<![CDATA[So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist.]]>So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. And yeah, I'm a bit nervous. First of all, what kind will they be: a nice, caring person who actually listens and is well informed about and supportive of neurodiversity? Or an old-school, manipulative elitist who likes having control over people and may have more control over my life than I want them to? How much self advocacy am I going to have to do? (Of course I've been madly scripting since I got the appointment.) And how much of that will do any good?

And then there is the possibility that, thanks to a misunderstanding with another doctor, that this one will likely think that I am there to get a diagnosis for autism and adhd. But really what I want is someone to talk to about my situation, goals, and options, like how to navigate the system and whether a diagnosis would benefit me more than any potential drawbacks. I worry that when told this that they will get angry and tell me that I just wasted their time (typical RSD). (sigh) I guess we'll just have to wait and see. 😬

@autistics

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/db2de183-b226-4547-9fde-c7e35b5bb7f4/so-tomorrow-is-the-big-day-that-i-ve-been...-anticipating...-for-months-now-my-first-appointment-with-a-psychiatrist.RSS for NodeFri, 15 May 2026 04:14:29 GMTSat, 02 May 2026 20:38:10 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sun, 03 May 2026 00:27:30 GMT]]>@emily_rugburn @murdoc It's probably pretty similar re qualifications, but the psychiatrist vs psychologist distinction is complicated by needing a medical doctor's diagnosis or referral for health care coverage.

So GPs seem to always send you to a psychiatrist for an initial assessment, and then they refer you to the other options (with the possibility of going back for prescriptions, since that part's the same).

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/AmeliasBrain/statuses/116507806966875956https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/AmeliasBrain/statuses/116507806966875956Sun, 03 May 2026 00:27:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sun, 03 May 2026 00:05:22 GMT]]>@AmeliasBrain @murdoc psychiatrists in the states basicalky do medication dispersion, psychologists are the ones that diagnose and refer. therapists do, well, therapy. psychiatrists are medical doctors, psychologists have a phD, and therapists have a masters degree. i dunno if theres the same distinction in canada.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lgbtqia.space/ap/users/115557138634666703/statuses/116507719929490198https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lgbtqia.space/ap/users/115557138634666703/statuses/116507719929490198Sun, 03 May 2026 00:05:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 23:15:06 GMT]]>@AmeliasBrain
That's great to hear, very reassuring. Thanks!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://autistics.life/users/murdoc/statuses/116507522249671266https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://autistics.life/users/murdoc/statuses/116507522249671266Sat, 02 May 2026 23:15:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 22:44:02 GMT]]>@murdoc I hope it goes well!

Note that psychiatrists in Alberta don't really do talk therapy or behavioural strategy (they'd refer you to a therapist for that), and that means that the approach to diagnosis seems to lean towards rapid-fire questions based on their DSM checklists (followed possibly by more formal diagnostic surveys). But talking to them about the pros or cons of a formal diagnosis process sounds to me 100% appropriate for your first session.

And they get paid the same for the appointment whether you continue in the process or not, so you're not wasting their time!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/AmeliasBrain/statuses/116507400081939990https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/AmeliasBrain/statuses/116507400081939990Sat, 02 May 2026 22:44:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 21:44:17 GMT]]>@murdoc @autistics
Wishing you well with this.🤞

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/pathfinder/statuses/116507165160856671https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/pathfinder/statuses/116507165160856671Sat, 02 May 2026 21:44:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 21:38:21 GMT]]>@vlrny @autistics
Thanks for sharing your experiences!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://autistics.life/users/murdoc/statuses/116507141855159950https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://autistics.life/users/murdoc/statuses/116507141855159950Sat, 02 May 2026 21:38:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 21:20:08 GMT]]>@murdoc @autistics I encountered a couple good ones in a row, which left me backfooted when I ran into the "old-school, manipulative elitists" (a perceptive phrase I will treasure, btw). So there's definitely both out there. I'm hoping to get faster at identifying and then dialing my expectations.
It's high stakes stuff, emotionally, for sure. 💛

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://disabled.social/users/vlrny/statuses/116507070193568083https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://disabled.social/users/vlrny/statuses/116507070193568083Sat, 02 May 2026 21:20:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 21:04:34 GMT]]>@vlrny @autistics
😊 Thanks!
Yeah, I've probably heard more horror stories than good ones, but for the sake of small sample sizes all around, I'm trying to assume a bell-curve probability distribution, and most likely get one in the middle somewhere. Intellectually anyway. The emotions have their own working theories. 😛

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://autistics.life/users/murdoc/statuses/116507009016804368https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://autistics.life/users/murdoc/statuses/116507009016804368Sat, 02 May 2026 21:04:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 20:57:35 GMT]]>@murdoc @autistics
I love that you know there are two kinds of psychiatrists. And I bet you've rehearsed scripts for both scenarios.
Hoping you get the kindness one where you can be vulnerable and explore your needs n goals n whatnot. 🤞

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://disabled.social/users/vlrny/statuses/116506981564323836https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://disabled.social/users/vlrny/statuses/116506981564323836Sat, 02 May 2026 20:57:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 20:44:22 GMT]]>@murdoc @autistics

Edmonds_Scanner (@Edmonds_Scanner@universeodon.com)

Your daily affirmation: Don't doubt yourself. This is one job that other folk will be only too happy to help you with.

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]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/saltywizard/statuses/116506929543640083https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/saltywizard/statuses/116506929543640083Sat, 02 May 2026 20:44:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist. on Sat, 02 May 2026 20:43:24 GMT]]>@murdoc @autistics

<silent support emoji>

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/saltywizard/statuses/116506925756437986https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/saltywizard/statuses/116506925756437986Sat, 02 May 2026 20:43:24 GMT