YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

What happens when you go for an anxiety diagnosis? I think i suffer from social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, all the online tests say i do. I want to get a proper doctors diagnosis just to be sure though. If i go to a GP how will they diagnose me, what will they GP do? Also because i'm 15 will they have to talk to my mum and will my mum have to be there and what will they tell my mum? Lastly how do i tell my mum i want a diagnosis as when i've tried to in the past she's brushed it off as something i'll get over and a diagnosis wont help and i'm just attention seeking. So yeah what will happen during and after the diagnosis?

Each state and country does it differently. The only way to find out what the specifics of confidentiality are is to call up your provider or talk to your GP. In most cases, the doctor will not willy nilly tell your parents, unless they specifically ask for the information.

How frustrating that your mother is not being supportive of you, instead seeing what she wants. That is a tough situation. Your GP will most likely ask you some basic questions, diagnose you, and give you drugs. You are much better served going to a therapist who will talk to you in far more detail, help you understand the basis of the anxiety (for example, a mum who refuses to acknowledge the reality of her son), and provide you with tools to cope with it on your own. I believe that most places honor total confidentiality at 16. It may be easier to wait until then.

Hey there! I'm really impressed that you're doing research into this already. Like AlmostWell said, I think you should see a therapist so you can learn tools to help you cope with your anxiety. He or she may recommend you see your GP for a diagnosis -- in that case, you would have a stronger case to present your mother about your anxiety because a professional agrees with you. If your mom keeps trying to brush off your concerns, print out some information on anxiety from websites to show her. Since it won't be the first time you've mentioned it to her she may be more open to listening to you. Let us know how things go!