Your psychiatrist, as a medical doctor, is very interested in understanding the details of how you’re feeling and functioning, especially if you’ve been prescribed psychiatric medications. Signs are objectively observed phenomena (such as the results of blood tests or the existence of hand tremors). Symptoms are what you experience firsthand and typically may not be observable to your psychiatrist during your visit. Symptoms may include oversleeping or trouble falling asleep, tearfulness, experiencing acute anxiety, or feeling scattered and unable to focus.
By explaining symptoms clearly, you help your doctor make the right diagnosis and develop the best treatment plan. It is helpful if you can describe the severity, how often they occur, how long they’ve been happening, and if you notice possible triggers or patterns to the symptoms. Please don’t hesitate to mention symptoms even if they seem embarrassing (such as sexual functioning or changes in bowel habits).
It can be helpful to make yourself a note to bring with you to your appointment in order to avoid forgetting important information during your visit. Include new symptoms you’ve had since your last visit, how things have improved and any questions you have. At times, people may minimize their symptoms and say they feel better than they really do. Unfortunately this might prevent your psychiatrist from making adjustments that could help your treatment be more effective.
Read more about psychiatric appointments from the American Psychiatric Association.
Yearly Archives: 2017
Signs and Symptoms
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
“Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of mood disorder that occurs at the same time every year. If you’re like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, seasonal affective disorder causes depression in the spring or early summer.
Treatment for seasonal affective disorder includes light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy and medications. Don’t brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the “winter blues” or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own.”
Complete article, including symptoms, causes and treatment can be found at the Mayo Clinic website Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
SAD may be associated with either depressive or bipolar symptoms. There’s evidence that the risk of experiencing SAD is related to where a person lives. In New Hampshire 9.7% of the population report symptoms but only 1.4% of Florida residents. Research has shown that bulimia, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders may also be effected by the change in seasons.
Did you know that children can also be effected by SAD? From the American Academy of Pediatrics: Winter Blues – Seasonal Affective Disorder and Depression