In short
- You can ask why a diagnosis or a treatment is being suggested.
- The guides below are grouped by area, so you can start with the one that fits.
- If someone is in danger now, get urgent help first and read later.
Psychiatry at Weave
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is medical care for changes in mood, thinking, behaviour and daily life. Find the right guide, get ready for a first talk and ask about care.
In danger now? Call 112. See crisis lines
bring your questions, not answers.
Need help now?
Get urgent help now if someone is in danger or very unwell. This includes:
- thoughts of suicide, or of harming yourself
- an overdose, or a risk of harm to someone else
- sudden confusion, or a serious change in the body
Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department. See crisis lines.
Which guide fits my concern?
Pick the area closest to what you notice. You do not need a label to start. Many concerns overlap, and a short guide is only a starting point for a talk. A guide can help you prepare. It cannot tell you what you have.
If nothing fits, or you only know that something is wrong, start with what to expect. A first consultation does not need a label.
Mood and psychosis
Anxiety and OCD
For other fears and worries, start with the anxiety guide.
Emotions, relationships and personality
A personality label is not a judgement of who you are.
Attention, autism and development
Alcohol and other substances
Sleep, the body and sudden confusion
Sudden confusion that comes on over hours or days is a medical emergency. It needs emergency medical care now: call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department. Read the delirium guide afterwards.
Where should I start if I feel unheard?
Start by saying what you most want someone to understand. You can ask what makes a doctor think of a diagnosis. You can ask what else could explain it. You can also ask why a treatment is suggested and what happens if you wait.
Worries about side effects, cost, privacy or losing control are fair to raise. You can ask for another doctor's opinion on a hard decision. These pages help you prepare:
What if I am looking for someone I care about?
Start with what the person finds hard and what help they want. Your view of the changes can help. But the person needs room to speak for themselves. Talk together about who joins and what gets shared.
Caring for someone is hard work, and carers need support too. These guides are written for families:
- Supporting someone with bipolar disorder
- Supporting someone with psychosis or schizophrenia
- The Family Library, with guides in more than one language
How do age and life stage change care?
Age and life stage can change which choices fit. For a child, a parent or guardian is part of care. In pregnancy or while breastfeeding, the choice of medicine needs extra thought. In later life, other illnesses and medicines matter too.
Ask whether the doctor and the service can meet these needs. Ask who else should be part of care.
Questions to bring
- What do I most want understood?
- What decision am I trying to make?
- What are my choices, and what happens if I wait?
- Who do I want involved, and what can be shared?
How can I ask about care at Weave?
Start with the concern you want help with. Then check the clinician, the format, the fee and whether the service fits your needs. Weave sees people in Mumbai and online by video across India.
Sources
- NICE NG197, Shared decision making (2021): https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng197/chapter/Recommendations
- Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 (official compilation via Maharashtra Public Health Department): https://phd.maharashtra.gov.in/en/document/the-mental-health-act-2017/
- Royal College of Psychiatrists, Antidepressants (pregnancy and breastfeeding section): https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/treatments-and-wellbeing/antidepressants
- NICE CG103, Delirium: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg103/chapter/Recommendations
- Weave practice facts (locations, formats): weave-site _data/facts.json; https://weave.clinic/services#fees