{"id":122755,"date":"2021-06-15T11:04:58","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T10:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=122755"},"modified":"2023-03-08T13:35:48","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T13:35:48","slug":"talk-to-a-doctor-about-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/talk-to-a-doctor-about-anxiety.htm","title":{"rendered":"How to Talk to a Doctor about Anxiety and Depression"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-122757\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/online-marketing-hIgeoQjS_iE-unsplash-400x225.jpg\" alt=\"how to talk to a doctor about anxiety and depression\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/online-marketing-hIgeoQjS_iE-unsplash-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/online-marketing-hIgeoQjS_iE-unsplash-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/online-marketing-hIgeoQjS_iE-unsplash.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><span style=\"color: #333399;\">by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>You have decided it\u2019s time to gather your courage<\/strong> and let your doctor know you are struggling lately. But how to talk to your doctor about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/midlife-crisis-depression.htm\">anxiety and depression<\/a> in a way that is productive? Or if you feel scared to? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><span class=\"s1\">And what if you worry it&#8217;s something more serious, like a disorder?\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Will my doctor know about mental health? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Most doctors nowadays have a\u00a0 good general understanding of<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/depression-symptoms.htm\">depression<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/stress-vs-anxiety.htm\"> anxiety, and stress<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Not all doctors, on the other hand, will be very versed in things like<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/a-personality-disorder-diagnosis-helpful-or-a-trap.htm\">personality disorders<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/learning-disabilities-vs-learning-difficulties.htm\">learning difficulties<\/a>. Some even persist in thinking things like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/adult-adhd-quiz\">adult ADHD<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-complex-ptsd.htm\">complex trauma<\/a>, relatively new terms, are not \u2018real\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">In summary, yes,<span class=\"s1\">\u00a0mental health is a hot topic of late. <\/span><span class=\"s1\">But not every doctor is the sort to be current. So it\u2019s understandable to worry about bringing it up.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Things to keep in mind when talking to your doctor about mental health<\/h2>\n<p><b>R<\/b><strong>emind yourself of the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You are the client, they are the doctor. It&#8217;s their job to listen to you.<\/li>\n<li>They will have had many other people ask about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-mental-health.htm\">mental health<\/a>, too.<\/li>\n<li>Everyone feels <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/rumination-anxiety.htm\">sad<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/worry-and-anxiety-difference.htm\">worried<\/a> now and then. Even doctors. Don&#8217;t assume they haven&#8217;t had mental health challenges of their own.<\/li>\n<li>Unlike <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-help-a-friend-with-anxiety.htm\">friends<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/dysfunctional-family-help.htm\">family<\/a>, they are not invested in your decisions. So you don&#8217;t have to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/why-do-i-feel-guilty-all-the-time.htm\">feel guilty<\/a> telling them about what you are going through.<\/li>\n<li>They are bound by a code of ethics and confidentiality to protect your privacy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Do I have to tell my doctor I\u2019m not okay?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If you are on a low budget here in the UK, and want to access free mental health support through the NHS?<\/strong> You do need to go through your GP to get a referral.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 M<\/span>ental health services are by referral only.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>If for one reason or another you simply can&#8217;t bring yourself to tell your GP you are struggling mentally and emotionally? There are other ways to find help. Please read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/low-cost-therapy-free-counselling-services.htm\">our article on how to find free or low cost counselling<\/a> for ideas.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What if they don&#8217;t listen to me?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #800080;\">The last thing anyone needs is to gather up their courage to speak up, only to feel brushed off with patronising advice like \u2018you just need to exercise and sleep more\u2019. Or, \u2018try to take some time for yourself\u2019. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_122772\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-122772\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-122772\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96-400x266.jpg\" alt=\"talk to a doctor about anxiety\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-122772\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/91261194@N06\/51021133488\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Jernej Furman<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Or, worse, to just be offered medication <\/strong>after a quick 15-minute chat. Which can hardly be a full overview of you and your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\"> The best advice here is to arrive prepared. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How to talk to your doctor about anxiety <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Arrive armed with exact information <\/strong>so your doctor cannot brush you off as just \u2018stressed\u2019. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Anxiety means that you have increasingly illogic patterns of thought<\/strong> that leave you often feeling fearful. And that this sort of behaviour has been going on for around six weeks or more (read our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/stress-vs-anxiety.htm\">stress vs anxiety<\/a> for a full overview). <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Keep a diary for a week or two,<\/strong> writing down:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"> what your anxious thoughts are<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">what triggered them or didn\u2019t<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">and the actions your anxiety then resulted in. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>For example,<\/strong> &#8220;so worried that I will say the wrong thing at the work party become sure I will end up being hated then fired so pretend I am sick and skip the party&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Also keep a list of physical symptoms.<\/strong> Anxiety is actually quite a body-based experience. So keep a record of things like a pounding heart, headaches, sleeplessness, and muscle tension.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How to talk to your doctor about depression <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Depression can mean we have \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/foggy-brain.htm\">brain fog<\/a>\u2019. Avoid drawing a blank<\/strong> in the doctor&#8217;s office by writing out what you want to say in advance. Be ready to explain:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">how long you\u2019ve been feeling this way<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">if it\u2019s the first time or it\u2019s been ongoing <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">what triggered it, if anything (often <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-stop-being-depressed.htm\">depression<\/a> descends out of nowhere)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">your family&#8217;s mental health history<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">how it\u2019s affecting your day-to-day life, including hobbies, relationships, family, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/mental-health-in-the-workplace.htm\">work<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">any physical symptoms, including fatigue, sleep and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/truth-about-overeating-case-study.htm\">eating changes<\/a>, a heavy feeling body. