Help with seeking help.

[ystava]

I'm sorry for the crosspost. I didn't see this subthread, and now I can't delete the one in the other place.

So, hi--

I joined the forum last week, and by means of following through I thought I'd give an update. You can see my other post as my introduction.

Since I am undiagnosed, I reached out to a psychiatrists office because that's what my insurance company said I should start with. Talking to other people after, this may not have been the ideal first contact but I don't know what the right thing to do is. I think just getting the ball rolling is enough of a big step for me. The office I sent forms to have not called back yet, which is a bit of a bother, but I've already scripted out the goals for my first conversation with them.

Primary

• Decide whether I am even a candidate for a diagnosis and if there's even a benefit to getting a diagnosis for someone like me. I'm pretty sure I am ADD... the autism spectrum I have a lot of markers, but I am ignorant.
• Assuming either is true, decide whether to approach it with the help of a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist and where to get that help.
• Decide how to deal with the immediate problem of my ADD and the associated anxiety and depression being maxed out right now due to life stress so I can be effective at work and at home again.
• If I am a candidate for being on spectrum, start to map out what I need to do to prepare myself for these job transitions I have coming… especially with regards to my limitations with interpersonal communication (which I think I mask pretty well, but I know are limited)

Secondary

• I have a list of secondary goals that are probably best for a therapist.... but are potentially related to ADD/ASD

So I am asking you knowledgeable people. What sort of questions should I be asking once I walk into an office. Am I on the wrong track--- should I be going to a psychologist first? I am only guessing what I am doing.

 

[Gift2humanity]

Sorry the office have not yet got back to you.
I got a specialist assessment by an autism assessor, they were part of the mental health service, but dealt specifically with autism.
Same with ADHD, but I never went back to the ADHD psychiatrist.
How do other Finnish adults find out if they are autistic/ADHD?
It's good you have written out things you need to ask, you can always add to it if you need to.
I got questionnaires, and questionnaires sent to my mother for the first AS assessment, which failed, and if it wasn't for my current psychiatrist who agreed to approach the service again, and my psych nurse, I would still be undiagnosed.

I got re-assessed and I put a load of information down as to why I think I am autistic, I remembered the most "different" things, special interests, which I just thought were obsessions.

 

[1ForAll]

To start, rephrase some of what you said into questions for the psychiatrist::

--I am considering whether getting a diagnosis is important for me, for several issues I have. I am not sure of the benefits or negatives of such. Can you give me your opinion on such after I explain my situation?

--I am unsure if a psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist best is for me Dr. _____based on what you just learned about me, and from your prior answer you gave. Can you give me your recommendation there?

--What is your process for performing an initial psychiatric assessment for someone?

--How long would it take? And what would the cost be? Would my insurance cover it?

--For those diagnosed with ADD, how do you usually treat that?

--How would you treat a person with depression and anxiety?

Other questions you may consider asking are:

--How do you know which medication to recommend, if several can be used for a certain condition?

--What would you do if a patient refused treatment or disagreed with your diagnosis?

--What would you do if one stopped showing up to their appointments if their condition or situation was such the patient felt that could be some unexpected need?

--Are you good at asking probing questions as some patients may be good maskers, and as it's important a medical professional I see ask the right questions to dig deeper?

--For those with any other possible neurological condition, with many signs and symptom similar to ADD, like Autism for example, what is your expertise, protocol, practices, policies and procedures there? Can you do any testing or referrals to a specialist for that? Is there a benefit for me to even consider that, if I am about to have some job transitions soon? Or could there be more negatives there?

Also, please understand once you have any specific diagnosis, if you choose to do that based on any answers given you from the psychiatrist, there will be additional questions to ask the doctor, but that seems like putting the cart before the horse.

Those questions above are some basic questions you could consider asking prospective psychiatrists, to see if they are a good fit. However, please realize too you might need to tell the doctor you had to have help in coming up with the interview questions as you had some difficulty knowing what to ask. Otherwise, that doctor could mistakenly think you are more organized, detailed, relevant, clear headed, not anxious, etc than you actually are, thus putting that doctor on the wrong track potentially with their initial medical opinion should they ever diagnose.

 

[ystava]

To start, rephrase some of what you said into questions for the psychiatrist::

--I am considering whether getting a diagnosis is important for me, for several issues I have. I am not sure of the benefits or negatives of such. Can you give me your opinion on such after I explain my situation?

--I am unsure if a psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist best is for me Dr. _____based on what you just learned about me, and from your prior answer you gave. Can you give me your recommendation there?

--What is your process for performing an initial psychiatric assessment for someone?

--How long would it take? And what would the cost be? Would my insurance cover it?

--For those diagnosed with ADD, how do you usually treat that?

--How would you treat a person with depression and anxiety?

Other questions you may consider asking are:

--How do you know which medication to recommend, if several can be used for a certain condition?

--What would you do if a patient refused treatment or disagreed with your diagnosis?

--What would you do if one stopped showing up to their appointments if their condition or situation was such the patient felt that could be some unexpected need?

--Are you good at asking probing questions as some patients may be good maskers, and as it's important a medical professional I see ask the right questions to dig deeper?

--For those with any other possible neurological condition, with many signs and symptom similar to ADD, like Autism for example, what is your expertise, protocol, practices, policies and procedures there? Can you do any testing or referrals to a specialist for that? Is there a benefit for me to even consider that, if I am about to have some job transitions soon? Or could there be more negatives there?

Also, please understand once you have any specific diagnosis, if you choose to do that based on any answers given you from the psychiatrist, there will be additional questions to ask the doctor, but that seems like putting the cart before the horse.

Those questions above are some basic questions you could consider asking prospective psychiatrists, to see if they are a good fit. However, please realize too you might need to tell the doctor you had to have help in coming up with the interview questions as you had some difficulty knowing what to ask. Otherwise, that doctor could mistakenly think you are more organized, detailed, relevant, clear headed, not anxious, etc than you actually are, thus putting that doctor on the wrong track potentially with their initial medical opinion should they ever diagnose.

Sure is tricky. It is common at work to have people review things when precision is required.

Your suggestions are excellent and helpful.

My uncertainty could be my mind, or just never dealing with mental health people. I have had unsatisfactory interactions with counselors a few times before because they didn't seem helpful.

I mean, twisting my meaning you might imply I'm being paranoid.

I just want to have a conversation and get a professional opinion.

 

[1ForAll]

Sure is tricky. It is common at work to have people review things when precision is required.

Your suggestions are excellent and helpful.

My uncertainty could be my mind, or just never dealing with mental health people. I have had unsatisfactory interactions with counselors a few times before because they didn't seem helpful.

I mean, twisting my meaning you might imply I'm being paranoid.

I just want to have a conversation and get a professional opinion.

There is often no right or wrong way how to approach things, as a doctor could twist or do things to suit any beliefs, protocol, agenda, quick judgement, treatment desires, or bias' anyways, if they do not see what you see. Just try to be yourself as much as possible, but I know that can be hard for maskers.. You'll likely know at the end of any such meeting whether you were comfortable with them or not, or if they treated you like another statistic or source of money for them, or if they showed competency and care.

In our case, our whole family avoids doctors and medical service persons now as much as possible, unless for regular required checkups or emergency, but I would be irresponsible to keep imposing my other medical views there on others, as our life experiences and needs may be different than theirs, and as our abilities, any alternative needs, desires, insights, limitations may or may not be suitable for those medical persons. You are a big step there to bettering things by seeing your need for some answers or help. I feel you are on the right track.