psychiatrists

[youngmum91]

hi!b4 i ask my question here is my story!
i'm 18(19 at the end of the month),married with a 10 month old boy and a baby on the way!i was diagnosed with depression nearly 3 years ago(although i have suffered for longer!unsure at exactly how long) and i live in the UK!when i was diagnosed i was initially tried on the only medication they were happy putting me on due to my age and then they upped the dosage to the highest amount when the original dosage wasnt working!the higher dosage didnt work either so i was referred to a psychiatrist with whom i attended two sessions with b4 i had to stop seeing him due to being made homeless again and having to uproot to a new area!i havent seen my new dr about my depression since being in my new town which i setteled in2 about 2 years ago as i dont know who my actual dr is and everytime i go to the drs i see a different dr so i dont want to have to go through the whole process of explaining everything again incase i have to re-explain to another dr the next time i go!i have sort of managed to control my depression at times with my husbands support but the slightest bad thing has to happen and im back to the useless wreck i was b4!obviously im able to be strong for my kids but i dont want any signals to be given off and affect them!i refuse to go on medication again not only cz im pregnant but because they wont work for me as i dont believe in them working!i do know that seeing a psychiatrist will help as i need to talk to a professional as i have a lot of skeletons and well for a start i cant remember hardly anything about my homelife from my childhood up to the age of about aged 10ish unless i see something that suddenly jogs a memory!

i hope u understood the above and my question is how would be the best way to go about seeing a psychiatrist without having to pay for one or will i have to pay to see one even if im referred to one by a dr?i need to see one again soon before i lose the strength to do so and have to build it back up again!

please no comments on how i shouldnt have had kids untill i had sorted out my depression as my kids are the best thing(apart from my husband) that have ever happened to me and they have given me a reason for wanting to see about getting help again!and please no negative posts about my story!i only want answers to my question and i gave u a tiny bit of my background to explain why im only interested on help from a psychiatrist!however if anyone has any kind or supportive coments about my story those are welcome!

thank you for taking the time to read and i hope to get some replys!

[youngmum91]

thank u!i live in the mendips in somerset!i will look in2 that!thank you

[Julie359]

ohh forgt to mention that the IAPT have differnt stages of involvement, they have stage 1 to 4.  Stage 1 being telephone counseling, stage 2 psychotherapy, and stage 3 n 4 psychiatrist and more intense professional involvement. It took 4 weeks to have my initial telephone appointment and then i got to see a psychologist Stage 2, within another 3 weeks. So waiting times anit normally as long as they would be going through a referral by the GP, it's a new service specially designed for depression and anxiety sufferers like me and you.

[Julie359]

Hiya, i'm in the UK and well to be honest if you need to see a psychiatrist you can self refer to a mental health team called IAPT.... I dont know where in the UK you live but i have accessed this service in London and find it a help.  Although you won't intitally see a psychiatrist, you will be assessed by a phychologist and a treatment plan will be drawn up to suit your needs.  If after treatment starts they feel you need to see a psychiatrist they will refer you to see one who will discuss medication with you.

To get the number you can either go to your local GP and ask at reception and they should have the number available or google it...IAPT service, mental health, and put your bourough ie...Tower Hamlets etc... then search it, it should come up.

Good-luck and hope you find the help you need.

[youngmum91]

thanks hun!i do need to figure out y i cant remember much and things like that!iv decided im gonna bite the bullet and go 2 the drs to start the process again!i will do!thanks again

[mammo]

You're very welcome.  I've been thru it, but I knew what happened, I just needed to figure out why and how was I going to deal with it all.  Take care and stay strong.

[youngmum91]

i go 2 a drs surgery now!its slightly different in the UK!i can get a free counsellor/psychiatrist on the nhs im just really worried about going through the whole process again!thank you so much!it means so much to hear that!i think therapy will be enough!i need to talk and talk about my whole life and cry and cry with a professional till i discover the truth as to y i feel like this!i dont want to go back on medication as it means whenever i get pregnant again in the future i will have to come off them which wont do me any good!and like i said before i wanna start sorting things out now before i lose the strength to do so!thank you for ur reply!means alot!

[mammo]

Sorry.  Unless you can find a free clinic in your area, you will have to pay to see a psychiarist. It sounds like you may be going to a clinic now, if so, and you're being referred to one there the cost would be decreased or none at all. You sound like a wonderful mother and deserve a happy life.  Our past can haunt us in many ways, I've been thru that.  If therapy is not enough, do reconsider medication, there are many good ones out there, and often it's trial and error as to what will work best..

[youngmum91]

i know there are no psychiatrists on this forum my question is how would be the best way to go about seeing a psychiatrist without having to pay for one or will i have to pay to see one even if im referred to one by a dr?

[mammo]

There are no psychiatrists here, just lay people to offer support and share their experiences.