• having no friends

• spending most of your time/weekends at home

• not wanting to do drugs or drink alcohol

• being single

• struggling with your mental health

• not knowing how to drive or not wanting to drive

• living at home with family

• not wanting children

• not wanting to get married

• going to therapy

• never being in a relationship

• being a virgin

• not being okay/happy all the time

• men being in touch with their emotions/being able to openly express their emotions

• body hair on women

• ethnic features

• introverts/naturally quiet people

• doing things alone/by yourself

• not going to college or a prestigious school

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you’re allowed to disagree with psychiatric professionals

you’re allowed to say no to psychiatric professionals

you’re allowed to correct psychiatric professionals when they get something about your experiences wrong

you’re allowed to say “this treatment/medication isn’t working for me, I want to try something else” to psychiatric professionals

you’re allowed to say “this treatment/med is making me feel worse, I want to stop now” to psychiatric professionals

you’re allowed to say “I don’t want to try that treatment/med” to psychiatric professionals

you’re allowed to say “no, you’re misunderstanding me” to psychiatric professionals

you’re allowed to say “no, you’re wrong” to psychiatric professionals

you’re allowed to say “that makes me uncomfortable, don’t do/say that” to psychiatric professionals

“people with mental illnesses are always abusive”

“people with mental illnesses are not inherently abusive, but can be abusive just like everyone else”

there’s a group called SMART Recovery that has free meetings just like AA, but it’s all science-based and secular.

No

Wait

Stop 

(These are full sentences! You do not need to say any more) 

I am not comfortable. 

I am not comfortable, I would like… 

you to wait a moment.

another person in the room. 

everyone else out of the room. 

a doctor/nurse of my same gender to preform this test/procedure. 

the person who came with me to this appointment in the room. 

you to explain everything before you begin. 

you to tell me what you are doing as you go. 

to do this another day. 

I want to get a second opinion before we proceed.

I don’t understand, please repeat that. 

I don’t understand, please explain more simply. 

Please say that slower/spell that, I want to do some research myself.

I would like to talk to [someone in my life, ie my parents to SO] before making this decision. 

No, I do not need to talk to [anyone] before making this decision, I am confidant on my own and am ready to proceed. 

What are the side effects of this medication/procedure? What are the potential complications? 

Why are you recommending/prescribing this specific thing? 

What other treatment options are there? Why are you choosing this?

Would your treatment plan be different if I were a man/woman older/younger had kids, etc? Why are you choosing this one then?

IS there anything I should know about this treatment you have not yet told me?  

I understand you say not to, but If I choose to do X, against medical advice, what risks am I running? (ie taking recreational drugs while on medication)

How much will this cost? 

Are there any less expensive options/tests we can run first? 

Is there a generic of this medication you can prescribe instead?

I think you are not understanding me, I said…

You are not listening to me, please let me finish describing my symptoms. 

You are not understanding how much pain I am in, let me clarify… 

I do not think it is anxiety/depression/my weight/etc, what else could it potentially be? 

I think by assuming it is anxiety/depression/my weight/etc you are ignoring some symptoms. Please listen again and let’s discuss what else it could be. 

Please write in my chart that you are not testing for X and why not. 

I am in enough pain/this is detrimental enough to my life that non-treatment is not an option. If you can not treat this/figure out what is wrong, to whom can you refer me?

Please write (or help me write) a summary of what we did today so I don’t forget 

What are our next steps? 

If [what you are recommending] is ineffective, what would my next steps be? What other doctor should I talk to? 

What is the best way to contact you if I have additional questions or issues? 

good!Doctor invited questions and gave me space. I’ve used- not all, but many of these with her. (can you explain? spell that? what are the other options? can we discuss this alone?)

Print these babies out (or have a friend write them down for you), and stick ‘em in the notebook you bring to your next Dr’s appointment, next to your questions and concerns.