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[jack487]

does a psychiatry prescribe meds on the first visit. i'm asking cause i'm seeing one on tuesday night and i'm scared, so please reply back if u know.

[tsr58]

Assuming you are talking about an outpatient office, where the patient has voluntarily scheduled an appointment, if the psychiatrist believes it medications are indicated in his or her medical opinion, and the patient is agreeable, they often prescribe on the first visit. However, if the patient prefers to obtain a second opinion before consenting to such, or simply does not wish to take medication, the patient has every right to say walk away. The doctor should not be the slightest bit annoyed at this.

In a setting as described above, psychiatrists are legally obligated to fully explain the risks and benefits of medications, as well as other alternative or adjunctive treatments, and to answer any and all questions about side-effects, and to ensure the patient is fully informed before consenting to treatment.

If your question concerns an inpatient or hospital-like setting, the patient's rights might be similar, though perhaps not identical, to the above.

I am not defending or faulting psychiatrists as a group for their practices, but it has been my observation that they seem to believe that if a patient has gone to the trouble to make an appointment, and comes in complaining of psychiatric symptoms, most psychiatrists will take most patients at their word. Early in treatment, however, they may require more frequent visits than later on down the road, particularly for those medications that require regular blood tests (Depakote is one example).

There really isn't anything to be scared of. Just go in, tell him or her what you are experiencing, without any shame or holding anything back, and ask for suggestions on how to feel better or how to improve your life. In the case of depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety disorders, or a variety of other conditions, mental health counseling (talk therapy) is strongly recommended in addition to simply taking pills.

I hope this answer helps put your concerns to rest.

Best wishes to you. If you are a former soldier (as your user name suggests), I thank you for your service to the American people.

You deserve the best care, but what is needed from you is a willingness to disclose your feelings with a professional and ask for help. You are already halfway there!

[mammo]

It really depends.  He will want to learn a lot about you, your feelings and symptoms before discussing medication.  But keep in mind that this is your decision, not his.  You can opt for therapy first to see if this helps.  Sometimes it takes both, but you control whether or not you take medication.  May I ask why you are so afraid?

[murphsmom]

In addition to what has already been posted for you, I did want to clarify that it's usually the psychiatrist that takes care of the "medication management" and a psychologist (Ph.D) or social worker (LCSW) that will handle the "talk therapy" end of things.

[RICK1974]

Depakote for add   thats what my doc gave me.  DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT????? Iam 37  never been on meds before

[Anneinside]

What did your doctor diagnose you? That would make a difference in what would be prescribed. This is a community for bipolar, not ADD so you might want to ask your question in an ADD community.