Page Contents
Symptoms that
call for treatment
Which professional
to see
Seeking referrals
The consultation
After your
first visit
Treatment/medication
Psychiatric emergency
Site Contents
Patients & visitors
Medical professionals
Yale-New Haven
Children's Hospital
Yale-New Haven
Psychiatric Hospital
General information
Calendar
Online resource
Press information
Phone Numbers
Directory assistance
(203) 688-4242
Patient Information
(203) 688-4177
Adult emergency
(203) 688-2222
Children's emergency
(203) 688-3333
Admitting
(203) 688-2221
Children's admitting
(203) 688-3331
Psychiatric admitting
(203) 688-9907
Mailing address:
Yale-New Haven Hospital
20 York Street
New Haven, CT 06510-3202
How to choose a mental health professional
At some point in everyone's life, difficult problems arise. Finances, job stress, faltering relationships, aging—all of these can bring up feelings of sadness and anxiety and trigger serious psychiatric and emotional problems. Sometimes sadness and anxiety appear without any clear reason.
In the past, people viewed such symptoms as personal failure. Now it is widely accepted that these problems, like most medical conditions, are treatable. In fact, there are many effective treatments for psychiatric conditions that help improve symptoms and restore function—helping people feel better and lead more productive lives.
Symptoms that call for treatment
- Depression: depressed mood, sleep and appetite difficulties, decreased energy, lowered motivation, irritability, extreme pessimism, suicidal thoughts
- Eating disorders: Symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia including preoccupation with personal appearance and food, discomfort eating in public, poor self-esteem, reduced sex drive, perfectionism, anxiety, need for control, self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives
- Mania and hypomania: inappropriately elevated mood, irritability, sleeplessness, hyperactivity, grandiose thoughts, excessive spending, heightened sex drive
- Obsessive-compulsive behavior: unwelcome thoughts that are recurrent and persistent, intrusively repetitive behaviors such as hand washing
- Substance abuse: addiction to use of legal or illegal drugs, including alcohol, leading to difficulties with fulfilling major role obligations
- Psychotic thoughts: false ideas and fantastical beliefs, altered perceptions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior, confused thoughts
Which professional to see
Once you've decided to seek professional help, you should take a close look at your situation and decide what type of mental health professional is best for you.
Mental health professionals can be highly specialized. Some have general practices while others concentrate on a specific area of mental health, such as addiction or geriatrics. They may provide individual, group or couple/family therapy.
Here are some professionals to consider:
- Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have advanced training in assessing and treating mental illness. They may prescribe medication and provide psychological treatment approaches. A psychiatrist may work closely with another mental health professional who provides a service such as counseling. Some psychiatrists have extra training and certification in areas such as addiction, geriatrics, consultation-liaison work, child and adolescent psychiatry, psychoanalysis and forensic psychiatry.
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) certified in psychiatry are nurses with master's degrees who diagnose and treat mental health disorders. They usually have expertise in various therapies and are licensed to prescribe medication. All APRNs have collaborative relationships with physicians. Some APRNs have additional certification in such areas as child psychiatry or substance abuse.
- Licensed psychologists have a doctoral degree and at least two years of clinical experience in a supervised setting. Like MDs and APRNs, they are licensed in the state in which they practice. While they can diagnose mental health disorders and carry out a wide range of therapies, they do not prescribe medication. They also administer psychological testing to children or adults.
- Licensed clinical social workers have a master's degree and at least two years of clinical work in a supervised setting. They diagnose and treat mental health disorders, often provide couples and family therapy and carry out a wide range of treatments.
- Licensed marriage and family therapists have master's degrees and are specifically trained in couples and family therapy.
Seeking referrals
You might want to start your search for a therapist by making an appointment with your primary care physician who can exam you and order tests to rule out physical problems that may be causing the symptoms. Your can ask your primary care physician for a referral and a copy of your medical records to give to the mental health professional.
You can also seek recommendations from family, friends, colleagues, clergy, community health and mental health centers, school nurse, social worker or employee assistance program.
Check with your insurance company to find out what services are covered, how much of a co-pay you'll be responsible for and how long coverage will last. Your insurer will have a list of providers in their network and may cover an out-of-network provider. If you don't have adequate mental health coverage, ask your physician or practitioner to recommend a therapist who uses a sliding fee scale or a state-supported nonprofit or low-fee clinic.
