MD or Counselor?
- Thread starter Anonymous
- Start date
Anonymous
Well-known member
Hiya!
I would suggest that you see the counselor first. Counselors are the professionals that will talk to you [at length] about your personal issues. Medical doctors will just check for biological causes of your phobia. Medical doctors also can prescribe medicine for the phobia. I would go to the counselor first because if you go to the doctor they will run some tests on you and then tell you to go to the counselor anyway. Atleast from what you said, the doctor is busy for many weeks ahead. So just make an appointment with a counselor now. I guess later on you can get a physical with the doctor to rule out physical causes of anxiety.
Also, I would contact your insurance just to make sure that you are covered for mental health issues. It is also important to ask which psychologist/counselors are in their network. In-network psychologists/counselor will have more coverage than out-of-network psychologist/counselors. Your insurance company should have a list of providers (psychologist/counselors) in your area.
Finally, let me suggest that you arrange an appointment with a counselor that is proficient in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Rational Emotive Therapy. In the psychological literature, these types of therapies have a large amount of empirical evidence to support their effectiveness across a wide range of psychological problems (i.e., OCD, social phobia, other general phobias, etc.) This is my preferrence because I believe that it helped me a lot.
Well, Good Luck!
-ORL
I would suggest that you see the counselor first. Counselors are the professionals that will talk to you [at length] about your personal issues. Medical doctors will just check for biological causes of your phobia. Medical doctors also can prescribe medicine for the phobia. I would go to the counselor first because if you go to the doctor they will run some tests on you and then tell you to go to the counselor anyway. Atleast from what you said, the doctor is busy for many weeks ahead. So just make an appointment with a counselor now. I guess later on you can get a physical with the doctor to rule out physical causes of anxiety.
Also, I would contact your insurance just to make sure that you are covered for mental health issues. It is also important to ask which psychologist/counselors are in their network. In-network psychologists/counselor will have more coverage than out-of-network psychologist/counselors. Your insurance company should have a list of providers (psychologist/counselors) in your area.
Finally, let me suggest that you arrange an appointment with a counselor that is proficient in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Rational Emotive Therapy. In the psychological literature, these types of therapies have a large amount of empirical evidence to support their effectiveness across a wide range of psychological problems (i.e., OCD, social phobia, other general phobias, etc.) This is my preferrence because I believe that it helped me a lot.
Well, Good Luck!
-ORL
Ladystardust
Active member
I have a great mistrust of prescription drugs and would suggest you see a councelor ( i nearly always spell this wrong) it does however depend on who you get as some councelors are better at there job than others and also you may not click with yours. I have a really good one I choose to get help this way because although it is more emotionally disturbing in the short term the long term benifits I believe are worth it. Also I simply cannot bring myself to take drugs either tesed on animals or containing animals ingrediants
Elkapath
Active member
I went to the doctor crying but he did not seem like he was listening I said ive had social phobia for years and that I don't know how to talk to people and I can't keep a boyfriend because I don't talk to them and he just asked me am i on the injection to stop my self from getting pregnent I said i was but not anymore.. and he said that can cause Depression and then he said what do i see when I look in the mirror and I said me I don't think i'm ugly or nothing he said I don't think you'r ready to go on Depression pills he just give me a number to talk to someone but i never rang it and i never have gone back to the doctor cuz i feel like he don't know what social phobia is and he kind of made me feel stupid 
teknohead
New member
Get what you need!
Hi. I feel for you, I realy do. But if you're not happy with your doctor's attitude, then see another doctor. You have the right. I take Phenelzine (Nardil) and I am a new man! I've been on it for 6 months and have gone from a complete hermit to someone with a girlfriend, a job, friends and I even go nightclubbing-withought drinking a drop of alcohol! Damand to see a psychiatrist. And dont forget, when you describe how bad things are, ALWAYS describe your WORST days. If you sometimes feel suicidal, SAY THAT. Good luck! :wink:
Elkapath said:I went to the doctor crying but he did not seem like he was listening I said ive had social phobia for years and that I don't know how to talk to people and I can't keep a boyfriend because I don't talk to them and he just asked me am i on the injection to stop my self from getting pregnent I said i was but not anymore.. and he said that can cause Depression and then he said what do i see when I look in the mirror and I said me I don't think i'm ugly or nothing he said I don't think you'r ready to go on Depression pills he just give me a number to talk to someone but i never rang it and i never have gone back to the doctor cuz i feel like he don't know what social phobia is and he kind of made me feel stupid
Hi. I feel for you, I realy do. But if you're not happy with your doctor's attitude, then see another doctor. You have the right. I take Phenelzine (Nardil) and I am a new man! I've been on it for 6 months and have gone from a complete hermit to someone with a girlfriend, a job, friends and I even go nightclubbing-withought drinking a drop of alcohol! Damand to see a psychiatrist. And dont forget, when you describe how bad things are, ALWAYS describe your WORST days. If you sometimes feel suicidal, SAY THAT. Good luck! :wink:
anxiousD
Member
doctors:first line of defense
Congratulations for taking that first step clueless11. I know how hard it is. The first person I talked to was my family doctor. I trust him and hes very knowledgeable. However, he wasnt very well aquainted with mental illness nor was he qualified to make a diagnoses. Doctors can refer you to someone who is qualified though and sometimes a referral is necessary. I ended up calling an employee helpline offered through work and was able to connect with a counsellor that way. Pursue every option untill you get what youre looking for. Good luck.
Congratulations for taking that first step clueless11. I know how hard it is. The first person I talked to was my family doctor. I trust him and hes very knowledgeable. However, he wasnt very well aquainted with mental illness nor was he qualified to make a diagnoses. Doctors can refer you to someone who is qualified though and sometimes a referral is necessary. I ended up calling an employee helpline offered through work and was able to connect with a counsellor that way. Pursue every option untill you get what youre looking for. Good luck.