GBM
Bluelighter
I'm not sure if its like this everywhere, but where I live its a bit of a struggle to get a psychiatrist. First you have to see your family doctor and tell him you're concerned about mental health. He will then assess your state and make a diagnosis. From this I was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The next step is you have to call Access Mental Health and schedule an appointment with one of the nurses there. From there, the nurse will assess you and decide if you need hospitalization or just to see a psychiatrist. If they decide you do need a psychiatrist, you get put on ANOTHER waiting list to see the psychiatrist.
I've been waiting to see the AMH nurse still. My family doctor diagnosed me with schizophrenia a year ago now, and I've been taking Risperidone for it ever since. I'm not doubting his diagnosis, I've always had voices in my head, terrible anxiety (as a kid waking home from school, I would look behind myself every 3 steps in fear that someone was going to come up from behind me and kill me. I've always had a fear of going into the bathroom thinking that someone would be behind the shower curtain, always been scared of dark houses, open windows at night, etc.), and a complete disregard for other peoples feelings.
Is it this hard for everyone to find a psychiatrist, or does AHS just suck at providing mental health to Albertans?
The next step is you have to call Access Mental Health and schedule an appointment with one of the nurses there. From there, the nurse will assess you and decide if you need hospitalization or just to see a psychiatrist. If they decide you do need a psychiatrist, you get put on ANOTHER waiting list to see the psychiatrist.
I've been waiting to see the AMH nurse still. My family doctor diagnosed me with schizophrenia a year ago now, and I've been taking Risperidone for it ever since. I'm not doubting his diagnosis, I've always had voices in my head, terrible anxiety (as a kid waking home from school, I would look behind myself every 3 steps in fear that someone was going to come up from behind me and kill me. I've always had a fear of going into the bathroom thinking that someone would be behind the shower curtain, always been scared of dark houses, open windows at night, etc.), and a complete disregard for other peoples feelings.
Is it this hard for everyone to find a psychiatrist, or does AHS just suck at providing mental health to Albertans?
(Okay, I admit some people might benefit from talking to a psychologist, but the three years when I met a psychologist weekly never made me any better.)
