It sounds easier than it is. When you describe your feelings and discomforts to the medical professional, they work with that to determine the causes and possible treatments. This is why it's so important to tell them as much as you can. If the subjects to discuss are difficult (i.e. trauma), I'd recommend making a small list of what you need to discuss before you see the specialist. Since many people require psychological help, it may be hard to find a centre near you. One of my doctors recommended a psychiatrist in a different city, but they have so many patients already that they can't take on any new ones for the moment. Unfortunately, this happens a lot.
For me, the hardest thing to do was making the first phone call to a centre back in 2019. Once I'd done that, I felt very proud. It's not easy to admit to yourself that you can't solve a situation on your own. The psychologist from the first centre told me I needed to see a psychiatrist, because the issues I was dealing with were out of their scope. I ended up going back to the same psychologist three months later to ask for advice on how to find the right psychiatrist. How do you know someone is good? I was told that it all came down to trial and error. Our company doctor eventually recommended a place where I went until that psychiatrist fell ill. Again, I found myself without a therapist. I was crying out everywhere I could (on Facebook, to colleagues, friends) and then someone recommended a third centre I go to once or twice a month now, depending on availability.
For mental healthcare to be successful, I'd say there has to be a click between you and the specialist. When I went to the first centre I told myself these people had already seen countless cases. I was certainly not going to be the only one struggling, but I felt worried about the 'click'. If there's no click between you and the doctor, keep looking for somebody else. As I said above, it's important to tell as much as you can. When you and the doctor don't 'get along', it's highly likely you won't share details that could be useful for the doctor to determine the possible treatments. Everyone has their own style. Some are blunt in their communication. Others are more subtle. Some will ask plenty of questions, whereas others will just listen to you speak until you stop and then come up with a question to help them figure out more. I felt overwhelmed and very tired after my first appointment. These feelings are completely normal. Remember, you are the one feeling what you feel. Tell the doctor what you need them to do while you tell them your story: do you want them to remain silent and let you talk? Do you want them to ask you questions to help you tell them what's going on? A mix of both? They'll often take notes of what you're telling them. These notes always remain confidential. If you're an adult, the specialist won't share your story with anyone unless you give them approval to share it with specific people. In my case, I asked the first psychiatrist to write down what we were going to look into in order to help my company doctor determine whether or not I needed extra help at work.
It takes guts and perseverance to find the right specialist. If you're struggling to find someone in your area, ask your GP or someone you trust for assistance. Please know that you're not alone in this struggle. When there was little to no availability for me, I went looking for something to help me manage my mental health. Danielle Gaudette's videos on Emotional Self-Mastery and her classes have been very helpful to me. In the Emotional Self-Mastery classes, Danielle teaches about how the mind and body are connected and how one affects the other. Through energy meditation and meridian stretching, she teaches you how to calm a busy mind. What resonated a lot with me is that she pictured the body as a house where your mind lives. If your house is a mess, then your mind is likely to want to go somewhere it feels more comfortable. The exercises help 'clean' your body by bringing your energy back into balance. This allows you to bring your mind back to your body. The exercises help best when practiced regularly. Since these exercises help relax me from head to toe, I often do them before I go to sleep. If you're curious about these exercises, please take a look at the Resources for more information. If you're on Facebook, I recommend Danielle's private group: Healing Tree. All members have their own struggles. It's a safe space to share and to ask questions about the healing journey. I'll put the link on Resources page as well.
We are a work in progress. Where there's life, there's hope. Don't give up. Take it day by day.
Leave a comment with your thoughts about this post or send me a message via the Contact form.
Add comment
Comments