Psychological assessment experiences?

[worrier83]

Just got an appointment for an hour long psychological assessment with a clinical psychologist next week.

Just wondering if anyone has any experiences of these? I am so scared of failing and not getting any further help - I have fought so had to get to this point!

The letter says they recommend bringing a family member with you - would you recommend this or just go it alone?

[MrAndy]

hI worrier
Ive had a few ,taking a family member with you will help as they often ask how they see things from their point of view.Dont worry you cant fail as such ,just be very open and honest with them.

[SarahH]

In the last 13 years I have had many assessments.........you cannot "fail"...they are not a "test"......................just be honest. It will be fine. I have never taken family members but I am good at explaining my feelings. If you are not then take someone who knows you very well who can help you communicate.

Sarah

[worrier83]

hello,

Thanks for the replies. I am just worried about 'failing' as I got turned down for CBT as I was not suitable for it.

Will have to go to the meeting alone. Hubby cannot get out of work and noone else in the family knows anything about this! I am awful about talking about my feelings which the CBT assessor said will be a massive problem. I just hate being outwardly demonstrative. If I feel like I am going to cry I just lock up until I can talk without crying or change the subject. It just feels so self indulgent!

Anyway I am not going to worry about it then!

[NorthernGeek]

My doctor has put me on a waiting list for this too, but I don't have a date yet & he said that it might take a while.

I've spent most of my life worrying that the way my head works is completely different from everyone else, but that I couldn't let anyone know because I would be labelled as mad & people would avoid me.

I have worked in IT for 30 years so one of my big problems is over analysing everything & often view myself as faulty software. I even went through a phase of reading lots of textbooks on brain disorders, OCD, consciousness theory, memetics & even CBT because I mistakenly thought that if I could just understand what was wrong with me, I could somehow fix myself without anyone else needing to know.

Luckily I now have an excellent Doctor & a few weeks ago finally admitted to him that I had serious problems that I could no longer cope with alone. He has initially prescribed Citalopram for my anxiety & depression, but also put me on the waiting list for an assessment to identify my underlying illness & find the best way to help me in the long term.

Whilst I can speculate on what my eventual diagnosis might be, I am not sure what the result might be as I obviously can't analyse myself objectively. I'm still worried about the consequences of being formally identified with a long term mental illness, but after all these years it is also a relief.

[worrier83]

Whoops forgot about this post.

The assessment was nothing too ardious. Just an hour long talk where she asked me all kinds of difficult questions and kept turning my words against myself and making me justify everything I think ie "and why do you think that", "why would you say that ...", "are you really sure that is what he was thinking or did you just assume that" etc.

Actually that was quite interesting. She talked me into a circle in the end and I could not justify what I was saying and I had a headache later!

Anyway the upshot is I am going to be sent for some one to one psychotherapy sessions primarily focusing on improving self esteem - I think my head hurt at that point!

I agree NorthernGeek it is a relief to be finally getting some form of treatment that isn't just being handed anti-depressants. I hope you get good help too.