be able to get the help you need after that. It's such a relief if you tell someone. Good luck! =)

Answer 7

It would probably be best to just out-and-out tell them that you want to see a counselor. I don't think that they will be mad at you; they should be happier that you're wanting to seek help than tormenting yourself or just bottling it up inside. Plan out what you want to say in advance, and try your best to keep it in your mind as you talk to them. If all else fails, you could always try writing a note or email so that you can have it written down and explained the way you want it to be.

Good luck! :o)

Answer 8

It can be easier to introduce this idea in writing. Write a letter to your parents, and give it to them just before you leave for school, so that they have plenty of time to get over their first reactions before you discuss it with them.

Remember that the anxiety isn't going to go away until you get help, and the sooner you tell your parents the sooner you can start feeling better.

Answer 9

You really need to just sit down and talk to them. If your mom gets mad. Wait for her to vent and explain again how you feel it will help you on a daily basis in dealing with the difficulties you feel. Your parents should understand as long as you do not start getting upset at them while trying to talk to them.

Answer 10

Gather your courage, take a deep breath and just tell them honestly. Explain that you seriously think you need to see a psychiatrist. Hopefully they will understand and bring you to see one.

Best of luck.