Is it normal for therapist to contact gp?

[Spinzy]

I have suddenly started suffering with extreme anxiety about climate change and the environment in general - obsessively checking news stories, panicking that my children are going to die, unable to eat and generally unable to function when it gets really bad. I have found a private therapist as I can't go on like this waiting for nhs therapy. I was very panicked and upset at my appointment this week and my therapist said she thinks I need more support and asked whether she could contact my gp. I don't know exactly what she said to them but she also told me to call so that they can be involved. Is this normal? She's contacted me this evening to see whether I have called and find out what they have said. I have no problem with her contacting them and gave my permission but I feel a bit unsettled by it. Does it mean she thinks there is a bigger problem? The gp has already given me beta blockers and there was talk of going back on anti-depressants but it was never followed up and I was a bit reluctant. Feel kind of worried about social services involvement too, for some reason... Like it might look bad if she has had to call my gp.

She was also asking who I had around me over the weekend, I got the feeling she didn't want me to be alone. I already make sure I'm around other people as much as possible when I'm feeling that bad so Im not struggling with the kids by myself. But it's all made me feel worried.

All it means is that she is making sure you have support in place. It's ok. You're anxious and seeking treatment, doing something about it. That's good. Talk to your therapist about exactly what you've said here at your next session. Make an appointment to see your GP to ask about it too and have your questions answered by them too, it might help. If you be had drug treatment before perhaps that would help you at the moment? When you start therapy you always discuss that the therapy is confidential but that they will seek outside help from relevant agencies if they are concerned. Ask your therapist next time. Try not to imagine what it might be and make it worse in your head, ask them.

Yes, absolutely normal, I hope you can feel a bit reassured.

It's safeguarding, she is looking after you, making sure you have supportive people around you. Yes its normal. Not everyone does have people around them, I didn't during a difficult time, so a GP is a good person to contact. This has happened to me in the same situation, it's ok. You're not in trouble, she's only going on what you have talked about with her. Keep going to sessions and book in to your GP. In my own experience it is helpful when all the people treating or supporting you are joined up, in contact with each other, whether that's a GP and a therapist, or Women's Aid and a social worker, or a health visitor and a midwife for example.

Definitely a good and very professional therapist you've got there! Don't worry. Also, if she's not a psychiatrist (which I presume she isn't from what you've said) and you've had antidepressants and other medication in the past, then she isn't able to prescribe them. It's then good practice for her to consult with someone who is prescribing/might potentially prescribe drugs to you in the future, so that that person is fully informed.

Asking who you've got around you at the weekend doesn't mean she's worried that you can't take care of the kids - it might be that she wants to check that you're not going to spiral if you're on your own a lot (thoughts tend to do that) and give you tips on how to avoid that if you ARE going to be alone.

TL;DR: she's good and professional.

Spinzy how are you doing right now?

Your therapist sounds very sensible and caring about you. There are lots of reasons a therapist might involve GP eg medication or to keep them informed in case you require onward referral or between session/out of hours support

Sorry to hear you are anxious OP I've been there and it does get better with good support and treatment

I did feel quite supported when she contacted me asking about it and letting me know she had contacted them. She also said I can call her if I need to which was nice but also made me worry a bit. Yes, she is just a therapist I found myself. I had some kind of therapy before (primary care or something? it was a bit different to this and I felt a bit more confused by it cos there didn't seem to be any structure) but the previous stuff was organised through my gp so I guess they would have been kept informed anyway and not had to ask me. The doctors I have spoken to have been useless so far, not referred me for things, given me incorrect information and just left me to it. So I feel quite proud that I've sorted it myself because I probably would have just given up and suffered in the past. I would hope that shows that I am capable of making sensible decisions.

I had an awful start to the day but have calmed myself down and even cooked for everybody and eaten a meal.

I am a little concerned because I have told her that I would kill myself in the future if it turns out to be as bad as I think and that I wish I'd never had children or would kill them if they were just going to suffer in some kind of apocalyptic scenario. I know how bad that sounds now that I feel a bit calmer. I felt quite desperate when I said it and feel like I've brought them into the world to suffer. But I made it clear I do not mean that now, I was talking about well into the future when I had a better idea of what was coming. And obviously that's ridiculous anyway because in my mind they're childre but in reality they'd be adults by then. So that's partly why I'm so worried.

Thanks for your response, it sounds as though you’re being offered good support by the therapist. Therapists work in all different ways. I’m glad to hear you got some good things done today. Keep talking to her.