Are you struggling to sleep, feeling stressed about work or avoiding social gatherings because you can’t face conversation? It might be a sign that you need to ask for help.
Whether it be a close friend or family member, or even a private GP, asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of and the earlier you do, the sooner you can start feeling like yourself again.
Now you may already have sought help before, found that it wasn’t as effective as you hoped or that you’ve noticed a recent dip in how you are feeling and are looking for some extra support – all of which are completely normal and more common than you think.
In this guide, we’re going to walk you through what primary care for mental health is, why accessing support through a private GP can make a real difference and what to ask when you’re ready to book your mental health assessment.
When to Seek Help: Signs It’s Time to See a Private GP
Consider a composite patient, “Sam”, a busy professional who arrives late to a morning appointment. Sam has been waking at four in the morning, scrolling through emails before getting out of bed and struggling to concentrate in meetings. Nothing feels catastrophic, but ordinary tasks now require a lot of effort.
Sam isn’t sure whether this is anxiety, depression, exhaustion, or that he’s simply not coping.
Not knowing what it is is common.
Mental health symptoms can be complex and overlap with each other: Anxiety can cause headaches, stomach symptoms and poor sleep. Depression can look like irritability, fatigue or loss of motivation rather than obvious sadness. Burnout may overlap with both, while thyroid problems, anaemia, medication effects, hormonal changes and other physical conditions can produce similar experiences.
Knowing when you should seek help, however, is the most important thing, so you’re not waiting until crisis point before speaking to someone.
It’s recommended to speak to a private GP, as soon as you start noticing that your symptoms are affecting daily life, including relationships, work and sleep.
You will know in yourself if something has changed, and if you’re comfortable enough, make the closest people around you aware so that they can support and give you the confidence to take it to a professional, whatever that may look like.
See below some common examples:
- Difficulty working
- Withdrawing from friends
- Eating differently
- Drinking more
- Losing interest in previously enjoyable activities
- Feeling unable to manage responsibilities
A private GP appointment doesn’t require you to arrive with a diagnosis. You can describe what has changed, how long it has been happening and how it’s affecting you.
The first conversation is the first step towards a clearer way forward.
Private Mental Health Assessments: What’s Included
Primary care is the main entry point for recognising and treating poor mental health. A mental health assessment is a conversation between you and a mental health professional to decide what kind of support you need.
Depending on the outcome of your conversation, you may be referred to a specialist mental health doctor, such as a psychiatrist, for a more advanced assessment. These tend to be longer appointments and a more in-depth review of how you’re feeling.
A specialist mental health assessment will cover everything from:
- Mental health symptoms
- Thoughts and feelings
- Physical wellbeing
- Work
- Housing
- Finances
- Relationships
- Past treatments or therapies
- Safety
This assessment will allow you enough time to talk openly, ask questions, and decide what level of support you need. If you feel at any point uncomfortable or do not want to discuss any of these topics, you don’t have to. However, talking about it might be just what you need and also be a large contributor to why you’re feeling the way you’re feeling – getting to the root cause.
At The Lagom Clinic, we offer comprehensive psychiatry appointments for people who need more than a quick review or require a specialist. We take time to understand what you’re experiencing now, when it started, how it’s evolved, and any previous diagnoses, therapies, or treatments.
As well as symptoms, we also take into account context. This includes lifestyle factors such as sleep, energy and routine, as well as physical health and any medical conditions as these can all make a difference to how you’re feeling as well as the best approach or treatment moving forward.
How Private GP Mental Health Care Adds Value
Private primary care doesn’t replace the NHS, and isn’t a guarantee of faster recovery. The main difference between private and NHS is often:
- Less waiting time
- Longer appointments
- Continuity
- Coordination
A short NHS appointment can be effective for a focused problem, but a longer consultation may allow a you to explain the sequence of symptoms, work demands, family pressures, previous treatment and physical changes without reducing the story to one presenting complaint.
Mind’s 2025 Big Mental Health Report found that 33% of people who accessed GP support said it didn’t meet their needs, compared with 27% in 2019. It also found that 34% said they had previously been treated unfairly when receiving support from their GP. In the same survey, 66% accessed support through their GP in 2025, down from 71% in 2019.
This is where longer appointments help.
A private GP appointment may be useful when you need:
- More time to explain the pattern: A 30- or 60-minute appointment can explore overlapping anxiety, low mood, burnout, sleep disruption and physical symptoms.
- A named clinician: Continuity makes it easier to review whether a plan is helping rather than restarting the history each time.
- Physical assessment: Blood tests or an ECG may be considered where symptoms suggest a physical contributor or medication safety issue.
- Lifestyle-focused care: Nutrition, exercise, alcohol, stress and work patterns can be addressed alongside clinical treatment.
- Coordinated referral: A private GP can help identify whether psychological therapy, psychiatry, imaging or another specialist is appropriate.
At The Lagom Clinic, we offer 30- to 60-minute appointments allowing you more time to discuss your mental health concern with our team of doctors more generally.
Next Steps: Booking Your Private Mental Health Appointment
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health and is looking for private primary care support, we can help.
The mental health service at The Lagom Clinic includes:
- Specialist psychiatric input within a wider private GP and lifestyle medicine setting
- A whole-person approach rather than symptom-only care
- Clear explanations and practical next steps
- The option of joined-up care with your GP and other clinicians, with your consent
Think you may need a more advanced psychiatry appointment?
Consultant General Adult Psychiatrist, Dr Kitty Farooq has over twenty years’ experience helping adults with ADHD, depression and anxiety. Offering a warm, collaborative and evidence‑based approach, Kitty combines the appropriate use of medication with lifestyle interventions, so that your treatment feels personal, practical and effective.
Contact us today for a broader, calmer and thoughtful approach to mental health.
Remember: Seek urgent help if you have thoughts of harming yourself, feel unable to stay safe, deteriorate rapidly, become detached from reality or experience hallucinations, delusional beliefs or extreme agitation.
Contact urgent NHS services or emergency services when immediate safety is at risk. Don’t wait for a routine review.
Members Consultation