Having a good doctor to help with depression or bipolar disorder is like having a good coach in sports; it can be the difference between winning and losing.
Don't make the mistake of assuming that every doctor will help with depression or bipolar disorder. this includes family doctors, therapist and psychiatrists. The relationship between patient and doctor is very important for healing and if you do not trust your doctor with your health or you haven't made any progress with them you should move on.
It is your responsibility to find the right doctor and learn as much as you can about your condition instead of blindly following anybody with a degree. some doctors are over-worked, some are jaded, some just aren't very knowledgeable about mental health. others are caring, knowledgeable, and helpful.
Family doctors can be especially useless when it comes to mental illness. they often miss or misdiagnose mood disorders because of their lack of experience with them. they don't know as much about depression and bipolar medication as a psychiatrist does. you should use them as someone who can refer you to a psychiatrist not as your main doctor in diagnosing, treating, and monitoring you.
I have had a family doctor who held me back from getting psychiatric help for months. she kept promising to refer me to a psychiatrist but never did. I would wait a month, there would be no phone call from a psychiatrist, I would have to call the doctor and remind her to refer me again. I had to do this over and over. I finally left that doctor empty handed.
I have had a family doctor who wouldn't give me medication that was recommended for me by a psychologist. He said he wasn't comfortable prescribing me such strong medication even though he didn't have the experience to decide. He prescribed me an anti-depressant, which can cause mania or hypomania in patients with bipolar disorder. He said he couldn't help me and that I should find another doctor, which isn't easy to do these days. That is when I decided to go to the hospital.
Because of these incompetent doctors I was chasing my tail for a year trying to get help while my symptoms were getting worse. I hope that you can learn from my misfortune. If you do not feel like a doctor is helping you, move on immediately. Listen to your instincts. It can be difficult to find doctors these days who are accepting patients but they are out there and your persistence will pay off.
You should find a psychiatrist. they can prescribe you medication and help you deal with the root of your problems through talk therapy. they can diagnose you accurately and monitor you on your medication to ensure that you find the right medication for you and the right dose. they are much more effective at dealing with mental health issues than family doctors or GPs.
Do your own research about your illness, medication, and other treatments. That way you can ask your doctors questions to make sure they know what they are talking about. If a doctor isn't able to answer your questions you might want to find one who can.
Tell your family about your mental illness because their support can make coping much easier. When you're dealing with depression or bipolar disorder you need to use every resource at your disposal. If you don't get along with your family, tell a close friend. If you don't have close friends, find a psychiatrist you like.
If you're having suicidal thoughts you should go to the hospital (all hospitals have crisis centers). Many hospitals have mental health programs and from there you can be referred to support groups and psychiatrists.
If you live in the Untied States you can find a therapist in your area and get referrals at http://www.apa.org. just go to find a psychologist.
You can find therapists in the US and Canada at http://www.psychologytoday.com. just go to find a Therapist.
You can also find therapists using the yellow pages.
Help With Depression and Bipolar Disorder - Finding the Right Doctor
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