The consultation
Do not be surprised if you feel uncomfortable during your first few visits. You are sharing sensitive information and it may take some time to build trust, but it's important to feel comfortable with the practitioner's professionalism. As a patient, you may expect:
- Confidentiality and respect
- A thorough explanation of your problem and treatment options
- Sensitivity to any culture or gender issues
If you are still uneasy after several sessions and cannot resolve your feelings with the practitioner, do not hesitate to try a new one.
After your first visit
Here are some questions to ask after the first visit:
- What is the diagnosis and the practitioner's understanding of the problem?
- What is the best treatment? What are the pros and cons of the chosen treatment approach?
- Is there a mutual agreement as to the treatment goals and timeframe?
- How will you know it's time to stop treatment?
- Are there alternative treatments?
Treatment/medication
While some patients pursue long-term intensive psychotherapy, others opt for focused, short-term therapy. Either approach may be combined with medication.
Psychiatric medications are proving to be successful at correcting brain chemistry imbalances involved in disorders such as depression, bipolar disease, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and schizophrenia. The practitioner will want to monitor you closely while you are on medication. Always share information about your current medications with your psychiatrist and other physicians. Never stop taking psychiatric medication suddenly, since this can cause withdrawal reactions.
Ask your doctor these questions about medication:
- Will the new medications have any effect on your current medications?
- Have tests eliminated other medical conditions such as thyroid disorders, which can mimic symptoms of mental illness?
- If there are manic or depressive symptoms, will the doctor provide a thyroid screening?
- Are regular blood tests necessary?
- If you are over 45 years of age, what effect might medication have on heart function?
- What are the possible side effects of medication?
- Is there a plan for stopping the medication?
- How accessible is the psychiatrist if there are problems with the medication?
- Will the medication affect sexual function or appetite for food?
What to do in a psychiatric emergency
If you feel overwhelmed by severe symptoms that are difficult to control, including acute confusion or thoughts about causing harm to yourself or others, you should call your doctor or psychiatrist immediately. If your doctor is unavailable, call 9-1-1 or go to a hospital emergency room where the symptoms can be treated in a safe setting while further treatment is determined.
- Suicide hotline: If you are feeling suicidal, you can dial 2-1-1 and talk to a 2-1-1 Infoline specialist 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 2-1-1 Infoline, a public/private partnership with the United Way and the state of Connecticut, is a central access point for health and human service information and is certified by the American Association of Suicidology.
- Emergency mobile response: Most towns in Connecticut have psychiatric emergency mobile response units that may come to a patient's home depending on the situation. For information on mobile response units in your area, dial 2-1-1 for 2-1-1 Infoline.
- Hospitalization: If your symptoms are so severe that you cannot be treated in a psychiatrist's office, hospitalization may be necessary for a brief period to provide more intensive treatments and allow you to focus on getting better. A psychiatrist must evaluate your symptoms in order to determine if your condition requires inpatient level care. The psychiatrist can also work with your insurance company to determine whether and how hospitalization is an option.
Additional resources
- The Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital is a 72-bed inpatient facility with a variety of partial hospital and intensive outpatient programs for adults and adolescents. Psychiatric care for children is provided at the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. To request a brochure about psychiatric services or a referral to a psychiatrist, call (203) 688-2000 or 1 (888) 700-6543 toll free or use our online physician referral service.
- Health Information Library
Information is also available from:
- Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS): Provides a listing of mental health services throughout the state, including crisis intervention, basic needs and employment services, group therapy and housing assistance. Services are also categorized by town and service region with links and phone numbers. Call DMHAS at 1 (800) 446-7348 toll free.
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): Offers free publications and other educational resources to help people with mental disorders and the general public. Some materials are available in Spanish. Write to NIMH, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663, Bethesda, Md. 20892-9663; or call 1 (866) 615-6464 toll free.
- American Psychiatric Association (APA): Provides free public information pamphlets on topics such as "Depression," "Eating Disorders," and "Psychotherapy." Write to 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1825, Arlington, Va. 22209-3901; or call (703) 907-7300.
|
Call (203) 688-2000 or toll free (888) 700-6543 to speak with a health information coordinator or request an appointment. You can also get physician information or request an appointment on this web site. |
Last revised: May 15, 2007 (dh)
