Working With a Healthcare Professional
Your doctor can't help you until he or she knows about your "ups" as well as your "downs." So before your appointment, think about how you'd answer the following questions. Consider using your answers to these questions as a discussion aid during your appointment.
Discussing your “ups” and “downs” is important to getting a correct diagnosis and treatment, so be sure to describe both to your doctor.
Five Questions to Ask Yourself
- Even though you are mostly "down," are there times when you feel "up" and have lots of energy? Does your mood seem to change quickly or unpredictably?
- Are there times when you feel irritable and lose your temper quickly for no real reason?
- Were you a teenager the first time you felt depressed?
- Have you tried several medications, such as antidepressants, that didn't help, stopped working, or made you feel worse?
- Do you have family members with mood disorders, alcohol or drug problems, or a history of erratic behavior?
Four Tips to Develop a Good Relationship with Your Doctor
A strong and honest relationship with your doctor can go a long way toward helping you stay well.
Here are some tips to ensure good communication with your doctor:
- Be prepared to describe all of your symptoms and side effects in detail. This will let him or her know how well your medications are working. One way to do this is to record your moods, thoughts and behavior in a daily mood diary. If you have concerns about side effects, you are justified in bringing these up. You won't be motivated to stick with your treatment if a certain medication or dosage is intolerable.
- Don't minimize your experience. Sometimes people downplay symptoms because they don't want to try new or different medications. But if you and your doctor are honest with each other, you'll build mutual trust that's incredibly valuable. Remember the point of treatment is not to make you feel dull. The point of treatment is to help you feel balanced and healthy.
- Be open to new medications and ask questions. Finding the right combination of drugs for you usually requires some trial and error. This can be frustrating. You can cut down on some of the guesswork by communicating well with your doctor. When you start taking a new medication, remember to ask:
- How effective is it?
- How quickly does it work?
- What are the possible side effects? What should I do if the medication isn't working or a side effect bothers me?
- Are side effects common? Do they go away over time?
- How long will I have to take it?
- Create an emergency plan. Ask your doctor what you should do if you relapse or need to be hospitalized. Even though you may never face an emergency, it is comforting to know exactly what to do in a crisis situation. Your family and friends may feel better having this information, too.
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