Mental Health Consultation

• You are under 18 years of age
• You are seeking a prescription for controlled drugs or drugs listed as potential drugs of abuse (these are not safe to use without the supervision of a regular GP/ psychiatrist as they are potentially addictive and can have significant side effects).

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  If you are not sure whether your prescription medication is a controlled drug, please send us an email at info@webdoctor.ie and we can advise.

Examples of controlled medications include:

• Sleeping tablets
• Relaxants (benzodiazepines)
• You are looking for ADHD assessment or medications.
• You are seeking a prescription for certain mood-stabilising medications or anti-epileptic medications (AEDs)
• You are under the care of a psychiatric service for a condition such as bipolar affective disorder or schizophrenia. Problems arising from these illnesses are best discussed with your local GP or psychiatric service.
• You are experiencing suicidal thoughts or thoughts of wanting to harm yourself or others

If you are feeling suicidal, please contact a trusted family member, friend, work colleague or your local GP. Unfortunately, our service is not able to provide safe emergency care to support you. You can find information on where to find appropriate help and support on the HSE website.

If your current symptoms are not suitable for us to manage appropriately and safely via an online GP consultation, the doctor may advise that you attend a local GP for follow-up. We have a large number of GPs in our service, so you may see a different GP each time, which means the ideal continuity of care may be difficult to achieve for you and you may benefit from seeing a GP who knows your history already.

You can avail of same or next-day 10 or 25-minute appointments, 7 days a week, including evenings and bank holidays.

Appointments are available during the following times:

Monday – Friday: 8 am – 10 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday: 10 am – 6 pm

For instance, the 10-minute consultation is ideal for patients who wish to follow up with their GP following an extended consultation. You may wish to check in with your GP to let them know how you’re finding your treatment plan or if you might have a couple of questions. A 10-minute consultation might be more suitable if you have a busy schedule or just have one specific topic you would like to discuss with your GP. Our 10-minute consultations are offered at a lower price point to ensure our services are accessible to everyone.

Our 25-minute consultations allow for a more in-depth discussion with your GP – perhaps this is the first time you are seeking treatment or you have multiple concerns. We recommend opting for a 25-minute appointment for your first consultation as you will have more time to discuss your history, current concerns, and treatment options.

You may also prefer an extended consultation if you would like more time to express yourself and your concerns – a longer consultation may be beneficial in this instance as it would facilitate a more in-depth conversation with your GP.

Our GP will discuss your mental health concerns and symptoms. As it is a video consultation, the GP will have the benefit of seeing you, enabling them to make important clinical observations.

A management plan will be discussed and formulated with you, which may include a prescription for medication (if clinically justified), a referral for further assessment/ investigation or a referral to other professionals.

A copy of the doctor’s notes and advice will be sent to you via your secure patient account for your records. It is recommended to share this with your local GP also.

Anxiety is a feeling of fear or worry that everyone experiences from time to time. You may feel anxious about upcoming events or something you’re experiencing, for example, an exam, a job interview, a presentation and work, or a big social occasion.

Anxiety is your body’s natural reaction to a stressful or dangerous situation – it helps you focus your attention and helps you react quickly. A small amount of anxiety is okay and can help keep you safe. However, sometimes it can build up overtime and it can become difficult to manage – that’s when you may need some help.

Some of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety include:

• Dizziness
• Sweating
• Headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Trembling
• Fatigue
• Sleep problems – trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Nightmare
• Stomach aches or diarrhoea
• Teeth-grinding or jaw clenching
• A strong, fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
• Muscle tension
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Pins and needles
• Dry mouth
• A flare-up of another health condition e.g. dermatitis or asthma

Anxiety can also affect how you feel, think, and behave. Some other signs of anxiety include:

• A constant feeling of dread
• Being on edge, irritable or restless
• Repeatedly seeking assurance from other or checking things
• Avoiding situations or putting off tasks that you are worried about
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• An increase or decrease in appetite or craving junk food

Experiencing severe anxiety over a long period of time can indicate an anxiety disorder, such as generalised anxiety disorder or panic disorder. If you have been feeling anxious for a while or you feel your symptoms are getting worse, you should speak to a GP or mental health specialist.

An anxiety attack, also known as a “panic attack”, is a feeling of sudden, intense anxiety and fear.

While panic attack symptoms are not dangerous, they can be extremely uncomfortable and often frightening. They can make you feel a sense of impending doom like something terrible is about to happen – you even feel like you’re having a heart attack or that you’re going to collapse or die. Panic attacks typically last between 5 to 30 minutes.

Some of the most common symptoms associated with panic attacks include:

• Rapid and irregular heartbeats
• Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
• Shaking
• Feeling sick
• Feeling disorientated
• Dry mouth
• Sweating 
• Dizziness

Panic attacks always pass and it can be helpful to use breathing exercises until the attack subsides. Many find it helpful to have someone with you to reassure you that your symptoms will pass.

Anxiety attacks can indicate severe anxiety or an anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder or generalised anxiety disorder. If you are experiencing panic attacks, you should speak to your GP or a mental health specialist to help you manage your symptoms and prevent future anxiety attacks.

While most people will go through periods of feeling unhappy or down at some point in their lives, depression is different. Clinical depression is when you feel sad for weeks or months, rather than a few days – it is not something you can “snap out of”.

Clinical depression affects people differently and the symptoms can vary from person to person. Generally speaking, you feel hopeless, a deep sense of sadness, and you lose interest in things that you used to enjoy. These symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks and can interfere with your social life, work or family life.

Some of the most common psychological symptoms of depression include:

• Low self-esteem
• Continuous low mood or sadness
• Feeling helpless or hopeless
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Feeling irritable or intolerant of others
• Having no motivation or interest in things
• Feeling tearful
• Not getting any enjoyment out of life
• Finding it difficult to concentrate or make decisions
• Feeling anxious or worried
• Having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself 

There are also some physical symptoms of depression which include:

• Changes in appetite or weight (usually decreased, but sometimes increased)
• Lack of energy
• Disturbed sleep – difficulty falling/staying to sleep or sleeping more than usual
• Moving or speaking slower than usual
• Constipation
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Loss of libido (low sex drive)

If you have been feeling depressed for more than 2 weeks and it has started to impact your quality of life, you should speak to your GP or a mental health specialist to help you manage your symptoms and form a treatment plan. 

If you are feeling suicidal, please contact a trusted family member, friend, work colleague or your local GP. Unfortunately, our service is not able to provide safe emergency care to support you. You can find information on where to find appropriate help and support on the HSE website.

There are different types of depression and depression can be a symptom of some conditions.

Postnatal Depression:

Some women develop postnatal depression after having a baby. This type of depression is treated in a similar way to other types of depression; treatment often includes talking therapies and antidepressant medication.

Seasonal Affective Disorder:

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is also known as “winter depression”. This type of depression often happens in winter, starting in autumn and improving in spring. The symptoms are the same as clinical depression.

Reactive Depression:

Reactive or “situational depression” is a short-term, stress-related type of depression. Often, this type of depression develops after you have experienced a traumatic event/s. Reactive depression is a type of adjustment disorder which means it can be hard for you to adjust to your everyday life after a traumatic event. Some events that can cause reactive depression include the illness/death of a loved one, relationship problems, problems at work/school, and falling ill yourself.