Hey Lilacbeetle, nice to hear from you again. I'm sorry to hear that you've been feeling dismissed in your experiences with mental health professionals.
It depends on what kind of mental health assessment you're after. If you're looking to see whether or not you have Bipolar Disorder, there are several variations of this disorder, so a psychologist or psychiatrist would need to give you an evaluation to determine whether your symptoms and experiences match a specific diagnosis.
As someone who's just finished a degree in psychology, I can tell you that there can be a lot of misinformation and conflicting information about Bipolar Disorder online, particularly because there are different types, so it can be quite confusing if you're researching it yourself. I would probably recommend seeing a different psychiatrist, if your current one has only asked you to research Bipolar Disorder yourself and has not taken steps to get you assessed. If you're wanting to know where to find another professional who may be able to give you more help, try the APS' Find a Psychologist page.
Unfortunately, mental health assessments can be quite pricey. You can always have a chat to your GP if you're worried, and they may be able to talk you through different options for getting assessed for something like Bipolar Disorder, and how much each may cost.
Either way, I'd also let either your GP, psychologist, or mental health professional know that medication hasn't given you an optimal result. Medication isn't for everyone, and there are different ways to treat symptoms that don't involve taking it that you may find work better for you.
I hope this helps! Again, feel free to keep chatting with us, we're here to support you.
SB
