Finally Ready to Get Help
Q:
"My 19-year-old has finally agreed to see a doctor after years of battling depression and using marijuana. How can I find the best doctor in my area?"
A:
Before you seek the "best," you have to decide what specialty you want the doctor to be best in: ADHD? Substance abuse? Depression? Instead of "doctor shopping," I urge you to consult a child and adolescent psychiatrist as soon as possible. This professional can assess all of your son's problems. Your family doctor should be able to refer you to a good psychiatrist. If not, contact the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at a nearby medical school.
Larry Silver, M.D., is the author of Dr. Larry Silver's Advice to Parents on AD/HD and The Misunderstood Child: Understanding and Coping with Your Child's Learning Disabilities. He is also a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
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