How to Meet With a Psychiatrist

Psychiatrists are physicians who treat patients suffering from mental illnesses or addictions. Mental illnesses have many causes and a variety of symptoms. Due to the assortment of mental illnesses and characteristics of patients, many psychiatrists have specializations such as working with children or patients with depression. Psychiatrists are trained to first identify the cause of a patient's mental illness and create a course of treatment specific to each patient. It is important to choose a psychiatrist that you will feel comfortable visiting over time as mental illnesses can take multiple visits to manage.

Instructions

• 1

  Determine the type of specialty you require from your psychiatrist based on the characteristics of your mental illness. Some psychiatrists will not stray from their specialization so focusing on your needs is a quick way to narrow down your search. Specializations may be based on physical characteristics of the patient such as working with only pediatric patients. Other psychiatrists focus only on certain mental illness such as eating disorders, addiction or depression.

• 2

  Speak to your family doctor before selecting a psychiatrist. Your doctor is able to rule out any other causes that may be creating mental illness symptoms. Once your physical is complete, ask your doctor for recommendations of psychiatrists in your area.

• 3

  Consult the local psychiatry board in your area. These associations have lists of local medical professionals and can provide information regarding each doctor's specialization. You will also learn about the training and education each doctor has completed in order to make an informed decision.

• 4

  Ask your family and close friends for recommendations if you are comfortable speaking about mental illness. Other patients will be able to provide first-hand testimonials regarding the professionalism, knowledge, cost of treatment and other factors that influence your selection of a doctor. Consider a list of characteristics your ideal psychologist would possess regarding age, gender and language spoken. Former patients will be able to speak to each of these criteria.

• 5

  Contact any psychiatrists you are interested in consulting and inquire about availability. Practices can reach capacity, and doctors are unable to accept new patients. Also inquire about office hours.

• 6

  Verify that your health insurance will cover visits to the psychiatrist that you select. Mental illnesses require routine visits to both diagnose and treat so ensure your insurance will cover your visits in the future. Furthermore, many health insurance plans carry a rider that offsets the cost of prescription drugs. Ask your provider for a list of drugs covered under your policy and bring the list to your initial consultation.

• 7

  Visit one of the psychiatrists who suits your needs and see if she is a compatible match. Pay attention to the doctor's inclination to prescribe drugs or change dosages and see if the doctor's course of treatment is acceptable. Most importantly, gauge your results against the expectations you discuss with your psychiatrist to ensure you are making progress. Remember that you are able to try other doctors, so switch to a different psychiatrist if you are uncomfortable or not making improvements.