How to make the first step

[Susu]

So. I've stared to really start to think about going to a therapist or first talking to my doctor. Anyway I want to hear how did you guys first go to your doctor and what did you say to him/her. Am I just gonna walk in and be like "I'm depressed and want therapy"??

 

[Magalee]

You can go to your general practitioner first if you want to, mine just told me to get therapy, that he didn't prescribe antidepressants, but he's old and I've had other doctors who would prescribe them.

I said, "I'm depressed, I feel suicidal but I'm not going to act on it because I have kids." If they think you're a danger to yourself or others they can have you admitted to hospital even if you don't want to, at least that's how it is where I live.

Hope you are okay

 

[may71]

If you see a therapist, you'll probably sit in a waiting room for a while and fill out some paper work. You may have to authorize a few things with your signature

When you go in to see the therapist, they'll probably say, "So, what brings you here today?" or some variation on that.

 

[Human Ex Machinae]

I was thinking of the same thing and was going to make a thread but you beat me to it! I've thought for a long time that I should try seeing a therapist but find it difficult to make myself just do it, get the ball rolling and give it a shot. I've had antidepressants prescribed twice over the years by GPs and they didn't help at all. The first one was years ago, Wellbutrin, and it was a disaster. It completely changed my personality. I became a manic, obsessive compulsive cleaner, constantly running around cleaning things even if they were perfectly clean. I became extremely short tempered and would almost become violently angry over nonsense, and as if all that wasn't bad enough, I started liking jazz! The second one I tried much more recently, here in this country, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was called. Anyway, I took it for a year and it did absolutely nothing, might as well have been a placebo.
I think there's much more chance of benefiting from talking to a professional, but I don't know. Just can't make it happen.