Finding A Psychiatrist: 10 Factors To Consider

Finding a psychiatrist may seem daunting at first, but if you consider the 10 factors below, I am sure that you will find a psychiatrist who can help you with your depression.

But before I jump into the details, let me say this...

...there are some differences between seeing a psychologist and a psychiatrist.

The reason why I am sharing my experiences in finding a psychiatrist as opposed to a psychologist is for the simple reason that during my 20 years of depression, I have mostly dealt with psychiatrists.

This means that I am in a great position to share with you the following:

Okay, let get down to business.
finding-a-psychiatrist

On my depression journey, I have encountered many other people with depression, as well as people without a mental illness. Now the reason why I sharing this with you, is that I am amazed at just how few people really know what a psychiatrist actually does.

For example, several people that I have spoken to think that all that a psychiatrist does is write prescriptions for medication, that's it!

Does this sound at all familiar?

The simple truth is that psychiatrists do so much more than just dish out medication prescriptions...

... psychiatrists are medical doctors whose speciality is in mental health (depression is just one area of mental health that they specialise in).

What this means is that they may use treatments such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy¹, Interpersonal Therapy ² and they are allowed to prescribe medication.

10 Factors That You Should Consider When Finding A Psychiatrist:

1. For a start, you will most likely need to get a referral letter from your general practitioner. But don't worry, most general practitioners already have a list of their favorite psychiatrists whom they can refer you to.

I use the work "favorite" as your doctor is a great resource for recommendations as their patients often give them feedback on which psychiatrists are performing well. Also your doctor will have heard from other doctors which psychiatrists get good feedback.

2. Make it clear to your doctor whether you prefer seeing a male or female psychiatrist. I say this because when I was referred to my very first psychiatrist, he was a male and I did not feel comfortable with him (or the next 2 male psychiatrists!).

It really is a personal choice. For me, I find that I am able to be more open and say what I want to say with a female psychiatrist than I could with a male one.

3. Once you have a referral, phone the psychiatrist's office and make an appointment. Please do not be discouraged if you have to wait several weeks prior to getting an appointment as that seems to be the standard time frame.

4. At your first appointment (usually about 1 hour) with your psychiatrist, it is really a get to know you appointment. The psychiatrist will ask you many questions so that they can better understand you and what your expectations are regarding seeing them. It is unlikely that any CBT will take place at this initial appointment.

5. Now, please pay close attention to this factor when finding a psychiatrist. Even though you may have had to wait a couple of weeks for the appointment, but you don't feel comfortable with the psychiatrist for ANY reason - don't feel obliged to see them again.

6. Believe me, during the past 20 years, I have had to see more psychiatrists than I care to remember, before I found one who I could work with and trust. The defining factor in every one of my first appointments was this:

"Is this psychiatrist listening to me?"

If I felt that they weren't, then I would swiftly move on to the next psychiatrist.

My point here is that if a psychiatrist is not listening to you, then how on earth can they talk to you about how you feel and what issues you may have. The answer is simple: they can't!

I will let you in on a secret...

...psychiatry is just like any profession, there are great people and then there are some very ordinary individuals.

My advice to you is don't give up!

Go and see someone else. I am well aware that it may be difficult for you to deal with your feelings and finding someone who you enjoy talking to - but it's well worth it to persevere.

7. At your first appointment, I suggest that you bring up the issue of privacy. How best to approach this? Well, I got my psychiatrist to agree that any information that I provide during an appointment is private.

Seriously, you should know your rights!

And those rights include your psychiatrist keeping what you tell them confidential, unless you give them express permission to waive that right.

It would be amiss of me if I did not point out that there are very limited circumstances where they can break this confidentiality.

These circumstances are:

When a court of law orders them to provide information, or
If the psychiatrist believes that you or someone else is at risk of serious harm.

I urge you not to let these rare circumstances deter you from finding a psychiatrist. In over 20 years, my information has never been shared with anyone without my consent.

8. Another factor to consider in finding a psychiatrist, is the cost. Now I know that this information may not be relevant to those of you outside of Australia, but for my fellow Aussies, I would like to share the options with you.

In Australia, if you see a psychiatrist who works at a community health centre or for the government in a hospital, then you won't have to pay anything.

Those psychiatrists who work privately, may ask that you pay their fees after each appointment.

Don't be afraid to ask them how much they charge and if you will get a Medicare rebate. There are some psychiatrists that will bulk bill.

Bulk billing means that you sign a Medicare form at the psychiatrist's office and he or she sends the form to Medicare to get paid for their services. All you need to do is give them your Medicare number.

9. Let's say that you have applied the 8 factors above in finding a psychiatrist who you are comfortable with.

Good on you - I mean that! You are well on your way to managing your depression.

For most people the urge to resist medication is very strong - I am one of those people!
So when my psychiatrist (number 5 or 6, I forget !), discussed prescribing an anti-depressant for me, I was totally against it.

Why?

Because if I had to take anti-depressants then that must mean that I am not "normal"!

Oh boy, how naive I was back then!

I have since learnt that taking anti-depressants is a very effective way to manage my depression - in fact, I would go so far as to say that anti-depressants have saved my life...literally.

Now I know that is a bold statement, but it happens to be true.

Without seeing a psychiatrist AND taking my medication, there is no way that I would have the great quality of life that I have now.

A life filled with hope, joy, laughter, love and so much more.

10. This factor follows on from factor 9. Once you have gone through the necessary steps for find a psychiatrist, it is important to take their advice - they are the experts after all.

But if you don't agree or understand their advice, then tell them. This will give the psychiatrist an opportunity to explain their reasoning and thoughts on why CBT, IPT and/or medication would be suitable for you.

Even though your psychiatrist is an expert in their field, that does not mean that you can't disagree with them or ask questions.

I never hesitate to tell my psychiatrist if I disagree with her - this really opens up the lines of communication and provides a healthy therapeutic environment.

Okay, that's it! See it really is not that difficult finding a psychiatrist, just keep these 10 factors in mind and I am sure that you will find a great psychiatrist.

You CAN do it!

¹ Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective psychological treatments. CBT recognises that the way people think affects the way they feel. CBT teaches people to think rationally about common problems and helps a person to change their thought patterns and their reaction to certain situations. In addition, CBT helps people manage negative thoughts and involves looking at a person's behaviour.

² Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is used to help people with depression to look at ways to get along with other people - as a depressed person may be upset easily by other people's comments. For example, they may feel that another person is judging or criticizing them when this is not the case.

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