Charts/Graphs--does anyone keep one for Pdoc?

[inkspring]

My Pdoc asked me to keep a graph type chart of my moods for him. He's looking for patterns or triggers or if I'm in trouble (very depressed). It also gives him a visual look at whether med changes are helping or not.

Does anyone else have to do this? :anyone:

 

[aoeu]

Yes, I did do a mood chart for one of my therapies. Aw, but I deleted my Excel template. :\ I discovered that my average mood didn't change on medication or off, but the maximum and minimum values were far more extreme off medication.

Anyhow, what do you need? You didn't really produce any concerns to address in there.

 

[shades]

One that I saw never asked me to keep a chart, but sure asked a lot of questions of me, and seemed like he was keeping a chart himself. Asked a lot of questions regarding what time of day I felt worse, best, how much sleep I was getting, etc...I don't think it's unusual. Maybe it will work out for the best if they can find out if there's anything triggering your mood swings.

 

[Stranger1]

No my shrink just asks a couple of questions and writes out my scripts.. Now my therapist keeps tabs on me.. She doesn't write anything down she just remembers what I say..Beats the hell out of me how she can remember so much with the flow of people she sees on a monthly basis..

 

[inkspring]

Thanks everyone. I just found it odd. My old Pdoc liked me to keep brief journal entries whenever I felt a trigger, or mood changes, each time my mood went up or down and how I felt. Also he liked me to enter feelings of anxiety, etc., etc.

He actually read everything I wrote saying it gave him some insight into how I think and feel. It helped him know me better and we'd discuss the entries he felt were most significant.

This new Pdoc wants the chart which I feel is so impersonal. Maybe I just don't know him or trust him well enough yet. Three visits is too soon to judge. He changed my medication & my highs have diminished but not my lows. The lows are what scares me & my husband because I've been suicidal twice.

I've been fighting a mood change that will take me lower, trying to keep busy (hard to do) and divert my thoughts to positive things. It's a lot of work and I hope I can keep reaching deep inside to squeeze out enough energy each day to keep away this feeling & mood.

 

[aoeu]

Well, a mood chart gives a very good general indication of tendencies throughout the week. You can see very clearly when highs and lows are, and he'll probably ask you what happened at various points in the week; you should still keep a journal of major mood affectors. You might also note certain patterns - for instance, I have lows on Saturdays in particular.

 

[Advent]

Actually I think its a great idea, might do one myself now. I do have good / bad spells but never logged them. Would be good to trace these after say a 3 month period and see if any patterns imerge.

Rich

 

[Petal]

I have never been asked to do that but I have been given a sheet of paper with a list of emotions on it and asked to write down what I felt each day from them (that was for my counsellor).