Written by Clinical Psychologist, Katie Dobinson 

Reaching out for help with your mental health is a strength, though for many people it can feel daunting. There are times in life when we all need mental health support, and there is strength in the vulnerability of asking for help. We acknowledge there are many different ways to seek help if you’re going through a tough time, whether it’s talking to a trusted loved one, sharing your experience with community, learning skills to improve how you feel, or seeking support from a health professional. This month we focus on one helpful avenue  for mental health support –your GP.   

We get it, discussing your mental health can be nerve-wracking

Talking about your mental health can be a nerve-wracking experience for many, especially if it is the first time discussing these difficulties with a health professional. 

Like many situations in life that bring on some anxiety, often the anticipation is worse than the anxiety we may feel when we follow-through on our planned action. Many people find that despite some anticipatory anxiety, reaching out to their GP for a head-space check-up is helpful, supportive, and brings feelings of hope and relief.  

When we think about going to the doctors, it’s physical ailments that usually come to mind. However, in Australia, GPs are also trained to assess, diagnose and treat mental health difficulties. Your GP can be provide treatment themselves,  or support you with referrals to specialists, such as psychologists, social workers, dieticians, counsellors and psychiatrists. They can bridge the communication gap for you between other health professionals who may be supporting you, and provide access to treatment when you need it most.  

Finding the right GP for you

If you already have a GP that knows you well and you trust, that’s fantastic. If you don’t have a regular GP, it’s a great idea to link in with one that can get to know you so that over time, you feel more comfortable talking about tough stuff with them. There are many GPs with a special interest and expertise in mental health – take a look at each GPs profile to see if they’re a good fit for you. If booking a mental health consult, it’s always a good idea to book a longer appointment so that you have plenty of time to talk things through in a relaxed manner, at your own pace.

If you don’t have a GP but are looking to link in with one, you can use the healthdirect website service finder to locate a doctor (including a bulk billing GP) near you. 

How to talk to my GP about mental health issues 

There is no ‘right’ way to talk about how you’re feeling, and remember it’s your doctor’s role to ask questions about your symptoms in order to gather an understanding about what is likely to help you to feel better. 

Try your best to speak openly and honestly about how you’ve been feeling, even if it’s difficult. These are some tips for what you might like to talk to them about. You may wish to think about these or even write them down before the consult if it helps to ease your nerves: 

• What sort of thoughts have been bothering you? 
• What worries have you been preoccupied by? 
• How have you been feeling (low, flat, depressed, hopeless, anxious, exhausted, overwhelmed etc)? 
• What changes have you noticed in your day to day? For example, how the way you’re feeling may be impacting your relationships, work, leisure activities, sleep, or any other area of your life.  
• When did you start to notice these changes in how you’ve been feeling? 

The GP has a role to play too

Your doctor will ask questions about your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Their assessment is also likely to include questions about your lifestyle, physical health, family history of physical or mental illness, and your work/school/home environment to name a few.

These questions are part of a mental health assessment and are designed to help the doctor accurately assess your needs and advise of suitable treatment options.  

Here to H.E.L.P you 

Remember that asking for support is a strength. Help is available and reaching out for support is the first step towards feeling better. You can use our team’s H.E.L.P. tips next time you’re talking with your doctor about your mental health needs. (Download and keep our H.E.L.P resource here!)

Honesty is healing. Your GP is in a helping-profession and is trained to assess mental health symptoms, not just physical illness symptoms. Try to be open and honest about the difficulties you’re experiencing, even if you feel nervous and embarrassed. The more details you can provide about your symptoms, the better an understanding your doctor will have about the most effective treatment.   

Express your hopes. Before you attend, have a think about what you might be hoping to get from the GP appointment and write down any questions you have. Express to your GP the questions or queries you might have, for example “Where can I get support and treatment?”, “What types of treatments are available to me?”, “How can I access in-person or digital mental health treatments?”, or “Is there anything else you’d recommend?”. 

Listen and list. Your GP may suggest several treatment options to you, so listen to the treatments available to learn about the benefits of these, and feel free to make a list of each by writing them down. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask a trusted loved one to support you to the appointment (if possible).   

Plan a check-in: Talk to your doctor about when you can see them again, to talk about how you’re finding the treatment (whether it involves talk-therapy with a mental health clinician, medication, digital Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or perhaps a combination of these) so they can provide support, and make any adjustments you may need to ensure you’re getting the most out of the treatment. 

Remember, there is no shame or weakness in asking for H.E.L.P.  

Don’t forget, you can ask your GP to prescribe a THIS WAY UP program for you for free (normally $59). To make it easy, you can download this helpful letter to take with you. 

Many people find it hard to take the first step towards getting support for their mental health. Rather than putting it off any longer, you can try our free Take-a-Test Tool now to see which THIS WAY UP program could be a good fit for you.