Well, first and foremost, well done for deciding to seek help.
Do you have a friend or family member you'd feel comfortable coming with you to the appointment? If not, that's OK. Regardless, book the appointment with whichever GP you feel most comfortable with or if you have no preference, whoever may have an interest in mental health (you can find this by typing your surgerys name into Google and going on the NHS page about it). If it doesn't list it, this is not too important, just get whichever is closest and make sure you book a double appointment (aka two appointment slots), this will give you ample time to discuss things. It is very important that it's a double appointment!
The next task is to think about what you're struggling with (e.g. mood, sleep, eating, habits/behaviours, memories/traumas, self-harm, etc.) and list the issues. Have a basic personal history (e.g. family dynamics, friend group, work/studying?). List if there was a triggering factor that set it off - bullying; family issues, death; decline in your health or someone close to you; change in schools; exam pressure; etc. Anything that makes your symptoms better or worse (e.g. does exercise help or make it worse, does listening to a certain song upset you, do certain people help or harm your mental health, etc.). What sort of things you can/can't do now because of your mental health struggles. How long you've roughly been struggling with things if possible. This will all help your GP come to a conclusion on how to approach it best. This is also a helpful site.
It's also a good idea to have thoughts about what you will and won't be willing to try - would you be OK trying medication? What about therapy? Self help? Would you like to see a psychiatrist (although, please be aware, this may not happen)? etc.
After the appointment you may feel vulnerable and fragile, so try and schedule in something nice for yourself. Something you enjoy, preferably around people.
Good luck, @Mruczega.
Do you have a friend or family member you'd feel comfortable coming with you to the appointment? If not, that's OK. Regardless, book the appointment with whichever GP you feel most comfortable with or if you have no preference, whoever may have an interest in mental health (you can find this by typing your surgerys name into Google and going on the NHS page about it). If it doesn't list it, this is not too important, just get whichever is closest and make sure you book a double appointment (aka two appointment slots), this will give you ample time to discuss things. It is very important that it's a double appointment!
The next task is to think about what you're struggling with (e.g. mood, sleep, eating, habits/behaviours, memories/traumas, self-harm, etc.) and list the issues. Have a basic personal history (e.g. family dynamics, friend group, work/studying?). List if there was a triggering factor that set it off - bullying; family issues, death; decline in your health or someone close to you; change in schools; exam pressure; etc. Anything that makes your symptoms better or worse (e.g. does exercise help or make it worse, does listening to a certain song upset you, do certain people help or harm your mental health, etc.). What sort of things you can/can't do now because of your mental health struggles. How long you've roughly been struggling with things if possible. This will all help your GP come to a conclusion on how to approach it best. This is also a helpful site.
It's also a good idea to have thoughts about what you will and won't be willing to try - would you be OK trying medication? What about therapy? Self help? Would you like to see a psychiatrist (although, please be aware, this may not happen)? etc.
After the appointment you may feel vulnerable and fragile, so try and schedule in something nice for yourself. Something you enjoy, preferably around people.
Good luck, @Mruczega.
Well, my whole country is behind on mental health so my mum (as a polish woman) would basically consider what I have as me being insane and would consider me going to the GP to be very idiotic. I live in the UK so thank god for that. Plus I am uncomfortable around people so the fewer people the better.
Will do the list, now sure how long that will take but I did get started on it (like months and years ago.)
If my GP doesn't go with both medication and some form of therapy, I will basically have to raise this cuz lets just say I am on the extreme end for some things and I struggle to the point where sometimes I literally can't talk. I can try but the world won't even come out. This is one of the main issues but right now this is a slight issue because before it was much more extreme (couldn't speak at all) in the past.
I will try to get a double appointment next week.
Will do the list, now sure how long that will take but I did get started on it (like months and years ago.)
If my GP doesn't go with both medication and some form of therapy, I will basically have to raise this cuz lets just say I am on the extreme end for some things and I struggle to the point where sometimes I literally can't talk. I can try but the world won't even come out. This is one of the main issues but right now this is a slight issue because before it was much more extreme (couldn't speak at all) in the past.
I will try to get a double appointment next week.
Original post by Mruczega
Well, my whole country is behind on mental health so my mum (as a polish woman) would basically consider what I have as me being insane and would consider me going to the GP to be very idiotic. I live in the UK so thank god for that. Plus I am uncomfortable around people so the fewer people the better.
Will do the list, now sure how long that will take but I did get started on it (like months and years ago.)
If my GP doesn't go with both medication and some form of therapy, I will basically have to raise this cuz lets just say I am on the extreme end for some things and I struggle to the point where sometimes I literally can't talk. I can try but the world won't even come out. This is one of the main issues but right now this is a slight issue because before it was much more extreme (couldn't speak at all) in the past.
I will try to get a double appointment next week.
Will do the list, now sure how long that will take but I did get started on it (like months and years ago.)
If my GP doesn't go with both medication and some form of therapy, I will basically have to raise this cuz lets just say I am on the extreme end for some things and I struggle to the point where sometimes I literally can't talk. I can try but the world won't even come out. This is one of the main issues but right now this is a slight issue because before it was much more extreme (couldn't speak at all) in the past.
I will try to get a double appointment next week.
I'm so sorry to hear about your mum not being supportive.
The list doesn't need to be super in depth. I basically bullet pointed things when I first went to my GP as I couldn't talk much (my friend who came with me did most of the talking). I handed the list to my GP and she followed up in areas she wanted more information which my friend was able to help me with. I then got referred to secondary mental health services as she was unable to help me to the level I needed.
If you're really struggling, it might be worth asking for a secondary services referral (which may include seeing a psychiatrist), but again, your GP might want to try less intense therapy first as the more specialist stuff takes years to wait for. It took me over a year to get the specialist input that I needed for reference, and that's not unusual.
There's also the Mental Health Support Society you could look to for peer support.
You're also welcome to message me if you would like to.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Has anyone ever felt so bad that their heart was burning?
- Extenuating Circumstances was accepted and rejected again
- Applying for personal independence payment (PIP)
- Student nurse who is struggling immensely.
- Talking to someone about mental health
- Disclosing mental health issue at work
- Mental health services should not be around
- anxiety about starting my course and the academic writing requirements
- Potential mental health problem?
- Where do I get help if I think I might be bipolar?
- How do I claim PIP (Personal Independence Payment) by post (and other advice)?
- Can I add I have undiagnosed mental health conditions on my UCAS references
- Absolutely furious with the NHS
- Suffer with health anxiety
- Help- dropping out of uni
- Sad story … can I become a nurse?
- DWP advisor concerned about my health, what is going to happen?
- I'm really struggling with my mental health. I don't know what I should do about it.
- how to cope with depressed mum
- I need advice regarding sex
