I'm afraid if I see a psychiatrist, I will be on medication all of my life. Please help with any advice?

Why don't you see if you can get any help with just counseling alone and exhaust that before you see a psychiatrist? Ask yourself if you're in the position where you can wait? If you are ever put on medication, know that you can always wean off them with the help of your doctor. Communicate with your doctor and let them know your fears. Keep a log of how you feel on the medication and inform your doctor every step of the way. But before making the decision to see a psychiatrist, really explore what options you have. If you don't feel comfortable about something, don't do it.

Medication is used to stabilize someone if there is impairment in life. Seeing the doctor doesn't even mean that you will be prescribed!

Sometimes medication is a necessary step to stabilize you so you can feel relief enough to get another view over reality, when the anxiety or sadness is overwhelming. So, don't be afraid of medication; look for a trusted clinician, and rely on his/her criterion

With the assessment of the psychiatrist, generally the intake will help them to see if the issue is long term chemical imbalance, or if it is a situational issue where a short term application would be appropriate. Personally, I am on long term medication because of a chemical imbalance, but one of my medications my psychiatrist is weaning me off of. Which by the way, never stop psychiatric meds cold turkey. Many need to be tapered off. So if you are struggling with it, talk to your physician about that. So all that said, know that not all medications are long term. You will discuss all of that with your psychiatrist. While it's rare these days, some psychiatrists actually do counseling as well, and this helps them to have a better perspective on long term versus short term medication usage.

Medication may be helpful in some circumstances, but not all. Just because you are prescribed meds doesn't mean you'll be on them for the rest of your life. Talk with your doctor to develop a treatment plan that fits your needs best.

It all depends on what happens, if you see one and they do prescribe you to take a drug, you never know maybe you will be okay taking it or not. But it's up to you, if you don't want to take medication all your life, that's up to you and maybe there will be a way not to take it but still help you. Totally up to you though.

Medication is nothing to be scared or ashamed of! It is simply there to help your body do what it can't do easily. People with physical illnesses are on medications forever you are no different

Seeing a psychiatrist does not mean you will be on medication it simply means that someone will help you understand what you are going through

Since you don’t want to be on Medications forever you might want to check out therapy first. If you’ve already gotten a therapist the next step might be to go to a psychiatrist and let them know that that is what you want. At the end of the day you get to make the decisions not them. I hope you can find a solution that helps you out the best.

Usually, a psychiatrist will try and prescribe you medication that will show changes promptly, and then your body will be used to the mindset you had while on the medication. I was put on three different kinds of medications at the age of thirteen, and I am currently sixteen, and I do not have to take them anymore. I do go appointments still, but they help also with not being off medication. I am sure that you can tell your psychiatrist that you do not want to be, and they can try and prescribe you something that won't be permanent usage.