Doctor advice
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I'm feeling such a high level of anxiety and paranoia at the moment (and also on the advice of stop it now helpline and a couple of my friends) I've made an appointment for a telephone consutation with my GP.
This is a long-standing GP who goes back a long way so I thought it was better to wait to speak to him (it's on Friday) that see a GP I hardly Know on the day.
I just wondered if anyone would give me advice on a couple of things.
I'm not too sure about confidentiality. Should I open right up to him about the nature of events? My husband has already been arrested so I'm assuming he doesn't need to pass on any info there. Will he feel obliged to pass on my anxiety issues to my Social worker?
The other thing is does anyone know what sort of stuff he would suggest. I'm wondering about face to face counselling?
Also what meds might be available to me? I don't think I'm depressed, just screeching pitch anxious and trying to keep it all inside.
I know I could google this stuff but afraid of going down a rabbit hole that way.
Any help/comments at all would be so appreciated.
Have a positive day everyone xx
This is a long-standing GP who goes back a long way so I thought it was better to wait to speak to him (it's on Friday) that see a GP I hardly Know on the day.
I just wondered if anyone would give me advice on a couple of things.
I'm not too sure about confidentiality. Should I open right up to him about the nature of events? My husband has already been arrested so I'm assuming he doesn't need to pass on any info there. Will he feel obliged to pass on my anxiety issues to my Social worker?
The other thing is does anyone know what sort of stuff he would suggest. I'm wondering about face to face counselling?
Also what meds might be available to me? I don't think I'm depressed, just screeching pitch anxious and trying to keep it all inside.
I know I could google this stuff but afraid of going down a rabbit hole that way.
Any help/comments at all would be so appreciated.
Have a positive day everyone xx
Thank you Poster, that's so helpful. Constant fight or flight. That's absolutely it.
Can I just ask, did you get your counselling via your doc?
I'm really hoping my GP can set some up for me.
xx
Can I just ask, did you get your counselling via your doc?
I'm really hoping my GP can set some up for me.
xx
I was open and honest with my doctor who has been great. They will look at how you are feeling and decide what meds if any are necessary. I had some meds for panic attacks tgatvi could take as and when needed. I got councelling through work and also have self refered for further help via nhs. A lot of services are area specific so its worth finding out whats available in your area via nhs website, your doctor etc. The stop it now helpline have lots of useful information and may be able to help point you in the right direction. Ive told all kinds of professionals about my situation and i think as long as you are not disclosing anything of a criminal or child protection nature thats not already being dealt with it will be confidential. Child services may ask about your state of mind etc but i dont think you would need to disclose anything about your medication unless your mental state is causing issues at home. Its better to be seeking and getting help, its hard to discuss with other people but i feel much better having chatted with the doctor and councellor etc.
Hi hope
my knock was 3 weeks ago, at the time I was physically unwell also so went to see my gp as I felt I couldn’t handle the emotional side of things without getting myself physically well first, I also needed to be signed off work as I knew I wouldn’t be able to concentrate and do my job properly or safely (I’m a nurse) she was great and I told her everything, she gave me a leaflet for ‘mindmatters’ which is a self referral counselling service they’ve arranged a telephone call with me and will assess to see what would benefit me after that, my gp has been in contact since and is phoning me next week to check I’m ok, I’m on my own with my 13 year old daughter my husband is not allowed to live with us at the moment and my 2 grown up sons are away at uni and raf, they don’t know yet, we’ve told only 3 very close friends which makes this whole process such a lonely one for me, my husband works away and then is only allowed supervised contact with our daughter, keep trying the helpline they are a great source of information and advice, stay strong, we’re all here for you even if it’s just to share our experiences so we know we’re not alone
jb x
my knock was 3 weeks ago, at the time I was physically unwell also so went to see my gp as I felt I couldn’t handle the emotional side of things without getting myself physically well first, I also needed to be signed off work as I knew I wouldn’t be able to concentrate and do my job properly or safely (I’m a nurse) she was great and I told her everything, she gave me a leaflet for ‘mindmatters’ which is a self referral counselling service they’ve arranged a telephone call with me and will assess to see what would benefit me after that, my gp has been in contact since and is phoning me next week to check I’m ok, I’m on my own with my 13 year old daughter my husband is not allowed to live with us at the moment and my 2 grown up sons are away at uni and raf, they don’t know yet, we’ve told only 3 very close friends which makes this whole process such a lonely one for me, my husband works away and then is only allowed supervised contact with our daughter, keep trying the helpline they are a great source of information and advice, stay strong, we’re all here for you even if it’s just to share our experiences so we know we’re not alone
jb x
Hi Hope,
It's a really good question that you have posted, and I can understand your anxiety about disclosing the nature of your depression to a professional. However, I really would advise you to be completely open with your GP. When the knock happened, what I found was that I needed a group of responsible people on my side as it were, but I needed people who were seeing the situation from a professional perspective and not getting caught up in the emotion of it all as family members and friends would. So the GP was one, also my solicitor (I separated from my ex straight away), my boss, Lucy Faithfull Foundation, and also a counsellor, although I have to be honest and say that, although I have had three different programmes of counselling (two of which I had to pay for), I haven't found the process as useful as I had hoped. However, my GP was brilliant from the start. She listened sympathetically and completely understood when I told her that, whilst I considered myself to be depressed, I regarded that as being caused by the circumstances I found myself in rather than because I am naturally prone to depression. You said something similar, Hope. She signed me off work without question, put me on the waiting list for counselling through the NHS, and prescribed me some tablets to help me sleep. I didn't want to take anything that could become addictive, so she gave me some anti-histamines that just make you a bit drowsy. They did the trick as it meant I got back into the habit of sleeping through the night rather than waking up every morning at 4.30 and being unable to go back to sleep. I saw her on several more occasions, usually when I needed to get my sick note renewed, and found her to be very supportive. I don't think there was ever a question of confidentiality being compromised. The police investigation is ongoing - the doctor is going to be concerned about your welfare only. Good luck!
It's a really good question that you have posted, and I can understand your anxiety about disclosing the nature of your depression to a professional. However, I really would advise you to be completely open with your GP. When the knock happened, what I found was that I needed a group of responsible people on my side as it were, but I needed people who were seeing the situation from a professional perspective and not getting caught up in the emotion of it all as family members and friends would. So the GP was one, also my solicitor (I separated from my ex straight away), my boss, Lucy Faithfull Foundation, and also a counsellor, although I have to be honest and say that, although I have had three different programmes of counselling (two of which I had to pay for), I haven't found the process as useful as I had hoped. However, my GP was brilliant from the start. She listened sympathetically and completely understood when I told her that, whilst I considered myself to be depressed, I regarded that as being caused by the circumstances I found myself in rather than because I am naturally prone to depression. You said something similar, Hope. She signed me off work without question, put me on the waiting list for counselling through the NHS, and prescribed me some tablets to help me sleep. I didn't want to take anything that could become addictive, so she gave me some anti-histamines that just make you a bit drowsy. They did the trick as it meant I got back into the habit of sleeping through the night rather than waking up every morning at 4.30 and being unable to go back to sleep. I saw her on several more occasions, usually when I needed to get my sick note renewed, and found her to be very supportive. I don't think there was ever a question of confidentiality being compromised. The police investigation is ongoing - the doctor is going to be concerned about your welfare only. Good luck!