Session with your Psychiatrist 

I will preface this chapter by saying something extremely pertinent to the discussion. During my hospital visits my psychiatrists were attentive, caring, enjoyable to work with, and very in tune with my needs. Not all of them are like this, so here is some advice to help you in either situation.

The psychiatrist during my first two hospitalizations was a very experienced doctor who actually turned out to be the father of a childhood friend. He was able to quickly and accurately diagnose my condition, which helped shorten my stay. My visits with him were usually short and sweet. I made sure to be upfront about what was going on in my mind. Also, in 1993 the medication list for bipolar disorder was not all that expansive, so the medication choices for me were few. Also, as one of my doctors told my mother, determining which medications to use can be as much an art as a science. He said that each person is unique. Their reactions to the same drug can never be predicted. My first bipolar medication was Lithium, and I was on it for four years.

The psychiatrist for my next two hospitalizations was another kind gentleman. These two stays lasted half as long as the ones two years previous, and that was probably because my condition was already diagnosed, but the medications still needed some tweaking. I learned something important during these visits. I learned that I could ask for privileges and, if at all possible, my psychiatrist was willing to grant them.

For instance, I asked for a field trip with my parents and he gave it to me. I also asked to have an extended visiting time with my friends and he gave it to me. If I wanted to take a hot tub bath, he provided permission. My point in telling you all this is that you should not be afraid to ask your psychiatrist for things. Usually he will be the one who grants permission and there is no harm in asking. Even if he/she doesn't think it is a good idea right then, that doesn't mean it might not be okay in a day or so. So make sure you ask for anything you need or want.

When I was twenty-two, and my visit only lasted five days, my psychiatrist in the hospital was my psychiatrist in normal life. Which reminds me to tell you that my experience has been that while hospitalized a patient has a doctor other than one's regular doctor. These doctors are on the hospital's in-house staff and usually do not see patients outside the hospital.

However, sometimes a doctor may do rotations, which means he/she will do both at different times. That is what happened to me when I was twenty-two. My personal psychiatrist happened to be on an in-house rotation the day I was admitted. So he knew exactly what I needed, my medication adjustments were fast and effective, and all I did was tell him the truth. The reason for this visit was that we had been experimenting with one of my dosages, and I made the mistake of letting one of them go too low. We both knew what the problem was, so during this visit we just put it back where it was before and that is where the dosage has been ever since.

Treat your psychiatrist like one of your friends, because that is what he is. He really is your best friend in the hospital. His judgment has the biggest effect on your wellness, so you need to make sure that if anybody in the entire place knows what's going on with you, it's him.

Another thing to remember is that your psychiatrist has several patients in the hospital, so his time is extremely limited. You may only be able to see him for a half hour or so each day. You've got to be happy with that, and don't fuss about it, because that will only buy you trouble. In the hospital you will constantly be seeing patients asking to see their psychiatrist, and the only thing this gets them is a negative notation on their record. Be patient! You will see him when you see him, and trust in his judgment.

Remember, you do not know the medications better than he does!