The Psychiatrist

[TonyG]

My Doctor sent me to see a head shrink today because he did not understand why I seem to get almost well and then go backwards again,
At $405 hr I hoped that this guy would have some answers, I guess I can't judge him after one visit, He suggested I stay on my current medication 200mg Zoloft and gave me a drug to take with it that will ease my anxiety and help me sleep. He wants to see me again and suggested I keep seeing my psycholigist.
So that's it, I expected more.

 

[Lucycat]

So that's it, I expected more.

*What* else did you expect?

Is the psychiatrist going to send a report back to the referrer - either now or after the next appointment? Has he asked you to do anything - other than seeing the psychologist - between now and the follow-up appointment?

 

[TonyG]

@Lucycat
Yes he is sending a letter to my doctor and additional meds for anxiety, I have never seen a psychiatrist before so I guess I didn know what to expect.

 

[Queen Boudica]

If he is just a pill pusher that is all he will do. You need to find one who does therapy as well, but those are getting rarer.

If you get a mental health care plan you can claim on Medicare for the psychiatrist visit. But if they don't do talk therapy then yes they just do pill pushing. Extortionate $405.

 

[VioletButterfly]

In the US, they basically take a history and prescribe meds. They will also discuss the diagnosis with you, however, and how the meds they're prescribing will help. Some will also work on a treatment plan with you. I hope this treatment works for you and that your GP can do follow-up with you instead of your having to pay so much money for Psy visits. VB

 

[TonyG]

@Lizio
My Doctor has me on the highest medication he can give and he wanted me to see a Psychiatrist that Specialises in PTSD. I Am on a plan and I got back $230 so not so bad,
I have been seeing a psychologist almost weekly for six months and I feel like I make progress for three weeks and then go back to where I was.

 

[garden]

@TonyG I find myself in a similar cycle. I don't know how to hold on to the progress either, and I have noticed that when I'm starting to regress, I don't have the wherewithal to catch myself and use a technique or distraction to pull myself back, and I am miserable for a few days before I get back to making gains, it's a vicious cycle. I'm not sure how to do this either, but I still feel like progress is being made, it's just such a roller coaster ride...and a lonely one at that.

 

[Queen Boudica]

I've been in therapy 4 years now. I will tell you You will go backwards, particularly in the early stages. I still do. But important thing is over the 4 years I have actually made immense progress. It is not easy. We have a very difficult condition. If you are complex trauma it is layers and layers. I am now at the stage where I realise just how many triggers I am dealing with continuously. It is a continuous attack on your system and sometimes a huge whammy comes and knocks you right back and a lot of time it is something in therapy. Because problem is with complex trauma, relationships are the huge issue and stick us in front of a therapist and we are going to have problems. But it also really helps to work through that and realise that we can overcome these things in therapy then we can do it on the outside as well. It is hard VERY HARD. Number of times I just want to die. And I still dissociate hugely in therapy. But is still helps me. Maybe others find it easier. Or you may have a wrong match. Personally I think I would find it difficult with anyone. I stick with my therapist even though he has pissed me off so many times, but then I realise I have been in that whole cycle of thinking where I can't really see things right. Anyway, that's how I see it. Probably others are reading this and thinking I am completely off track. Can only do the best you can with what you got.