Discussion How does one overcome the anxiety of searching for mental health support?

[SleepySept]

I'm lucky to have the access to mental health services, however I've always been scared of proper reaching out. I've once had a therapist when I was in middle school because my brother had one. I didn't like talking about myself so they marked me as being okay besides being pretty lonely.
When I was 15, got another one I was required to since I tried overdosing. I wasn't in the state to recount my experiences, so mostly was making things up and rejecting them. I also thought their advice didn't really help since I already had enough self awareness.

This time I'm looking to get a psychiatrist. My feelings had been more erratic lately so I think I want to at least try to be honest in sessions and try anti depressants. Still there's this fear of being told they won't be able to help me.

 

[vipatherappa]

It's really good that you've made the intent to be honest this time around. It's also good that you've decided to see a psychiatrist (i.e. a medical professional) because meds can really help boost your mood. Lately I've not been taking my meds because I can't find them (lol) and it's already taken a turn for the worse. If not for my obligations I would be back in the horrible state I was in before I started therapy and meds.

No medical or mental health professional worth their qualification should ever turn you away. A very common and well-founded form of therapy to get over anxiety is exposure therapy. You may already know what it is but if not, it essentially tasks you to confront and reflect on your fears with the help of a psychologist. Maybe you could try to see seeking out psychiatric hel[ as the beginning of this exposure therapy. Once you've succeeded you might end up feeling like you're already making a lot of progress, since you're already doing 'exposure therapy' on your own.

 

[Kundalini Guy]

Psychiatrists can change your life but be careful they can also ruin it. I have to be on meds for life because once you go on them, its hard to come off.

 

[CuriosityAndCat]

Making that first call made it easier. There's a good chance the first one will be all booked up. However since you know what to say the next call is easier.

 

[steppenwolf]

I'm lucky to have the access to mental health services, however I've always been scared of proper reaching out. I've once had a therapist when I was in middle school because my brother had one. I didn't like talking about myself so they marked me as being okay besides being pretty lonely.
When I was 15, got another one I was required to since I tried overdosing. I wasn't in the state to recount my experiences, so mostly was making things up and rejecting them. I also thought their advice didn't really help since I already had enough self awareness.

This time I'm looking to get a psychiatrist. My feelings had been more erratic lately so I think I want to at least try to be honest in sessions and try anti depressants. Still there's this fear of being told they won't be able to help me.

Psychiatrists can't help themselves. They're forever locked in a delusion that people can be quantified by an arbitrary standard of mental health set by the medical establishment, which has a vested interest in keeping workers productive. As such they can never really understand anyone, and can't be helped to.

I came to that realization that in the middle of a consultation with a pair of psychiatrists well over twenty years ago, and immediately the realization came I wept in front of them, then told them: 'I'm sorry, I can't help you,' and walked out of the consultation, leaving them trapped in their consulting room in a state of complete bewilderment and saying weakly after me: 'Don't go....'

Since then I have overcome the anxiety of seeking mental health support by never seeking it.