Looking for advice on what to tell my psychiatrist — any suggestions?

Hi everyone,

I have an upcoming appointment with my psychiatrist, and I have been seeing her for close to 7 years now. But I’m always unsure how to prepare or what I should tell her. I want to be open and honest, but I also don’t want to miss out on essential details.

Would it be good to share my job search experience based on my two Reddit Posts linked below:

Has anyone here been through this? What kind of things did you find helpful to share during your sessions? Are particular feelings or experiences essential to mention?

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Hi @user4326, thank you for reaching out.

Feelings of stress and anxiety amidst a job search are completely valid, and I feel that it would be something that you can definitely discuss with your psychiatrist.

There is no “right” or “wrong” information to tell your psychiatrist. Every patient has a different set of struggles, and that’s okay! What’s important is your desire to recover, and I see a lot of that in you.

Hope you found this helpful! :+1:

Best regards,
HanSolo2000
Befriender | let’s talk by mindline

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Thank you so much for helping :folded_hands:

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Hi @user4326,

You’re most welcome! Wishing you well for your upcoming appointment with the psychiatrist.

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Dear @user4326

Thank you for reaching out to explore how best to speak to your psychiatrist in an honest and open manner. To me, your willingness to talk about things honestly is already a strong and healthy step.

Since you’ve been seeing her for nearly 7 years, there is trust built over the years and this might be a great time to bring up your job search experience, especially if it’s been emotionally draining. I agree the stress and self-doubt that comes with job hunting can affect mental health, and it’s absolutely something worth talking about.

I believe your Reddit posts capture your thoughts well, and it’s totally okay to refer to them. You could say, “I wrote a couple of posts about it because I was trying to process how I felt.”

Try to talk about any feelings that have come up—things like anxiety, discouragement, frustration, or even moments of hope. It’s helpful to share those emotional ups and downs, even if they seem small. You might say, “Some days I feel okay, but then I get one rejection and it just hits me harder than I expected.”

Also, if you’ve noticed patterns—like avoiding applications out of fear, comparing yourself to others, or struggling with motivation—those are helpful to bring up too. These are the kind of things your psychiatrist can help you unpack gently, at your pace.

You could let her know what you’re hoping to get from talking about it, like, “I’m not sure how to deal with the emotional side of this process—can we talk about that?”

And just to reassure you: it’s very normal to feel unsure about what to share in therapy, even after years. What matters is that you’re showing up and doing your best to talk about what’s on your mind. The rest can unfold naturally in the session. :yellow_heart:

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Thank you so much for helping :folded_hands:

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@user4326 You’re welcome! I hope that @CaringBee has given you some great insights :slight_smile:

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