So tomorrow is the big day that I've been... anticipating... for months now: my first appointment with a psychiatrist.
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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.
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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.
<silent support emoji>
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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.
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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.
@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.
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@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.@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.
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@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.@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.
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@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.@vlrny @autistics
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
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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.
@murdoc @autistics
Wishing you well with this. -
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.
@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!
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R relay@relay.mycrowd.ca shared this topic
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@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!
@AmeliasBrain
That's great to hear, very reassuring. Thanks! -
@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!
@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.
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@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.
@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).
