The most important part of meeting a new psychiatrist is making sure that your story is understood. Why are you coming to a physician, and why are you coming at this point in your life?
I occasionally meet patients who want to be seen briefly and leave with a prescription. Sometimes that is possible, but sometimes it’s not.
Before a single prescription is written, a good detailed history of your challenges will help make sure that any prescription use is safe and appropriate.
Key history questions most psychiatrists will want to cover:
What has been bothering you?
How did you know there was a problem?
When did it start?
Have you tried anything before meeting with me? Did any of those things help?
Has this happened to you before?
I try to let all new patients know that sometimes defining the problem to be addressed, and developing a safe effective treatment plan, can take several sessions.
I prefer to approach patient care by planning safely and thoroughly the first time around. Rushing usually doesn’t help anything.
-Leilani M. Sharpe, M.D., Ph.D. #MentalHealth #Psychiatry
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