It can take some of us years to build up the courage to finally talk to a GP about our mental health and one of the things that can put us off is the fear of admitting we need help. The idea of opening up can be scary, but what happens when we finally build up the courage to talk?
For many of us who are struggling with our mental health our GP (General Practitioner) could be the first person we tell. But, with an average appointment time of under 10 minutes, it can be tough to get the conversation started, especially when you feel like you are facing the unknown.
Preparation can make a big difference to how comfortable you feel, so make sure you think about what you are going to say before you go and take notes or a list of symptoms if you need to.
Your GP will try to make this conversation as easy as possible for you. They may need to ask you questions about your symptoms; they do this to try to determine what might be wrong. They might ask you questions about your sleeping pattern, mood and thoughts.
Your GP will often also ask you about substance abuse and alcohol consumption. Please don’t be put off by these questions; they are standard and designed to help both you and your doctor understand what you are going through.
Depending on the symptoms you are experiencing, your GP may ask you a series of questions from an on-screen questionnaire. The questionnaire will include questions about self harm and suicidal thoughts; this is normal. You can also take an NHS mood assessment quiz here.
Remember, you only need to talk about what you are comfortable talking about and you can bring a family member or friend to your appointment if that makes you feel more comfortable.
Your GP will discuss the outcome of your assessment with you. They may offer you a diagnosis and will then involve you in making decisions about treatments that are available to you. The treatments available could include medication and/or talking therapy and will depend on the assessment.
If you are experiencing work related stress, depression or anxiety, your GP might offer you a fit note.
Do not be afraid to ask questions or to ask for things to be explained and repeated until you understand them. Some common things you might need to ask about are medication side effects, what happens next, whether or not you should make a further appointment and what the waiting lists are like for any services you have been referred to.
There is a wide spectrum of mental health conditions and it is very possible that your GP may need to refer you for further assessment by your local mental health team. This isn’t something to be afraid of and, if your GP recommends it, it’s a good idea to be seen by people who specialise in your symptoms.
If you are living in England, you can refer yourself for an assessment to IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) directly, you do not need to be referred by a doctor.
On some occasions you might feel deflated after speaking to your GP about your mental health. Accessing appropriate treatment and care for your mental health can take time and you might be faced with a long waiting list for the services you need. Please remember that, even if you haven’t had the outcome you hoped for from your appointment, you still managed to do a really brave thing and it’s something that you should let yourself feel proud of.
If you need to talk to someone about suicidal thoughts, please call the Samaritans on 116 123 anonymously and talk to one of their volunteers.