# How long does it usually take to see a psychiatrist?



## JonJo999 (Nov 12, 2014)

I am in the process of being referred to my local mental health team for psychiatry and I am wondering usually how long would I have to wait, I have been waiting since the end of November and I still haven't been offered an appointment, the GP said that it can take a while and I wouldn't see the psychiatrist until the New Year, but I am sick of waiting, sick of it, my counselling sessions have ended with the counsellor at my F.E. college and I need to talk to someone, I don't talk to anyone about my feelings, not even my family or friends. I'm hoping to get this appointment soon as I really really need it. :frown2: I'm so stressed at the moment.


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## maria9638 (Dec 25, 2015)

I'm currently in the same situation, (I'm in Canada though). I asked my doctor back in November but still haven't received a call for appointment. It's quite annoying, all I can say is wait till the holidays are over, and call them. It's unfortunate people who deal with depression like myself can't just walk in a mental health clinic on their own and go back whenever they feel sick. The waiting kinda makes it worse and you feel helpless in a way.It is something I hope will change in the future, but I guess there are more sick people than there are health clinics and doctors.


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## ScottK94 (Oct 22, 2015)

Don't know about the UK, but here in the US, finding a psychiatrist can take a while. There is a shortage and many of them here don't take insurance plans making the shortage even more chronic. Here they mostly prescribe meds, so if you don't need meds maybe you could try someone who is a psychologist or social worker to talk to. (or whatever they are called there)

Or talk to people here!


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

Yeah, here its anywhere from a week to a few months. I also hope you get an appointment soon.


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## _Thomasjs81 (Dec 11, 2015)

Unfortunately, the NHS would prefer that you rot in primary care for an extended period of time before finally making an assessment to judge whether or not they deam you worthy to see a psychiatrist who, when the appointment finally arrives, will all but peak his head around the door, prescribe an SSRI, then promptly leave. It wasn't until a serious suicide attempt at 26 and again this year at 34, that I will now be under secondary care with an assigned psychiatrist handling my meds and finally be off the GP, councillor, CBT merry-go-round of the last 16 years of my life. I'm hoping things have changed since then and you won't have to deal with the **** I've had to for this long.


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## EGLJ (Sep 15, 2013)

Been referred back and forth to places since April without seeing a single person (only phone assessments etc) finally got an actual appointment for Feb. Don't let them discharge you until you're certain you don't need them anymore otherwise it'll be an even longer wait for another appointment.



Thomasjs81 said:


> Unfortunately, the NHS would prefer that you rot in primary care for an extended period of time before finally making an assessment to judge whether or not they deam you worthy to see a psychiatrist who, when the appointment finally arrives, will all but peak his head around the door, prescribe an SSRI, then promptly leave. It wasn't until a serious suicide attempt at 26 and again this year at 34, that I will now be under secondary care with an assigned psychiatrist handling my meds and finally be off the GP, councillor, CBT merry-go-round of the last 16 years of my life. I'm hoping things have changed since then and you won't have to deal with the **** I've had to for this long.


And I thought my 4 years were bad, that sucks man. Is the treatment any better with secondary care or is it the same **** with a different label?


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## iglowhite (Jan 29, 2016)

Hello I'm new here wondering about feelings


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## JonJo999 (Nov 12, 2014)

I got my appointment, it's next Thursday, but it's not who I was supposed to referred to, it's the Department of Psychological Therapies that I have to go to, I was supposed to be referred to Psychiatry but why have I been referred to Psychology instead? This doesn't make any sense. :|


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

can take a year where I live on the waiting list.


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## anxiousanddepressed (Sep 30, 2013)

I have an appointment with a psychiatrist finally on the 16th of February!!! I have no idea what to expect and I have no idea if I am going to get through Valentine's Day since I've gone through a recent breakup with my ex-live-in boyfriend....


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## anxiousanddepressed (Sep 30, 2013)

Apparently my psychiatrist is now on medical health leave, so my appointment has been moved to the 25th of Feb at 8:30am with another psychiatrist. 

