Booking an appointment for GP post-lockdown?

[Jabberwoxx]

Hieveryone,


Has anyone had any experience booking a GP appointment for mental health issues post-lockdown? If so, what are your experiences? I am based in the UK btw.

I've had anxiety issues since as long as I can remember - I last sought help in 2016 where the GP prescribed me medication and then sort of gave me a leaflet and let me get on with it. I took the medication and it seemed to work but came off them inlate 2017. Now issues have raised their ugly head again and I feel like I should seek some sort of help for it but don't know where to start.

My anxiety issues aren't directly COVID-related, but rather the COVID situation has made pre-existing anxiety worse.

I really, REALLY hate talking to the GP about this sort of thing. I always feel like a time-waster or that my problems can be remedied by self-help or Googling. The thing is I seem to have no motivation to even try and battle these anxieties and there are so many different symptoms of different things. But I'm also very cagey to book an appointment as it will likely be via telephone and I can't express myself very well on the phone. I also feel that given the situation, my appointment should be given to a more urgent physical case - this is where an element of guilt comes into it. :(

Just keen to hear people's thoughts - thanks.

[Sparkle1984]

I've been in a similar situation lately - a few weeks ago I had a full-blown anxiety relapse for the first time in 5 years. The anxiety and intrusive thoughts were so intense that the techniques I'd learnt at therapy and my existing self-care techniques were no longer working.

I made an appointment to speak to the doctor about 10 days ago and it was via phone as expected, but I made a list of things I wanted to mention. The appointment went OK - the doctor gave me advice and I'm now back on citalopram again. I wasn't sure if my anxiety was down to the coronavirus pandemic, but the doctor did say that it's possible that the effects of the pandemic and the lockdown had gradually worn me down over a period of months, and made my nervous system and mood more sensitised.

Please don't think you're wasting the doctor's time by making an appointment for help with anxiety - it is just as important as physical illnesses.

[Scass]

I used edoc to book my appointment (via my go surgeries website). This might be good for you because you can write it all down. They will probably call you book to book a telephone appointment which again you might find easier than doing face to face. Good luck & well done for taking steps to help yourself.


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