Some of you wanted to hear how it went, so I just thought i'd post it here.
Well it went a lot better than expected, but usually everything does. The day hospital is really quite big and we were wondering round quite a few buildings before we found the one I was expected in.
My fiance spent the hour in the small waiting room near the reception (because there were a few) watching the tv they had available. I felt a little guilty about leaving him there but he was alright with it.
I was being seen by a staff nurse who organises all the events, teams etc. and a Psychiatrist to evaluate my situation. They were both male, so I was glad about that as I felt a lot more comfortable around them that I would have done had either been female.
It was really informal, they took me to a small room with lots of comfortable chairs and the staff nurse took notes while the Psychiatrist asked me questions about my past, how I felt, why I had the condition and suchlike. He also kept making sure I wasn't suicidal and they were really glad to hear I was determined to overcome it.
Due to the severity of my SA, they feel it would be counter productive to attend group therapy straight away, so i'm going to have individual sessions with a psychiatrist and try a variety of techniques. The main thing they stressed was that it was all about getting me back in control of myself and taking baby steps so I can overcome it.
The psychiatrist is also writing to my GP to recommend that my dose of citalopram be upped to 20mg as that's the usual for anxiety patients.
I'm really pleased with how things turned out today and whilst i'm really anxious about the sessions, I know I need them to get better so it's all for the greater good of my health.
Well it went a lot better than expected, but usually everything does. The day hospital is really quite big and we were wondering round quite a few buildings before we found the one I was expected in.
My fiance spent the hour in the small waiting room near the reception (because there were a few) watching the tv they had available. I felt a little guilty about leaving him there but he was alright with it.
I was being seen by a staff nurse who organises all the events, teams etc. and a Psychiatrist to evaluate my situation. They were both male, so I was glad about that as I felt a lot more comfortable around them that I would have done had either been female.
It was really informal, they took me to a small room with lots of comfortable chairs and the staff nurse took notes while the Psychiatrist asked me questions about my past, how I felt, why I had the condition and suchlike. He also kept making sure I wasn't suicidal and they were really glad to hear I was determined to overcome it.
Due to the severity of my SA, they feel it would be counter productive to attend group therapy straight away, so i'm going to have individual sessions with a psychiatrist and try a variety of techniques. The main thing they stressed was that it was all about getting me back in control of myself and taking baby steps so I can overcome it.
The psychiatrist is also writing to my GP to recommend that my dose of citalopram be upped to 20mg as that's the usual for anxiety patients.
I'm really pleased with how things turned out today and whilst i'm really anxious about the sessions, I know I need them to get better so it's all for the greater good of my health.
Now you have the chance to make progress. It seems like the psychiatrist visits and medicine will help you well.
