Hello. Today im going to talk about getting a psychatrist for your mental health. Your psychatrist is there mainly for medication changes and to listen to you to how your medication effects you and side effects. He/she is not there to be there as your therapist. For this appointment allow only 15 mins or less with your psychatrist.
When you are with your psychatrist, let him know the side effects you are having with the medications that he put you on. He is there to listen to you and have you and him come to an agreement about which meds will work for you. If you have side effects such as tiredness/sleeping too much, sometimes then the side effect will leave you within a month. Then he will keep you on it for over a month to see how it will work with you.
If you get a psychatrist who will not listen to you and your concerns and answer any questions you might have about your health or about your medications, then it may be time to look for a new one. I know my friend is having problems with her dr. not listening to her. She goes in and has questions all ready for the dr. and then the dr. dismisses what she has to say and puts her on new medications, without her approval or changes med doses on her without her permission. There has been more then one occasion this has happened. If this happens to you then i suggest you find a new pyschatrist.
Remember you have the right to question anything the dr. is doing. If you cant get that with your dr. then its time to go psychatrist hunting again. :) Thank you for reading and i hope this helps you find a psychatrist if your new to this or help you understand why your psychatrist only listens to your medication needs. Thank you and have a good day :)
Monday, May 16, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tuesday May 3rd, 2011
Sorry i havent posted in awhile, its been hectic here. First i had a relapse that put me in a crisis center for about a week, then i had major back surgery. I am just now getting to feel like i can type more about my condition with bipolar.
Two weeks ago today, i felt the need to call my ICM (intensive case manager) and head to a crisis center. My depression in my bipolar was acting up and i needed immediate medical attention. Over the years i have learned that i sometimes dont need to go to a hospital, sometimes all i need is a crisis center. I actually like going to the crisis center much more then the hospital. Its more homey and you have a bit more freedom then you would if your at a hospital.
The first difference is when you are in a crisis center you can be outside in a designated area. Thats my favorite part of it cause you arent confined to just inside. Second, Where i go its like a big house. They have 6 single rooms and one double room. They have a kitchen that you can cook, eat, and make your own stuff whenever you feel like it. But the lunch and dinner is made by the consumers (you). You all get to pick what you want for lunch and dinner the day before and then they pick the cooks, clean up, set up, etc. It is very well organized. Thirdly, they do have groups but because there are only 8 people that can be there at a time, you get special attention in the groups and can talk as much or as little as you want. If i have to be anywhere this is where i would go. They focus on all kinds of mental illness but tend to your own specifically individulally.
My signs of being in trouble this time was that i heard voices, felt suicidal, and i just wasnt my usual self. I was taking my meds at the right time and the right dosages. It just so happened that i had other influences outside that caused me to become depressed. And as a bipolar my brain takes these other influences two times worse then a normal brain would. It is a known fact that bipolar brains tend to make what normal people problems say is nothing to them, Bipolars it can be a HUGE problem and tend to get into a whirlwind of emotions that can not be handled alone. The Bipolar brain is fascinating to me. There is just so many factors that can cause someone with bipolar to relapse. I hope this helps everyone understand what is going on in my head when relapse happens. I am going to stop for now as i am too all over the place right now to write anymore. I will write when i can get my thoughts more in order. :) have a great day. :)
Two weeks ago today, i felt the need to call my ICM (intensive case manager) and head to a crisis center. My depression in my bipolar was acting up and i needed immediate medical attention. Over the years i have learned that i sometimes dont need to go to a hospital, sometimes all i need is a crisis center. I actually like going to the crisis center much more then the hospital. Its more homey and you have a bit more freedom then you would if your at a hospital.
The first difference is when you are in a crisis center you can be outside in a designated area. Thats my favorite part of it cause you arent confined to just inside. Second, Where i go its like a big house. They have 6 single rooms and one double room. They have a kitchen that you can cook, eat, and make your own stuff whenever you feel like it. But the lunch and dinner is made by the consumers (you). You all get to pick what you want for lunch and dinner the day before and then they pick the cooks, clean up, set up, etc. It is very well organized. Thirdly, they do have groups but because there are only 8 people that can be there at a time, you get special attention in the groups and can talk as much or as little as you want. If i have to be anywhere this is where i would go. They focus on all kinds of mental illness but tend to your own specifically individulally.
My signs of being in trouble this time was that i heard voices, felt suicidal, and i just wasnt my usual self. I was taking my meds at the right time and the right dosages. It just so happened that i had other influences outside that caused me to become depressed. And as a bipolar my brain takes these other influences two times worse then a normal brain would. It is a known fact that bipolar brains tend to make what normal people problems say is nothing to them, Bipolars it can be a HUGE problem and tend to get into a whirlwind of emotions that can not be handled alone. The Bipolar brain is fascinating to me. There is just so many factors that can cause someone with bipolar to relapse. I hope this helps everyone understand what is going on in my head when relapse happens. I am going to stop for now as i am too all over the place right now to write anymore. I will write when i can get my thoughts more in order. :) have a great day. :)
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