When sending a question, please keep this very important point in mind:
This is a podcast. Not a doctor’s office.
We can answer questions that ask for useful knowledge about a topic – stuff that will help you learn more about a symptom, or about the options for treatment (including non-medication options), how treatments work, how to have a happy life and so on.
We can’t answer questions that require detailed knowledge of your own personal situation or history. Questions like that should only be answered by someone who has taken the time to obtain detailed knowledge of your personal history, has reviewed past and current treatments, and can be readily available to check in and follow up in case problems arise.
Happy to answer:
“What kinds of symptoms respond to medicine?”
Can’t answer on a podcast:
“Should I start taking medicine”
Happy to answer:
“What are some important differences between different anxiety treatments?”
Can’t answer on a podcast:
“Which anxiety treatment should I choose”
Happy to answer:
“What are the early signs of psychosis?”
Can’t answer on a podcast:
“Am I starting to experience psychosis”
Happy to answer:
“What should a person do if they think they are experiencing unusual side effects?”
Can’t answer on a podcast:
“Should I change my medicine?”
One more thing…
This should go without saying, but my lawyers tell me I need to say it anyway…
DON’T USE THIS FORM TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE FOR EMERGENCIES.
This is a podcast. Not an urgent care center.
So, with that out of the way, please do send us your question using the form.
Ask a Psychiatrist is a podcast where a real psychiatrist answers real questions about mental health, mental illness, treatment options, and general wellness.
The host of Ask a Psychiatrist is Dr. Erik Messamore, a board-certified psychiatric physician and PhD-level pharmacologist. He is a consultant psychiatrist, researcher, lecturer, teacher, and solution-focused scholar.
Dr. Messamore is joined on the podcast by Melissa Xenophontos, a journalist, radio producer and longtime mental health advocate.
Ask a Psychiatrist is driven by the philosophy that giving people accurate and complete information about the causes of illness and suffering – and the full range of tools for wellness and recovery – will help people ask the right questions of their therapists and doctors.
This kind of knowledge will make them better negotiators at getting the right kinds of care. They’ll get better results.
And they’ll drive the profession toward better practice.
Let’s spread good knowledge far and wide.