Genesis New Beginning is one of the premier psychiatric centers in Orange County. Their services include mental health services, outpatient detox, and eating disorder treatment.
Before you decide to commit to a facility or center, it would be very helpful if you had a list of questions that would help you make your decision. These questions will help you learn more about your psychiatrist and make a more informed decision on whether they are the right one for you.
The following are some of the questions that you should ask:
Table of Contents
What is My Mental Illness Diagnosis?
Your first visit to a psychiatrist will probably be a consultation. During the consultation, the psychiatrist will come up with a diagnosis based on the information they get from you.
You should ask the psychiatrist to write your diagnosis into a form that you can clearly understand. A psychiatrist whose diagnosis is full of medical jargon will not be your best choice.
This question should show you how well the psychiatrist communicates and also how accurate their diagnosis is based on your understanding.
What Are the Possible Causes of My Mental Illness?
A good psychiatrist should be able to come up with a few possible reasons for your mental health issues after coming up with your diagnosis. A psychiatrist who cannot solve the root cause of your mental health disorder will only treat the symptoms which is a short-term solution.
You should be able to evaluate some of the reasons and conclude that there are possible reasons for your condition. The deeper the cause of your mental illness, the better your psychiatrist will be able to rectify them.
What Treatment is Based for My Mental Condition?
The type of treatment a psychiatrist recommends should tell you a lot about them. There are plenty of people today addicted to antidepressants and other mental health medication because psychiatrists simply wanted to sell pills.
If a psychiatrist is too quick to prescribe medication, then you should be wary. There should be other safe treatment methods before medication is advised.
The answer to this question is also an indication of the doctor’s treatment methods. If you do not agree with the methods, you should feel free to choose another psychiatrist.
How Soon Should I Start Treatment?
Based on the diagnosis the psychiatrist develops about your mental health condition, they should have treatment in mind. You should ask them what is the timeframe before you can start treatment.
If the case is dire, the psychiatrist may recommend that you start treatment immediately. There may be some actions to be taken before you can start treatment which also affects how soon you can start.
The sooner you can start treatment the better. You do not want to wait too long lest the condition becomes worse.
How Long Will Treatment Last?
It is not unheard of for doctors to keep patients on for years only so that they can make money off of them. A good psychiatrist should give you a good estimate as to how long the treatment should take.
If the estimate is too long, you should consult with other doctors. Of course, you do not want the treatment to be a quick fix but be wary of years’ worth of medication as it is not only expensive but also dangerous.