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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by CareBear04 on January 13, 2004, at 11:55:23
Hi everyone! This is my first post on this board.
I'm 20 yrs old and in college. I was first referred to a psychiatrist about a year ago. Since then, I've seen quite a few doctors, most of them specializing in child/adolescent psychiatry. Does anyone know why this is? I mean, technically, I'm an adult. I stopped seeing a pediatrician years ago. I feel too old to see a child psychiatrist, and it makes me feel underdeveloped or something. But a lot of doctors have said that they don't feel comfortable treating young patients and recommended someone else. What ages are child psychiatrists trained to treat and when is adulthood considered to begin?
Posted by sadmom on January 13, 2004, at 15:29:31
In reply to Child vs. adult psychiatrists?, posted by CareBear04 on January 13, 2004, at 11:55:23
I am guessing the age would be 18 years of age. I think you should see someone who treats both, or only adults. Children react differently to medicines. Also there is a shortage of children psychiatrists, so it seems it would be easier to get appts with an adult psychiatrists
Posted by metalflipflop on January 13, 2004, at 16:10:41
In reply to Re: Child vs. adult psychiatrists?, posted by sadmom on January 13, 2004, at 15:29:31
hello,
i am 21 and see a regular adult psychiatrist, and have since i was 20. i am in college, and i dunno, maybe since it's a college town the students get lumped in with adults.
if i were you i wouldn't go to a child psych. though, b/c technically you are out of adolescence, and your responses to meds should be more that of an adult. if you do have an idiosyncratic response to something, as i did when zoloft made me SO agitated, a knowledgable doc will know that it *might* be b/c you are younger (apparently ssri's in adolescents can cause a dysphoric kind of agitation when dosed up too soon). usually this would not happen though, and an adult psych. may trust you more than one who sees primarily children, who may not take meds the right way or be able to accurately disclose how they feel.
and anyway, i would feel weird sitting in an office filled with toys and games and "therapeutic" playthings. heehee. maybe just me.
good luck,
liz
Posted by cubic_me on January 14, 2004, at 6:09:22
In reply to Re: Child vs. adult psychiatrists?, posted by metalflipflop on January 13, 2004, at 16:10:41
I'm 20 and see an adult psychiatrist - I would feel uncomfortable seeing a child/adolescent psychiatrist too. I had a 17 year old friend a few years ago who refused to see a child psychiatrist, she could only see an adult one when she became 18. She felt that a child/adolescent psychiatrist would treat her like a child, and in some respects they did.
Good pdocs are hard to find tho', so if you get a good one, stick with them whether they are child or adult.
Posted by Penny on January 14, 2004, at 8:23:51
In reply to Child vs. adult psychiatrists?, posted by CareBear04 on January 13, 2004, at 11:55:23
I see a pdoc who treats both children and adults, though mostly children and adolescents. He's not labeled as anything, but I totally lucked up when I found him, and he has an awesome understanding of the brain and medications.
In the U.S. all psychiatrists undergo the same training in medical school, but child psychiatrists then get additional experience with children. So a psychiatrist who classifies himself as a child psychiatrist should be just as qualified to work with adults.
At 20 you aren't far from being an adolescent, and your psychiatrist, if you feel like he knows what he is doing (i.e. if you've had some success with him, if you trust him, etc.) is most likely perfectly well qualified to continue treating you. I feel like he would say so if that wasn't the case. Pdocs are not lacking for patients these days, so he would have no reason to not refer you on if he felt he wasn't the best person to treat you anymore.
Hope this helps.
P
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