Doctors (again)

[Scottish_Player]

I know this subject has been spoken about several times and i dont want to bore people with it,but i realy need help in getting myself somekind of decent life and i must see a doctor to do this to help me.

I wanna go soon and my problem is seeing the doctor and i know i must go throught this to get any kind of help,what i was wondering is does the doctor have a test sheet that he scores you on like the online tests you get for social anxiety? Also iam not sure how i would start the conversation,would it be fair to just go in and say to him "i think i have social anxiety" iam 95% sure i do and the way things are just now i realy want help.If i do make an appointment it will take about 10 days of waiting for the appointment date to be due so i will have plenty of time to think about it which i will hate even more but i need to start making changes.

 

[Colin]

I'm not sure if the GP I saw used a sheet because they're not supposed to show themselves checking things off, probably because it scares some patients. I know the GP took a lot of notes, asked me questions about a certain SA situation I described earlier, told me the behaviour was not normal and then at the end said social anxiety is probably what I had. Some questions were also asked, such as "Do you hear voices?" and "Do you think people are out to get you?" as well as the typical SA questions.

 

[Scottish_Player]

Hi thanks for the reply colin,its realy just the starting off point that is worrying me and also i have to get my dad to make the appointment for me as i hate using phones and he will probably want to know why iam going so i will have to make up a reason to him.

When i do go, will me saying "i think i have sa " be ok and then let the doc take it from there or is that to upfront,iam sorry for making this sound so major a thing when its so simple but its one hell of a thing for me to do :? iam just scared i go in and end up saying nothing with the doctor looking at me :roll:


Mark

 

[Toad]

Wow...Scottish_Player...you are exactly where I am, at step 0. Just thought you might want to know your not alone with this one, I would also like to know pretty much exactly what you do. I dunno, I keep thinking just saying i think i have SA would be to up front..although I'll spare you my logic so as not to give you more to think about, but yeah...where the hell would you start.

 

[LilMissTragic]

My GP got me an appoinment with a Psychiatric team without asking me any questions as its not his area of expertise. So, now I'm going to be seeing the head docs, so to speak and they are going to establish what sort of help I really need. I guess that will be your next step too.

 

[Scottish_Player]

LilMissTragic how did you start it off with the doctor,like what did you say to him? this is one of the parts iam not too sure of :?

 

[Colin]

Yes I think that's enough. Honestly don't know though, my dad was the one who booked the appointment and I think all he said was "there's something wrong with my son". My dad did not think I had SA at the time, he thought I had another mental problem, and I thought there was nothing wrong with me, so the GP had to do all the figuring out.

 

[maggie]

good luck Scottish_Player, I think it's brave for any of us with social phobia to seek help. It's not easy, and I haven't had the courage to even attempt yet, good for you

 

[Chilling__Echo]

yeah, the first step is always the hardest, glad you found the courage to do so! 8)

but going back to the first question, i dont' think there's like a check off sheet but i think they do look for key signs. i noticed a *reaction* when i brought up the fact that i knew it was irrational for me to feel the way i did. but then again docs have had training, education, and experience, i don't think they need key signs or a check list type thing. mental illness is really kept separate from just a normal emotion (like sadness, fear, etc) in that if it interfeirs with your daily life or the way you function, then there's a likily chance that you have it. when i think of people using quizes and tallying up scores and stuff like that, it seems like it's a club to join to say, "hey i have SA!" blah blah blah ok, i'm done talking good luck

 

[kallinite]

I think there's a checklist of symptoms on the Paxil webpage. They suggest printing it off and checking the things that apply to you so that you don't really have to think of something to say. Just hand the doctor the paper and let them read it so that they can ask questions afterwards. Then you don't have to go through that awkward explanation part. I think I might do that if I ever work up the nerve to go to a doctor. It would be easier.

 

[Scottish_Player]

I havent actualy made an appointment yet but iam trying to bulid myself upto it.

Something will happen in my day and i just wish i could go to the doctors there and then as i would be in the mood to be able to tell it all.But as time passes i think to my self that iam ok and have no reason to bother the doctor.Iam just trying to get my self set up for it by getting an idea of what to say but i know if i do go in all the stuff i planed to say will not come out :roll:

Oh well iam hopefully gonna get an appointment made next week so once my dad phones the apoinment will be about 10 days away,thats plenty of time for me to tell myself theres nothing wrong with me :lol:

 

[maggie]

I kind of do that, where if I'm gonna do something I normally wouldn't it's spur of the moment, unplanned. If I plan something ahead and stress about it, I can't stand the worrying.