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

Hello everyone,
I'm new and excited and hope that maybe someone can help me with some advice.
So I started listen to the podcast like 9 months ago and when Janet Varney explained in the first episode the symptoms of depersonalisation and derealization I was like "This is me!".
So I don't wanna tell you my whole life story, because it's not that interesting, but I suffer from depression, anxiety, depersonalisation and derealization - at least that's what I THINK.
And that's my problem: I'm looking for a psychiatrist right now and my question for you is: Should I tell them about my self-diagnosis?
I'm so scared that I became obsessed with this disorder that I actually believe I have it and imagine symptoms even though I don't even have it.
So should I tell the psychiatrist right in the first session: "Look, I suffer from this, now help me"?? I mean, THEY'RE the doctor, I have no idea. Sorry if this is confusing, but I'm so afraid of really opening up to someone (especially someone professional) and they'll be like 'You are healthy and just imagine things, we can't help you'.
So.... What should I do? Any advice?

Thanks a lot for reading this. Have a great day. :) <3

Hey! Thanks for posting. I am really glad to see you using your words. Keep it up.

I don't know about you, but in my job people will describe symptoms to me, and my mind will already categorize the problem and come up with 2-5 solutions.

What I need are: (1) precision (2) specific examples. If they can't/won't tell me what the problem is, or where it is, I can't help them. If they can describe something, however unclearly, it gives me a place to start.

While they're of a technical, rather than medical/emotional, type I think the same premise applies to your situation.

If you can give specifics of your struggles (ie physical symptoms, time of day, sleep and eating habits, etc) your doctor's fine mind can click.

What, objectively, leads you to believe you experience x?

I ask not to invalidate your experience, but to try to get you to think in concrete, specific terms that the doctor can use. Somewhere to start.

Is this making any sense?

Hey! Thanks for posting. I am really glad to see you using your words. Keep it up.

I don't know about you, but in my job people will describe symptoms to me, and my mind will already categorize the problem and come up with 2-5 solutions.

What I need are: (1) precision (2) specific examples. If they can't/won't tell me what the problem is, or where it is, I can't help them. If they can describe something, however unclearly, it gives me a place to start.

While they're of a technical type of symptoms in my job, rather than medical/mental/physical/emotional symptoms you describe, type I think the same premise applies to your situation.

If you can give specifics of your struggles (ie physical symptoms, time of day, sleep and eating habits, etc) your doctor's fine mind can click. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

What, objectively, leads you to believe you experience x?

I ask not to invalidate your experience, but to try to get you to think in concrete, specific terms that the doctor can use. Somewhere to start.

Is this making any sense?

Sorry for the weird triple post!

The edit button went askew for me. Typical of my week!

I would tell them what your experience was. That you heard about this disorder and you think you have it for reasons x,y,z. Just be as honest and upfront as possible. Good luck!

Thanks to both of you, it helped a lot hearing the opinion of other people!
Okay, specific symptoms, that makes sense. I do have a lot of specific symptoms, so this should be no problem to tell a professional.
Thanks again! It means a lot to me. :)