# What can i expect with my first psychiatrist appointment



## lostdude42 (Mar 30, 2011)

Hey so my GP referred me to a psychiatrist, I am going next week and I am really nervous. What can i expect to happen during this visit and after it, will I be forced to come back? Is there a good chance she will give me a prescription after my first appointment? Im thinking about bringing in a list of things that bother me. Anyone with experience with this please share your experience and any other things that I could to do to prepare, Thanks.


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## jonahbruhh (Aug 23, 2011)

*heyo*

i just had my first appointment with a pyschiatrist about 3 weeks ago, it went very well and he really seemed like he knew what he was talking about. i think they will prescribe you on a medicine on the first visit, because that's what they are their for. since they are medication specialists. the first medicine he prescribed to me seems like the best one iv'e takin so far. i had positive results and wish the best of luck to you!


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## kooshi (Jan 10, 2011)

This will help you! You need to
go. Don't be afraid


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## QuietBoy99 (Sep 7, 2010)

When you visit a psychiatrist expect 99.99% you will leave with a prescription medication; it's their job they prescribe meds. They will give you a diagnose within 15 minutes with no medical test. Just don't tell them what you think you have; let them decide what you have.


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## super (Sep 9, 2009)

they can be a bit aggresive or seem like they are 'studying' you, well it depends on the situation really..im younger and i noticed they take a lot of attention on your body language and how you react to things they say..


like the other guy said, all they do is prescribe stuff


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## CD700 (Apr 22, 2010)

You can expect the psych to be weirder then you
I dunno if its coz they deal with people who are mentally ill all day or wat but they are strange people


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## ntdc (Jun 29, 2011)

lostdude42 said:


> Hey so my GP referred me to a psychiatrist, I am going next week and I am really nervous. What can i expect to happen during this visit and after it, will I be forced to come back? Is there a good chance she will give me a prescription after my first appointment? Im thinking about bringing in a list of things that bother me. Anyone with experience with this please share your experience and any other things that I could to do to prepare, Thanks.


first appt is around an hour with follow ups between 15-30mins depending on how things are going. Since this is a relatively short time it's best to make notes on what you want to discuss. I always write an outline before I go see the psychiatrist. They will likely let you talk a lot during the initial visit, and may ask questions such as "do you have a family history of depression", "do you think about suicide", "have you ever had a manic episode","drug use",etc... be honest with the doctor or it will be harder to help you, they have pretty much heard everything.

the psychiatrist will likely prescribe some medication (such as an SSRI ) and order blood tests (hormone levels, vitamin levels, thyroid test) to rule out other causes of anxiety/depression.

some psychiatrists work with a psychologist or therapist for psychotherapy. at some point you may be referred to therapy once a week with a follow up with the psychiatrist once a month. as others have pointed out they are largely interested in medication management. 
that is how mine goes.


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## jangle1 (Jan 11, 2011)

I had very severe social anxiety disorder when I first went to see my psychiatrist for the first time. I was so nervous that I wasn't going to even be able to talk with him.

But when I did finally get to meet him, the appointment went very smoothly. I guess I realized it really didn't matter if I showed anxiety or not because the whole point of the session was to address my symptoms. In that way, the experience was rather comfortable.

Now in terms of the first appointment, the psychiatrist will generally ask you general questions and historical things about your illness. Things you've experienced etc. 

Therapy sessions and the like typically begin after that or maybe a few sessions down the road.

I hope you have a great session.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

QuietBoy99 said:


> When you visit a psychiatrist expect 99.99% you will leave with a prescription medication; it's their job they prescribe meds.


^You beat me to it.


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## DK3 (Sep 21, 2011)

lostdude42 said:


> Hey so my GP referred me to a psychiatrist, I am going next week and I am really nervous. What can i expect to happen during this visit and after it, will I be forced to come back? Is there a good chance she will give me a prescription after my first appointment? Im thinking about bringing in a list of things that bother me. Anyone with experience with this please share your experience and any other things that I could to do to prepare, Thanks.


I remember my first appointment. The first meeting will be really to assess you and how you behave. You'll be asked a few questions and notes will be written down as they watch you answering. They use typical subtle psychology techniques on you to see what level of social abilities and skills you have developed.

The pdoc will be able to assess what kind of problem you have and how severe it is usually on the first meeting, and will also be able to determine what kind of treatment is most appropriate by the end of it.

For severe SA you'll normally leave with a script or they will advise your GP to prescribe something. Therapy will normally continue alongside treatment with the pdoc once a week for a few weeks or months. You may get given CBT exercises to do and/or sent to do group therapy.

For some reason they normally prefer to give you a pdoc of the opposite sex to yourself I find (I've had 3 different pdocs). First session is a bit nerve racking but then it gets easier and you actually begin looking forward to each session and having someone to share your problems with and discuss things, at least I did anyway. If you have severe SA you will find it helps your confidence a lot as the weeks go by just to be able to talk to another person face to face who doesn't judge you and understands your difficulties. It's perfectly fine if you blush or stammer etc, they're professionals and know how to relax you. I remember after my first session it was like a huge weight had been lifted on me, this secret I had been hiding from people and carrying around for so long was finally out and someone not only understood me but gave reassurance that things would get better and they would help me.


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## urbanspaceman (Sep 18, 2011)

Its a step forward to see a professional...make sure you have everything clear what you want to tell them...write it down if you need to...and I would advise you to take a trusted member of your family, your partner or a friend for moral support....Good Luck...


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