When you have an anxiety disorder, you doctor will be one of the most important people in your lives. Anxiety disorders range from social phobia to obsessive-compulsive disorder to post-traumatic stress disorder (to everything in between), and can be debilitating. If you currently think you have an anxiety disorder, you should see a doctor right away for treatment. While it may be a bit difficult to find a doctor that works well for you, using these four steps will help you to be sure to choose the perfect doctor for your situation.
The first step to choosing a doctor when you have anxiety disorder is to find what doctors are available to you. In some cases, your insurance may specify that only certain doctors in your area can be used if you want your treatments to be covered. Doctor appointments and hospital test can be very expensive, so it is important to learn which doctors are in your network. To do this, you can contact your insurance company or talk to your family doctor to find out which doctors in the area will be able to best treat your anxiety disorder.
Once you have a list of names, it is important to do a little background research about your potential doctors. In order to make the best choice, you doctor should specialize in mental illness or, even better, anxiety disorders. If all else fails, you should look for a doctor who has treated patients with anxiety disorders in the past, even if he or she does not specifically specialize in this area. You should make sure your doctor has the right credentials and can contact the AMA or BBB to make sure that your doctor’s practice is legitimate.
As a third step, contact the doctor for a consultation or appointment. Your doctor should click with you, especially if going to the doctor’s is yet another thing that triggers anxiety. When you find a doctor that works well for you, you’ll feel more at ease, no matter how stressful the treatments or tests. A good doctor will be friendly, answer all of your questions, and have enough time to deal with your case. If a doctor doesn’t know your name or relies on nurses to do most of the work, this may not be your best doctor choice.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to see more than one doctor. Second and even third opinions on your medical condition are great, and often different doctors will recommend different kinds of treatment, expanding your view of what is available for you. Of course, you should choose just one doctor to use as your primary doctor, but the only way to pick the best one is to see a number of doctors until you are sure that the one you choose is the best care-giver for you and your medical situation.
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