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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIn some cases, a health care provider or other professional may ask you about your mood. Your doctor may bring it up during a routine medical appointment if you seem to be sad or down, for instance. Or you may decide to schedule an appointment with your family doctor or general practitioner to talk about your concerns. In either case, because dysthymia often requires specialized mental health care, you may be referred to a mental health provider, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, for evaluation and treatment. In other cases, you may seek out a mental health provider on your own first.
What you can do
Being an active participant in your care can help your efforts to recover from dysthymia. One way to do this is by preparing for your appointment. Think about your needs and goals for treatment. Also, write down a list of questions to ask. These may include:
- Why can't I get over dysthymia on my own?
- How do you treat dysthymia?
- Will psychotherapy help?
- Are there medications that might help?
- How often will we meet?
- How long will treatment take?
- What can I do to help myself?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me?
- What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment when you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
During your appointment, your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions about your mood, thoughts and behavior. Your doctor may ask such questions as:
- When did you first notice symptoms?
- How is your daily life affected by your symptoms?
- What other treatment have you had?
- What have you tried on your own to feel better?
- What things make you feel worse?
- Have any relatives had dysthymia, depression or another mental illness?
- What do you hope to gain from treatment?