To be honest the thought of seeing a psychiatrist and what types of things I am going to have to discuss with this "unkown" person is kind of stressing me out, I lost sleep over it last night, and now I am gonna have to stress about it until the 25th of Feb....


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## James_Russell (Aug 26, 2011)

Hopefully the system where you are is better than here.

I tried to take my own life by overdosing on Benzos last month, was in the hospital for the night, they stabalised me, told me my numbers were good then discharged me without even a discussion with a mental health professional. Unsurprisingly 3 days later I was in ER again with a 2nd suicide attempt, this time by taking 30 Effexor, which is far less effective than Benzos and I was just really sick. This time I managed to see 2 Mental Health professionals who would NOT admit me to the psych ward even though I had attempted suicide twice in two days, because these days they "Only admit people if they are having a psychotic episode, you dont fall into that category at this time" . So I was sent home once again, with a referral to a ****ing social worker two days later, who basically asked me "Are you still suicidal?" for 15 minutes and let me go, with a promise of another appointment the next week, that appointment came and I was asked the same string of questions I had been in the hospital, was finally asked what I actually wanted to get out of this whole process to which I replied "I want to see a psychiatrist, a professional who can give me a proper diagnosis" and this moron replied "hmm, a diagnosis isnt really important to this process, what we focus on are the symptoms here, what Im going to do is refer you to group therapy"

I was offered no follow up at all, here I was a week and a half out of a suicidal episode where I had tried to take my own life, TWICE, and I saw 2 social workers, and was referred to group who, btw I still have not received an appointment from. I have psych support through my employer thankfully, if I didnt I would be dead right now. But what I have through work doesnt have access to psychiatry, they have great councellors who have literally saved my life during the last few weeks, but no psychiatrists, because, well, why would they? Youre supposed to be able to rely on the ****ing health system for that. It's an absolute joke, and when youre already suicidal being kicked to the curb like you dont matter makes the problem around 500x's worse.


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## catcharay (Sep 15, 2011)

James_Russell said:


> Hopefully the system where you are is better than here.
> 
> I tried to take my own life by overdosing on Benzos last month, was in the hospital for the night, they stabalised me, told me my numbers were good then discharged me without even a discussion with a mental health professional. Unsurprisingly 3 days later I was in ER again with a 2nd suicide attempt, this time by taking 30 Effexor, which is far less effective than Benzos and I was just really sick. This time I managed to see 2 Mental Health professionals who would NOT admit me to the psych ward even though I had attempted suicide twice in two days, because these days they "Only admit people if they are having a psychotic episode, you dont fall into that category at this time" . So I was sent home once again, with a referral to a ****ing social worker two days later, who basically asked me "Are you still suicidal?" for 15 minutes and let me go, with a promise of another appointment the next week, that appointment came and I was asked the same string of questions I had been in the hospital, was finally asked what I actually wanted to get out of this whole process to which I replied "I want to see a psychiatrist, a professional who can give me a proper diagnosis" and this moron replied "hmm, a diagnosis isnt really important to this process, what we focus on are the symptoms here, what Im going to do is refer you to group therapy"
> 
> I was offered no follow up at all, here I was a week and a half out of a suicidal episode where I had tried to take my own life, TWICE, and I saw 2 social workers, and was referred to group who, btw I still have not received an appointment from. I have psych support through my employer thankfully, if I didnt I would be dead right now. But what I have through work doesnt have access to psychiatry, they have great councellors who have literally saved my life during the last few weeks, but no psychiatrists, because, well, why would they? Youre supposed to be able to rely on the ****ing health system for that. It's an absolute joke, and when youre already suicidal being kicked to the curb like you dont matter makes the problem around 500x's worse.


Sorry to hear you're not doing so well. Recently I also had a period where I felt those things and I would never rely on the health system. It's so hard but I hope you feel better soon!


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