Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you thinking of getting help to deal with your problems? Some people need professional help to deal effectively with feelings and challenges that are beyond their control. These include problems with family, depression, job loss, bereavement, stress, relationship and substance abuse. These stresses and conflicts take a toll on you and can be burdensome as well as debilitating. Using therapy, counseling, hypnosis and personality testing, psychologists help a lot of people of all ages live healthier, productive and higher quality lives. Below are steps to follow when choosing a psychiatrist:
Get a referral letter from your practitioner
For a start, you will most likely have to get a referral letter from yo
ur general practitioner. A lot of general practitioners already have a list of their favorite psychiatrists who they can refer you to. Your doctor is an excellent resource for recommendations as his/her patients give them feedback on which psychiatrist are performing well. Additionally, your doctor will have known from other doctors which psychiatrists get great feedback.
Make an appointment
Once you have a referral, call the psychiatrist’s office and make an appointment. Do not give up if you have to wait for several weeks before getting an appointment as that seems to be the standard time frame.
Insist on privacy
At your first appointment bring up the issue of privacy. Get your psychiatrist to agree that any information that you provide during an appointment will be private. You should be aware of your rights, and those rights include your psychiatrist keeping the information you provide confidential unless you give them permission to waive that right. There are very limited circumstances where they can break this confidentiality. These circumstances are when a court of law orders them to provide information or if the psychiatrist believes that you or someone else is at risk of severe harm.
Cost
Another important factor to consider in finding a psychiatrist is the cost. Do not hesitate to ask a psychiatrist how much they charge for their services. If you cannot afford a private psychiatrist then most probably you will have to seek the services of a psychiatrist who works at a community health center, or for the government in a hospital hence you will not have to pay anything. It will be of so much benefit if you have health insurance too. The insurance will be able to cover all your medical costs hence giving you a lot of financial relief.…