A question for doctors

[FONT=&quot]If my character were to visit her GP or family doctor and show signs of mental illness would the doctor try to treat her for the illness or would the patient have to actually ask for mental health help? Would he recommend that she see a psychologist? If so, is that something she would have to agree to? How exactly does a general practitioner deal with a patient who may or may not have mental health issues? My story takes place in present day in Canada.
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My character is suffering from psychosis. She has hallucinations, but does not see them as such. To her, they are reality. She also struggles with reality, so that she thinks various people (such as her neighbor) are out to “get” her (she is not clear on the how) even though there is no reason for her to think so. She talks very excitedly and nervously, with no real notion of how her behavior is perceived by others. Obviously, this makes her somewhat isolated, although she views her behavior as normal. She also has trouble with her thoughts (my research indicates this is formal thought disorder) so she has trouble maintaining a normal conversation. Her conversation switches topics mid-sentence and she veers off on tangents or onto other topics with no real notion that conversations have an ebb and flow. In the scope of the story, this character has been this way for years but has recently begun making threats and has been dishing out some verbal abuse to those who are closest to her.

So, in my story the protagonist's daughter has sent her to a GP for an evaluation. The character is exhibiting all of the above and now I’m not quite sure how the doctor would realistically react. The plot does not hinge on what the doc says, but I would like it to be realistic. After the doctor’s visit, the story veers back to the daughter’s perspective, but I am having trouble wrapping up the scene. A lot of the information I am finding online is very general and does not tell me what would go on in the doctor’s office.

Hi Skyraven,

Thank you – that does help a lot. If the patient is sent to a psychologist when the physical turns up no medical explanation, what would happen if the patient did not want to go? My character thinks she is “normal” and therefore would not react well to the idea of a psychologist. I guess I am just wondering how that conversation would take place, since my character does not see her behavior as “symptoms” or as abnormal in any way, if that makes sense.

Would it go something like this:

Doctor: “There are some symptoms that I am worried about. I would like you to see a specialist that comes highly recommended?”

Or

Doctor: “I am worried about some of the behavioral symptoms you are exhibiting. My tests have ruled out a medical explanation but I would like you to see a colleague of mine…”

Or

Doctor: “I am worried about some of the symptoms I have observed during our last visit. I have not been able to find any physical causes, but I would strongly urge you to speak to a psychologist…”

?

I have developed a nice doctor character but because I am having trouble picturing the scene, everything I try to get him to say sounds weird and stilted.

Hi Skyraven,

Thank you again. I get it – so the doc would be pretty upfront about the need for a psychologist and wouldn’t try to tiptoe around the issue? I could do that. If the patient refuses or gets insulting with the doc, is it ultimately up to her to not go to see the psychologist or would the physician try to compel her to go?

Thank you so much! That answers my questions and I am off to work on that story and finish that scene.

Thank you, GeorgeK and TerzaRima. That gives me a whole new perspective on the story. I can't tone down the character's symptoms too much because of the plot, but I am now re-writing to make the doctor's response include a recommendation to hospitalize. Thanks again, everyone, for replying with such detail. This is really helpful.