Expert: Ivan Goldberg, M.D. - 11/8/2007

Question
Good afternoon Dr.,
And thank you for taking the time. I am a 23-year-old female who's suffered from symptoms of possibly being Bipolar for over five years now. I am a psychology major and work for a group of psychologists, to the point that I'm very familiar with this illness. The biggest setback has been taking that initial step in seeking help for myself. I am aware of the toll it is taking in my interpersonal relationships and on my job. I'm just at the point of having a breakdown and need some guidance as to what my options are. Do I need to see a psychologist first, or should I be directly referred to a psychiatrist? I cannot go into detail about this matter to any of the doctors at work because of company policies. I'm embarrassed and ashamed to be at this point in my life given my place of work and my knowledge of the situation. I can help others, yet I can't seem to help myself. I guess my question is: how do I get started and what questions should I ask to ensure a proper diagnosis? Any help on this subject in general would be appreciated. Thank you.

Answer
Hi . . .

I think a proper diagnosis is the first thing you need. I think that can best be obtained from a psychiatrist who is more than averagely familiar with the symptoms and diagnosis of mood disorders. a List of such psychiatrists can be found at:
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.psychiatrists.html

Please get back to me if you have any additional questions.
Best regards . . .
Ivan