Starting the conversation

heymisterteejay · ‎23-10-2018

One of the pages suggests to speak with your GP first to get a mental health plan.

I've spoken with my GP about various illnesses etc before, but this one is a bit harder to explain. I dont even know how to put it in to words.

Does anyone have any experience in that first discussion with a GP?

Do I just go in and say - I feel anxious?

Croix · ‎23-10-2018

Dear Heymisterteejay~

Welcome tothe Forum, I think many of us have had difficulties about describing how we are to a doctor (or others too for that matter). So having a plan and drawing on other peoples' experience is pretty sensible.

Can I suggest you do two things

First go to

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety-and-depression-checklist-k10

and do the test. It is not infallible but if it scores high then print it out.

Secondly take your time and write down how anxiety is affecting your life, everything from sleep to judgment to affecting family life. Use several days to get it as good as you can, not forgetting anything (or leaving it out if embarrassing)

Then book a long appointment with your GP, take your papers and share them. This makes it a whole lot easier, you just answer questions to amplify what you write, not have to explain every thing from scratch

Does that sound sort of reasonable?

While you are here would you like to say the sorts of things you are having difficulties with?

Croix

geoff · ‎24-10-2018

Hello Heymisterteejay, thanks for posting your comment and yes your doctor will give you a mental health plan, which will give you 10 sessions paid by Medicare to see a psychologist/psychiatrist, the latter can prescribe medication while the former can't, but your doctor can also prescribe them for you.

Croix has mentioned other important suggestions for you to do if you want to, and I agree with him.

This site is where all of us have gone through our own struggles with some type of mental and/or health illness, so I hope you can trust us, as we do with each other.

We hope to hear back from you.

Best wishes.

Geoff.