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What if I don\u2019t know if I have anxiety or depression?<\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_122772\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-122772\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-122772\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96-400x266.jpg\" alt=\"talk to a doctor about anxiety\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/51021133488_b1d24f7d96.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-122772\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/91261194@N06\/51021133488\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Jernej Furman<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>It\u2019s possible to have both.<\/strong> And <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/anxiety-vs-depression.htm\">anxiety can lead to depression<\/a>. So don\u2019t get obsessed over which one it is if you really aren&#8217;t sure. Instead:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">make a record of the thoughts you are having <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">and the physical symptoms you are noticing <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">then clearly explain the difference between what you were like before all this started, and now. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Your doctor should be able to spot if it\u2019s <\/strong>anxiety, depression, or both. And if they are confused too, what matters is that they can see your daily life is suffering, and can then give you a referral to a mental health professional. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">And if I am having suicidal thoughts?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Here in the UK you can be sectioned<\/strong> by a doctor if they think you are in danger of<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/rise-in-self-harming.htm\"> hurting yourself<\/a> or another. <\/span><span class=\"s1\">So understandably many of us are terrified to admit to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/managing-suicidal-thoughts.htm\">suicidal thinking<\/a>. We want help to make it stop, but we don&#8217;t want up in a hospital against our will.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">E<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"s1\"><strong>mphasise you have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-disordered-thinking.htm\">self-destructive thoughts<\/a> but that you are<em> not<\/em> going to act on them.<\/strong> You might, for example be asked if you have researched how you\u2019d hurt yourself, or made an exact plan. Keep emphasising that no, you do not have a plan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Of course if you want to go to the hospital, or if you really think you might carry out<\/strong> your suicidal thinking and DO have a plan, be straight with your GP. You can also go straight to the emergency services at a hospital.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What if it all goes wrong?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If your doctor tells you to just get rest, or tries to brush you off with a prescription for a low dose of medication,<\/strong> when you really want to speak to a therapist? Then the &#8216;broken record technique&#8217; can come in handy.\u00a0 Just calmly but firmly keep repeating that you\u2019d really like to talk to someone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">thank you, but I&#8217;d really like to have a referral to talk to someone<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I understand there is a wait list, I\u2019d still prefer to be referred to a therapist<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I appreciate what you are saying, but I&#8217;d still really like to be referred for therapy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>And it&#8217;s okay to think tactically. It&#8217;s your health and<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/mental-wellbeing.htm\">wellbeing<\/a> at stake, after all! If they insist you take a prescription for meds, and it seems that if you walk out with the prescription they might then give you a referral as well? You do not have to then fill the prescription or take the meds. It&#8217;s your body and your choice.<\/p>\n<h2>How to get the referral you want<\/h2>\n<p><strong>It can help to know where your doctor can refer you,<\/strong> particularly if you feel it&#8217;s not just anxiety and depression but something more serious.\u00a0 Go to your local council&#8217;s mental health pages to see what is available, or even call them up.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If your doctor is then being evasive about a referral, you can directly mention the service you are interested in.<\/strong> &#8220;I would like to be referred to the personality disorder team mentioned here on the local council&#8217;s mental health page&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If your council does not have a certain mental health service, consider arriving with a list of<\/strong> nearby specialists who work within the NHS. &#8220;This hospital has an ADHD specialist I would like to be referred to.&#8221; The worst your GP can say is no.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #800080;\">If you do feel you have a personality disorder or adult ADHD, again, arrive with a diary of symptoms you are worried about. The more you seem educated on what the issue is, the more your GP will be forced to take you seriously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Maybe I am beyond help<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If they brush you off, don\u2019t listen, or in any way belittle you?<\/strong> You have the right to see another doctor. It can feel really overwhelming if we are already <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-know-if-you-are-depressed.htm\">depressed<\/a> and anxious and having to deal with this. Our first instinct can be to go home, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/crying-for-no-reason.htm\">cry<\/a>, and assume we are beyond help or that we are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/why-do-i-feel-hopeless.htm\">hopeless<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>You are not. Doctors are people and are not perfect.<\/strong> And while some are wonderful, some are not. Like all professions, you get varying levels of competence. If you don\u2019t have the courage to call up and ask to see someone else, see if a friend or partner can call for you. Ask if there is a doctor available who specialises in mental health in case that is an option.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Want to talk to a medical doctor who knows about mental health? See here for our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/psychiatrists-london.htm\"><span style=\"caret-color: #800080;\">consultant<\/span>\u00a0psychiatrists in London<\/a>.\u00a0Or why not book private therapy directly? Our online booking platform provides <\/span><a style=\"color: #800080;\" href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/?utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\">therapists for every budget<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #800080;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-117271 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-150x150.png\" alt=\"Andrea M. Darcy\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673.png 268w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>Andrea M. Darcy<\/b> is a health and wellbeing expert, who has done some training in person-centred counselling and coaching. She often writes about trauma, relationships, and ADHD, and advises people on how to plan their therapy journey. Find her on Instagram @am_darcy<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Andrea M. Darcy You have decided it\u2019s time to gather your courage and let your doctor know you are struggling lately. But how to talk to your doctor about anxiety and depression in a way that is productive? Or if you feel scared to? And what if you worry it&#8217;s something more serious, like [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":122757,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,4],"tags":[3,224,378],"class_list":["post-122755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anxiety-and-stress","category-depression","tag-anxiety","tag-anxiety-stress","tag-depression","has_thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Talk to a Doctor about Anxiety and Depression - Harley Therapy\u2122 Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Not yourself of late and want help? 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