Im going to get evaluated by a psychiatrist this week.?

Write down what you want to say beforehand and do not be afraid to give that letter to the Dr. It may also be a good idea to bring a family member with you to make sure the dr. gets the full scope of what is going on.

I like the idea of writing down a letter or a list. I never remember what I want to say to a doctor when I get there :)

Just so you know, a psychiatrist is an MD who perscribes medications for mental illnesses. They can also order blood tests ect to check for a biological cause of your problems. They will certainly listen to you, but their main job is to evaluate you, and perscribe a medication to fix a chemical imbalance. If you want "talk therapy" to find issues you have buried, you should see a psychologist.

Do not try to fool the psychiatrist and tell him or her what you think they want to hear. That's a trap we all get into occasionally.

Tell the doc what you told us, that you hide things well and are afraid of not being taken seriously. They have heard that before, and can help you to work on this.

Remember that a therapist cannot help you unless you are willing to help yourelf. Really, they are facilitators for self-discovery and growth.

Be totally honest, and don't hide anything or hold back. therapists and counselors will not be shocked, but in order for them to help you help yourself, they must understand the entire story, not just bits and pieces.

It might help that, before you go in, you start making a list of issues you are concerned about, and address them. You won't be able to solve all of them at one time, but just like any puzzle, by starting with the small pieces, you will be able to identify the entire picture, even tho, to you, they may not seem related.

And, the most important thing to remember is that the psychiatrist WILL NOT CURE YOU, but he/she will be able to help you cure yourself if you want to.

Just a thought, not knowing anything about your therapist, ask about Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy. It is a great technique, and will help you help yourself, when you are honest with him/her and yourself about all things.

Good luck and good health

First of all imagine how good you will feel once all of your problems are gone. Psychiatrists help people and there is no reason why they can't help you. just be honest with him and tell him what bothers you. If after a while you see that there is no improvement you can change the psychiatrist.

Just be as honset has you can hun. When they are talking to you they know what to look for if you are holding back. Like when asked a question they watch your body lauage hun. They are pretty keyed in to what is going on and how you resonded to things. Just take a deep breath and give as much as you can. you can do it. good luck hun and hang in there

you need to be completely honest with yourself and the psychiatrist. they cant help you unless your honest and want to help yourself. open up to them, and tell them exactly whats going on.

Good to know that I'm not the only one.