A Checklist for Your First Appointment
What to bring, what to ask, and what a good intake should cover.
By Elena Marsh · Editor
A first psychiatric appointment carries a lot of weight and usually runs short. Preparation helps.
Bring
A written list of every medication you have tried, with approximate doses and how long you stayed on each. Contact details for prior prescribers. A short note about what a good outcome would look like for you.
Expect to be asked
About sleep, appetite, alcohol, family history and any prior hospitalization. None of these are trick questions.
Ask
What are the options besides the one you are recommending? How will we know in six weeks whether this is working? What is the total cost of the course?
After
Write down what was decided before you leave the parking lot. Details evaporate faster than anyone expects.
Keep sharpening the protocol.
One protocol breakdown every other Tuesday.