How To Approach A Psychologist?
<div class="IPBDescription">I need advice</div> I have alot of issues. I need to see a psychologist, but I am afraid of meeting people. I have a feeling he will want to hear my story of the things going on in my mind, but there are some things that people just can never tell to anyone. All I want are medications for depression. I use to take other drugs like mirtzapine, but those were doctor prescribed and they had terrible side effects.
Comments
Well if you feel the drugs well help your problem, then you need to see a psychiatrist, not a psychologist, as only the latter can give you a prescription.
However I would not recommend doing that, as he will most likely recommended some expensive drug that you could have found on your own, and then charge you 500$ for it. Find someone who will actually care about your problems and help you fix them.
I recently delt with a very long instance of depression (it is not ocmpleatly gone,but I am getting better).
Speaking fom experiance and knowledge (I have studied these things, as well as being brought up by 2 psychology PhDs).
Drugs are not the soloution.
They are a tool to use ti help you deal with this.
Just like any tool they can be misuessed. Going for drugs as the quick cure, and only soloution will just end up with a dependancy, and that is never a good thing.
Also most drugs can take over a month to realy kick in (they are playing a rather dangerous game with tweaking your biochem).
Go see both a Psychologist (PhD) and a Psychiatrist (MD). With the tool of medication you will find it is earier to talk to the psychologist, and work through your problems.
Best of luck mate, if you ever have any questions or just wana talk, this entire forum is here for you <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
@Reasa: If you want to take meds then you HAVe to see a psychiatrist, with out a perscription, you can't get em. Also, the good ones know what drugs will hlep you best (no drug does one thing, each has side effects, some side effects can actualy be helpful)
Very, very carefully. They frighten easily.
As the others said, you probably want to see a psychiatrist, as they are the ones that actually prescribe medication. Thansal's post was a good summary of how things are. ^^
And for god's sake, don't lie to the man so you can get medication! That's the worse thing you can do.
I think you want to see a <b>psychiatrist</b> not a psychologist. A psychiatrist can prescribe things, a psychologist can't. Moreover a psychiatrist should have more knowledege to help you with your problems. If you go to college, you should be able to get some free therapy, and if you go to a highschool you can talk to the councelors there and they can set you up. This system exists to help you, so you don't have to trip of asking for help. If you go into this thinking "all I want is for them to give me more drugs" that screams addiction to me. If your not comfortable discussing stuff out in the open send me a PM. Drugs are a temporary solution and wind up being a bid at affect regulation. If you don't mind me asking, did anything happen when you were growing up?
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<i>"I think you want to see a psychiatrist not a psychologist"</i>
Funny you should say that, the only psychiatrist I've ever seen was rubbish and the only psychologist I saw was the competent one. =D
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Btw, you don't NEED those medicine to make you happy, they only relieve the symptoms.
Besides, doesn't that junk only work by numbing down your mind?
Hell, you don't even -need- professional care to get rid of the 'problem'.
I cured myself of my mood swings, fear of crowds, depression, apathy, paranoia, panic attacks, 4-d fractal hallucinations & visual effects, voices/whispering in my head (ouch) and psychotic episodes (nice list, eh? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> ) by watching 2 Dr Phil episodes and just being -honest- with myself. (& a small doses Zen <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->)
Not that I'm advising against a visit to somebody who can help you btw, talking helps. It's just an alternative...
If I can do that, so can you. stop running away and deal with it. Don't be a victim. (a cliche, I know, but still very very true)
You don't need drugs, you need a solution. (cliche #2...)
I don't know what happened in your life but I -do- know what a chronic depression is like. Like a rusty knife stabbing you in your guts while your mind is inside a black hole of suck and thinking about it only makes the knife slide in a few more inches.
Life's way too short to live like that! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
last time i went to a phsycologist.... i spend 3 hours listening to HIM SPEAK...
he had a nice soothing voice, but uhh, defenatly not saying the things i'de pay somone to say.
1) Never tell some one to "just deal with it", it dosn't work for most people (congratz, your special)
2) drugs don't 'numb down' your mind. They all work is very different ways. Many are stimulants.
3) Psychologists and psychiatrists are all people, thus just b/c you had a good experiance/bad experiance with one of em, dosn't say squat.
again, this is why I say that your best bet is to go to a few different people (for both) and find people that you like, and give you straight answers.
You shop around when buying video games, so why the heck wouldn't you shop around when trying to get profesional help?
Always get a second oppinion about drug perscriptions, always look up the side effects your self (ask the MD straight out, and then go and look up what people say about it, and then ask him about those things).
These are all serious fields, so do your homework <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
2. Really? Somebody I know used to use them and he said they had that effect on him.. maybe he had something else? :/
and as I said, they all work differently.
Most of the ones that have side effects that serious have been phased out.
The thing is I am out of school right now and I can't really talk to a councilor. Before that though, I did talk to one and we talked for a while about things, and like some of you had mentioned, all that I got out of it was a very good conversation. Although those type of verbal medications do help, they really don't in the long run, unfortunately. I am starting to regret not taking his advice on seeing a psychologist or my personal doctor's for that matter. Oh well, I guess my fears are deep rooted. But on the other hand, for those of you wondering what may have caused my depression, it's really a mixture of things which for personal reasons I will not say.
Don't you mean PSYCHIATRIST?
However, those short little sessions eventualy build up to where you CAN confide in them, and some one who realy is there just to help you can be a wonderful thing.
I unfortunatly I was not able to stay with my therapist (the lack of insurance thing) and I am now dealing with that.
If you are insured I would realy suggest finding a psychologist and a psychiatrist that accept your insurance (you can often do this by calling your insurance company).
hey, if you go once a week, and it helps you feel better for a day (or even part of a day) that is something, that is that much more of your life you have reclaimed.
Well best of luck mate.
Ninja Edit:
Rampage, try reading the thread, and your sig is way to large.
Good luck kida.
Bad idea, I know someone who is on that fine line, they've actually got an appointment in 15minutes and are going to phone me after the appointment is over. Although bordering on mentally unstable = suicidal / life threatening.