It's easy to get flustered when you're first meeting with a doctor. You might have a lot of questions that you want to ask, but your mind may go blank when you step into the office.
So be prepared. Before you first see your doctor or therapist, sit down and decide what you'd like to talk about. Think about what you want from treatment. Go in armed with information and questions.
Here are some suggestions for how to prepare.
- Write down questions. Come up with some specific things you want to ask. Don't assume that your doctor will tell you everything you need to know.
For instance, you might ask your doctor:- Do I need medicine for my depression?
- What kind of medicine will you prescribe?
- What are the side effects and risks?
- How often do I need to take it?
- How quickly will the drug work?
- Will any of my other medications, herbs, or supplements interact with this drug?
If you are seeing a separate therapist from a doctor (such as a psychiatrist) prescribing medicines, you could ask your therapist:
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- What kind of approach do you use? What will our goals be?
- What will you expect of me? Will you give me specific assignments to do between sessions?
- How often will we meet?
- Will this therapy be short-term or long-term?
- How will you collaborate and communicate with my doctor in treating me?
- How much does each session cost?
- What is your policy for canceled or missed sessions?
- Keep a log or journal. Keeping track of your mood changes in a diary can be helpful both to you and your doctor or therapist. Just jot down a few lines each day. In each entry, include:
- How you're feeling that day
- Your current symptoms
- Any events that might have affected your mood
- How much sleep you got the night before
- The exact doses of any drugs you took, and a record of missed doses
Bring in your journal to your first appointment. Show it to your doctor or therapist. If you keep a journal for a few weeks or months, you may start to see patterns to your mood changes that you never noticed before.
- Don't forget about your physical symptoms. You might not think that they're relevant, but physical symptoms are often signs of depression. Make sure to tell your health care provider about pain, stomach problems, sleep problems, or any other physical symptoms. In some cases, you might need medicines specifically for these symptoms.
- Get help from friends or family members. Ask them about changes they've noticed in your behavior. They may have seen symptoms that you missed. And if you're nervous about your first appointment, ask for a friend or family member to come along.
