Evidence first
Research Triangle Park, Duke, UNC, and NC State attract scientists, engineers, clinicians, and analysts who expect conclusions to follow the data. A good psychiatric evaluation works the same way. Your provider gathers a careful history, uses validated scales, rules out medical causes, and only then reaches a working diagnosis and plan.
Common reasons people come in
Persistent low mood or anxiety, trouble focusing at work or in graduate school, sleep that has fallen apart, mood swings that worry family, or a desire for a second opinion on an old diagnosis. Many have tried a medicine from a primary care doctor and want a specialist's view.
What the visit covers
Your provider will ask about symptoms, when they began, and how they affect work, study, relationships, and sleep. You will review medical history, prescriptions, supplements, and alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and caffeine. Family history of depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, or addiction is especially useful.
Validated scales and labs
You will complete brief standardized measures, such as the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, which give a baseline for tracking change. When medical causes are possible, like thyroid disease, anemia, or sleep apnea, your provider may order labs or coordinate with your doctor at Duke Health, UNC Health, or WakeMed.
Clinical trial participants
The Triangle is one of the country's largest hubs for clinical research, and some patients are enrolled in drug studies. If you are in a trial, or have recently been, tell your provider. Study medicines can affect mood and sleep and may interact with psychiatric treatment.
Trauma and PTSD
Trauma reaches every community, including this one. Raleigh mourned the 2022 Hedingham shooting, and the UNC campus lived through a deadly shooting in 2023. Healthcare workers at the region's big hospitals see hard things daily. Others carry assault, accidents, military service, or childhood abuse. Post-traumatic stress disorder can show up as nightmares, hypervigilance, irritability, or avoidance. Your provider asks with care, sometimes using the PCL-5, and you choose what to share.
Bipolar spectrum screening
In high-achieving environments, hypomania can masquerade as a productive streak: little sleep, big ideas, rapid speech, impulsive spending. Your provider will ask about such periods, because in bipolar disorder an antidepressant alone can provoke mania. Recognizing it directs treatment toward a mood stabilizer.
Graduate students and trainees
PhD students, postdocs, residents, and medical students at Duke and UNC face long hours, uncertain futures, and imposter feelings. Your evaluation is confidential, and your provider can talk through any concerns about training programs or licensing.
State government and tech
Raleigh's state agencies and the region's tech companies bring deadline pressure and long screen hours. Burnout, anxiety, and undiagnosed ADHD are common reasons people come in.
New to the Triangle
Thousands move here every year. Relocation often means leaving support networks and a familiar prescriber. Bring records from your previous provider if you can.
Second opinions
Some patients come for a second opinion after years on a diagnosis that never quite fit. Bring prior records, past rating scale scores, and a list of medicines tried with doses and durations. A fresh, structured review sometimes confirms the original diagnosis and sometimes uncovers something missed, such as ADHD, bipolar spectrum features, or a sleep disorder.
Bring a collateral informant
A partner, parent, or close friend can add valuable history, especially about childhood, sleep, or changes you may not notice. You decide how much they participate, and you always have private time with your provider.
Duke, UNC, and NC State staff
Hospital and university employees sometimes prefer care outside their own institution for privacy. Seeing a provider at an independent practice keeps your records separate from your workplace's systems.
Your plan
You will leave with a working diagnosis, the reasoning behind it, and a plan that may include medicine through medication management, labs, or GeneSight testing if earlier medicines missed.
Two offices
Visit 2530 Meridian Pkwy in Durham or 9121 Anson Way in Raleigh. We see adults and teens 15 and older. No referral is needed to become a patient.
Why Choose Triangle Psychiatry and Mental Health?
- Board-certified psychiatric providers serving Durham and the Triangle area
- Research-backed treatment protocols
- Full documentation for all evaluations
- Coordinated care with your other providers across the region