@Daisydreamer wrote:
It sounds like diagnosis was really affirming for you @Jynx, and helped to dispel some of those really harmful stigmas around why you were feeling the way you were feeling! I'm hearing that relief 🙂
You mentioned going to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis, and I am hearing that many people here have had to go through multiple professionals or services to seek a diagnosis. Who can provide a diagnosis and what are some of the things you might need to be aware of when building a professional network? (eg: What are the differences in support a GP vs a psychiatrist can provide?)
So I think the reason we all end up going to a psychiatrist is because they are the only ones who can prescribe the medication - due to it being a restricted drug. So for instance, once I found the right balance with my meds, I found a private GP who had a particular licence that meant she could renew my scripts (thus saving me hundreds of dollars, psychiatrists can be soooo expensive) but if I needed to alter dosage or anything I'd need to go back to my diagnosing psychiatrist.
I think a good way to go about it might be to find a psychiatrist in your local area who has a special interest in ADHD, and then go to a GP to get a referral to that psych specifically. It can also help to fill out some questionnaires to take with you - like the DIVA 2.0
