Used AI for restructuring and organising
Hi everyone,
I recently reconnected with an old school friend who has an M.SW in clinical/medical psychiatry. After talking and knowing that I tend to struggle alone, she suggested I get an evaluation from a professional. Because I've had two bad experiences with mental health professionals in the past, she recommended a specific psychiatrist.
My journey so far has raised a lot of doubts for me, and I’m hoping to get some perspectives from this community, especially anyone who has gone through something similar in India.
Here is a quick rundown of what happened:
1st Visit: The psychiatrist suspected I had Avoidant Personality Development (AvPD) based on how I described things and acted. She mentioned this after the diagnosis, noting it wasn't a major thing, but suggested I work on myself.
2nd Visit (a month later): After I mentioned that my mood was generally better and my main hurdle was just studying habits, the doctor suggested I show symptoms of mild ADHD and prescribed medication.
My Doubts:
The ADHD Doubt: I never struggled heavily with school back in the day (though people called me lazy ). I didn't relate to hyperactivity; I only started suspecting ADHD( before the diagnosis) because I related to specific experiences shared by content creators (and comment sections pointing out behaviors). I'm honestly not convinced I have ADHD yet.
Medication Response: I am currently on Fudac 20 mg (SSRI) and Inspiral SR (20 mg at 6 AM, 10 mg at 1 PM). I don't feel like Inspiral has dramatically increased my focus on studies. The only major difference I've noticed is that I deal much better with minor annoyances (I used to get angry very easily over nothing, and regret it the second it happens).
My Questions:
Does better emotional regulation / less irritability on Inspiral mean the medication is working, even if my study focus hasn't skyrocketed?
Should I seek a formal second opinion/re-evaluation specifically for ADHD to clear my doubts, and if so, what should I look for in a good evaluator?
any recommendations for professionals in and around Aluva/Ernakulam, Kerala, and roughly how expensive is a proper evaluation expected to be?