What to Say to Your GP About Your Mental Health

Booking a GP appointment for your mental health is often harder than attending it. Most of the difficulty is in the not knowing: what to say, how much detail to give, and what you are actually allowed to ask for. This guide sets out a simple way to use the time you have.

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In short: This article gives you a short script for a ten minute GP appointment, the three symptoms worth mentioning first, what to request before you leave, and how to follow up if you felt brushed off.

• Prepare three sentences before your appointment: how long, how often, how much it affects daily life
• Name sleep, concentration and loss of interest first, as these are easier for a GP to act on quickly
• Ask for something concrete before you leave: a referral, a plan, or a date to review

A ten minute appointment script

GP appointments for mental health are usually ten minutes, sometimes less. That is not much time to explain weeks or months of how you have been feeling, so it helps to go in with a short, prepared opening.

Try something close to this:

• "I've been struggling with my mental health for [X weeks or months]."
• "The main things are [one or two specific problems, such as low mood, anxiety, or trouble sleeping]."
• "It's affecting my work, my relationships, or my day to day life."

Say this early, ideally in your first minute. GPs often ask "what can I do for you today" and a vague answer like "I've not been myself" can use up valuable time before you get to the point. A short, direct opening leaves more time for the GP to ask follow up questions and to talk about options.

It can help to write this opening down beforehand, even if you never look at the paper. Putting it into words once, before you are sitting in front of someone, makes it far easier to say out loud.

The three symptoms worth naming first

You do not need to describe everything you have been feeling. In fact, trying to cover everything can make it harder for a GP to act. It is usually more useful to name specific, practical symptoms rather than general descriptions of mood.

Three are particularly worth mentioning early, because they are easy for a GP to recognise and respond to:

• Sleep. Whether you are sleeping too little, too much, or waking early and unable to get back to sleep.
• Concentration. Whether you are struggling to focus at work, finishing tasks, or holding a conversation.
• Loss of interest. Whether things you used to enjoy or care about now feel flat, pointless, or like an effort.

These three cover sleep, cognition and motivation, and together they give a GP a much clearer picture than "I feel anxious" or "I feel low" on their own. If you also have thoughts of harming yourself, say this clearly and early. GPs are used to hearing this and will not be shocked by it. If you are in crisis, Samaritans are available at any time, and this is worth knowing before your appointment as well as after it.

You do not need clinical language. "I can't switch my brain off at night" or "I've stopped seeing friends because I can't face it" are both useful, specific things to say.

What to ask for at the end of the appointment

Many people leave a GP appointment having described how they feel, but without asking for anything specific. This is understandable, as it can feel presumptuous to request a particular outcome. But GPs generally respond well to a clear question, because it tells them what you actually need.

Before the appointment ends, try to ask for one of the following:

• A referral. This might be to talk therapy services, or to a more specialist team if what you describe suggests that is appropriate.
• A plan. Even if nothing changes today, ask what the next step is and roughly when it should happen.
• A follow up date. If you are asked to try something first, whether that is a change at home or medication, ask when you should come back if it has not helped.

It also helps to ask directly: "What would you suggest if this were you?" This sometimes prompts a more honest answer than a general question about options. According to NHS, talking therapies can be accessed through a GP referral, and in many areas you can also refer yourself, so it is worth asking your GP whether this applies locally.

If therapy is what you want, you do not have to wait for a referral to begin. Some people choose to start therapy without a referral, either alongside GP input or before it, particularly if they want to begin sooner than an NHS referral pathway allows.

How to follow up if you were dismissed

Sometimes an appointment does not go well. You might feel rushed, unheard, or told to come back if things get worse, without a clear sense of what "worse" means or what happens next. This happens, and it does not mean nothing is wrong, or that you did something wrong in how you described it.

If this happens, you have options:

• Book again. A different day, or a different time of day, can mean a different GP with more time.
• Ask to see someone else. You are allowed to request a different GP at the same practice if you felt the first conversation did not go well.
• Bring notes next time. Write down what you said last time and what response you got. This makes it harder for the conversation to start from zero again.
• Be specific about what you need. Instead of describing symptoms again, say directly: "Last time I was told to come back if things got worse. They have. I'd like to talk about a referral."

It is also worth knowing that GPs vary in how much they know about mental health services in your area, and some are more confident discussing this than others. A second opinion within the same practice is a reasonable thing to ask for, and most practices expect this request from time to time.

If you are not ready to go back to a GP at all, that is a valid choice too. You do not need a referral to access therapy, and some people prefer to arrange this independently rather than go through another appointment that may not lead anywhere.

What to do this week

If you are planning to see a GP about your mental health, write your opening three sentences now, while you have time to think, not while you are sitting in the waiting room. Decide in advance what you want to ask for at the end of the appointment, whether that is a referral, a plan, or simply a date to go back.

If you have already had an appointment that did not help, book a follow up this week rather than waiting for things to settle on their own. And if you would rather begin talking to someone now, without waiting on any of this, that option is available to you as well.

Frequently asked questions

What should I say when I first see my GP? Prepare three sentences detailing how long you have been struggling, how often it happens, and how it impacts your daily life. It is helpful to mention these points within your first minute of the appointment. This direct approach allows more time for the doctor to ask you follow up questions and discuss potential options.

Which symptoms are most helpful for a doctor to hear? Focus on specific and practical issues like your sleep patterns, your ability to concentrate, and any loss of interest in things you usually enjoy. These are easier for a GP to respond to than vague descriptions of mood. If you have thoughts of self-harm, you should also state this clearly and early in the conversation.

What can I request before the appointment finishes? Before you leave, you should ask for something concrete to ensure you have a clear way forward. You can request a formal referral to therapy, a structured plan for your care, or a specific date for a follow up review. Asking direct questions about what the doctor would suggest if they were you can also be useful.

What can I do if my doctor seems dismissive? If you feel your concerns were not heard, you have the option to book another appointment or request to see a different doctor at the same practice. You can bring notes to help the next clinician understand what was previously discussed. Being clear about needing a referral or a specific next step helps the conversation move forward.