How to make an appointment with a UK GP for mental health issue?

should I bring up my mental health problems or make a separate appointment? It's pretty common for the general registration check-up to be done by a nurse rather than one of the GPs, so yes, I'd suggest making a separate appointment. Plus, like you say, it's a short check-up; you can definitely bring up your mental health problems then as well as at a later appointment, but given how much of an issue they are for you right now it probably makes more sense to make an appointment with a GP just for dealing with that issue. In my experience, these check-ups are really brief - urine test, blood pressure, fill in a form, height/weight sometimes, answer a couple of questions and you're done. They're not like a regular GP appointment. I guess I just want advice about what I say to my new GP, and to be assertive without trying to tell them how to do their job. Is it appropriate to say that I want a psychiatric referral, or is that something I should leave to them to decide? I would just go in there prepared to say what's happening with you at the moment, what's happened with you in the past (including your family history), and say you'd like a psychiatric referral. The GP will either say yes, or not just yet; either way, they should be trying to put something in place to help you in the meantime. Don't worry too much about manipulating the diagnosis, being just the right degree of assertive, etc. I do the same thing with doctors so I get why that's a concern for you, but really, it's over-thinking the situation and you can't predict how the particular GP you're speaking to will react anyway. Just tell them what you're dealing with and answer their questions honestly and directly. If you don't get on with the GP, or if the GP refuses to give you something you feel like you need (treatment or referral or whatever), you can always ask to see another GP at the practice.

I'm currently doing my psychiatry rotation in a UK medical school so hopefully I can clarify a few things: - GPs are trained to treat mood and anxiety disorders which are mild-moderate. If you get some resistance if you ask to see a psychiatrist, that will be why. - Medication does exist for depression and anxiety! Don't try to manipulate your diagnosis towards bipolar or ADHD. Even if you successfully conned the doctor into prescribing medication for one of those, they wouldn't help at all as they are completely different meds with completely different effects. - When you see the doctor, mention that you've had CBT and talk therapy in the past and found them unhelpful. You may find that trying CBT again as an adult is different, and I do want to emphasize that CBT is effective for a lot of people with depression/anxiety. If you decide against it, you could probably still be prescribed medication! - Finally, depression and anxiety are legitimate medical diagnoses. They are no less legitimate than bipolar disorder and ADHD. There are treatments available. You can and will feel better one day!

I did a 6 week CBT course for anxiety through the NHS and although it does involve some homework, it is not an insurmountable amount, and would have definitely felt more like homework if you were already doing homework at school. I found it fantastically helpful, alongside anti depressants that I was prescribed first, and it has left me with mental tools a year later to deal with current anxiety. I totally get your avoidance of phone calls, make a little script with what you want to say beforehand. You can ask them if the check up will be with a nurse or a doctor; if it is with a nurse, ask to book a doctors appointment immediately afterwards. If it is with a doctor, ask for a double appointment. Best of luck, I know how scary this can feel.

Good advice above, just coming in to reinforce that just because CBT was unhelpful before, it doesn't make it not worth trying again. Citation: I saw several therapists of different kinds, including CBT, before I met one who really, really helped. He was a CBT practitioner as well, but his methods were different to all the previous people I'd seen. I really do think therapists are like dentists. Especially on the NHS. If it hurts too much, or the pain doesn't go away after, get a new one.

Seconding that GPs are often perfectly willing to prescribe meds for depression or anxiety, or refer for counselling, without (or before) refering to a psychiatrist. This could be on the strength of a short appointment where they ask some diagnostic questions about how you're coping, etc. They may also want to know if you want a medical certificate to be signed off work, but as a PhD I would guess it's probably between you and your supervisor as to whether you require some time off, and if so whether the university needs some medical evidence.

Ask for a double appointment. It'll give you a bit more time with the GP to be able to talk about how you're doing without so much pressure to get done as quickly as possible. If you think there's a possibility that once you get into the appointment you might struggle to explain what is actually wrong, then write down all your symptoms, what you're worried about, and your history of previous therapy, and take the notes into your appointment with you. You can then either use them as prompt cards for yourself, or if that turns out to be too difficult, then just hand the notes over to the GP, and let them read it directly so they know what questions to ask you. Also - some GP surgeries allow you to book appointments through a website, so you wouldn't need to talk to anyone over the phone. Try https://patient.emisaccess.co.uk/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2f to see if your GP surgery is participating.