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Our Guide to Preparing for Your First Psychiatric Appointment

If there’s one thing the events of the past year and a half have put to light, it’s the importance of having good health. Healthy truly is wealth—nothing has become more important than having a sound mind and body to live long and well. 

However, while it’s true that everyone must focus on boosting their immunity and strengthening their bodies with vitamins and nutrients, you should not forget about your mental health.

The Spotlight on Mental health

In these unique times where people are separated from the people they love and are mostly isolated in their homes, everyone has become more susceptible to mental illnesses. Achieving optimal well-being has been hard to come by these days. 

With everything going on, from the economic crisis to the rising unemployment rate, people have countless problems to overcome, handling more than they could take. Physical health isn’t everything—there’s no use in having a well-functioning body if your mind is in shambles.

Just like how you sleep and eat right to have a sound body, it’s also crucial to receive psychiatric services so that you can sort out your feelings and have a sound mind. Although being mentally healthy is in no way easy, it is possible. With regular consultations with a psychiatrist and practicing the proper habits, you can clear the clutter from your mind and have a happier disposition.

Preparing for Your First Psychiatric Appointment

Fortunately, thanks to telepsychiatric services, you have the chance to meet with a psychiatrist without having to leave your home. However, this doesn’t make psychiatrist appointments any less nerve-wracking, especially if it’s your first one.

If you’re about to have your first psychiatric appointment and don’t know how to prepare for it, don’t worry! Just read on below to find out what you should do to feel more at ease during the appointment:

1. Provide Your Complete Medical History

During your first appointment, a psychiatrist will interview you about your and your family’s medical and psychiatric history, so you must prepare the following:

  • A list of psychiatric medications and other prescriptions, if any
  • Psychiatric drugs you’ve tried and how long you took them for
  • Medical concerns and diagnoses
  • Family history of psychiatric issues

2. Get Ready for Questions

Of course, the psychiatrist will have to learn as much about you before figuring out how to help you improve your mental health. As such, the psychiatrist will ask you many questions, starting with why you’ve sought psychiatric services.

Open-ended questions tend to make people nervous, but there’s nothing to feel worried about. There’s no wrong answer to this question; as long as you work with the right psychiatrist, they will guide you through the interview and help you articulate your thoughts.

3. Embrace Your Emotions

Before you have your first psychiatric appointment, you must be prepared to feel a range of emotions. It may feel awkward to be so open and raw in front of someone you’ve just met, but this is how you can heal from your mental burden. Once you’ve earned the courage and strength to share your story, you’ll be putting one step forward to achieving a sound mind!

Conclusion

Societies may be functioning quite differently from what we’ve been used to, but no pandemic or other global issue can stop you from getting the psychiatric services you need! As long as you prepare well for your first psychiatric appointment, you’ll be able to improve your mental health and achieve optimal well-being.

If you’re looking into investing in telepsychiatric services, you’ve come to the right place! At Amadeus Healthcare, our practitioners can provide you a solution with our psychiatric services that address your mental needs to have a sound body and mind. Book an appointment today!