Hi ShyGirl,
As a long term sufferer and a bit of an old bloke I will limit myself to offering some advice on how to take that VERY important first step of talking to your GP. There are others on here better placed to offer advice on other issues you raise.
I have always found it easier, like you , to communicate via writing, whether that be emails, sms etc than talking in person or over the phone. In fact I simply don't answer phones. My suggestion (and one I still use even with my psych who knows me well) is to write down what you would like to say . Then leave it, re-read it and make any changes you would like so that it really gets your message across. Then take it with you to the GP and when they ask how they can help just say you have written it down as that is the best way you can talk about it.
Any GP who has a problem with that should not be in practice. Of course they are bound to ask questions, but the main thing is you will have got the most important things across in what you wrote. If you don't feel like that GP really listened to you, don't give up, go and try another one. If you feel it went well ask the GP to take a copy of your statement for your records so that it is there for them to refer to in any follow up visits.
Hope this is of some small help.
Cheers.
