I have just got off the phone with a family member who is being treated by a colleague. This colleague is an experienced clinician whom I respect, and I found myself advising the person on how to explain themselves to their doctor. I frequently find in conversations with friends, family and colleagues that some people struggle to communicate with their psychiatrist effectively. Better communication will lead to better outcomes.
Some important details to understand about us ‘Psychiatrists’:
For a regular review appointment, it may be useful to write a few notes the day before, in order to remind you in the appointment of what you would like to discuss.
These are some of the questions the psychiatrist is likely to ask you.
Even what I have written above is a great deal to go through in 15 mins if you are having any complications – and may require a longer appointment. However if you are absolutely well, this may be sufficient time for yourself. Different people get on differently with different psychiatrists; it is an individual experience. It helps if you trust and respect the way your doctor works. Psychiatrists are all different, male or female, different ages and races, differing psychiatric interests, different levels of experience, various ways of interacting and even different ways of setting up our chairs in our office! You are the patient, and you need to be comfortable with your treating doctor.
You need to try and trust and assert yourself in your appointment. You are the person who is taking the medication or undergoing the treatment, you need to be content and satisfied with your medications day-to-day. If you are having disruptive side effects, tell your doctor and bring it up in the appointment and discuss treatment options. Sometimes understanding the side effects and looking at the risk of stopping a certain medication will help you cope with the side effect better. Alternatively, you may decide to switch or stop the medication once you have received medical advice.
Useful questions for your psychiatrist
Different people get on differently with different psychiatrists; it is an individual experience. It helps if you trust and respect the way your doctor works. Psychiatrists are all different, male or female, different ages and races, differing psychiatric interests, different levels of experience, various ways of interacting and even different ways of setting up our chairs in our office! You are the patient, and you need to be comfortable with your treating doctor. If you have no choice about who your doctor is (most commonly in the government services) it is even more important to talk up and assert yourself as needed.