How old must I be to see a doctor alone?

I’m assuming you’re discussing women’s issues and birth control? In the US we have Planned Parenthood until the republicans cut it that helps young women see doctors and get birth control, often without paying. Is there a similar thing in Australia? I imagine you can do this stuff on your own if you’re older than, say 13, as long as the copay is paid and you can fill out the forms and get there on time. But I don’t know Australia.

No, not birth control…I’m a good girl… I have depression and sleeping issues and as I’m in high school it’s hard to study.. Thanks anyway

Phone your local doctors surgery and ask if it is possible to see a doctor without your parents.
You can get that info without giving your name.

I suspect you may get a Doctors consultation but doubt you will get the prozac without parents consent.

http://www.findlaw.com.au/articles/432/age-of-consent-to-medical-treatment.aspx

18 it seems (16 in SA, in special circumstances 14 in NSW). It varies between the states, and there seems to be some felxibility depending on the age of the individual, and perhaps with respect to the medical response being perscribed (ie. a doc might not worry if they were prescibing eyedrops to a 16 year old…but perhaps the legal risks there might stop them anyways).

But, regardless, seeing a doctor (regardless of whether they can medically intervene or not) sounds like a good idea regardless. He or she might help identify the cause of the problem (ie lack of sleep can cause depression), which might involve ceasing substances (ie. caffein, etc..), or changing lifestyle (eg. exercise, eating habits, reducing stress) rather than having a script filled.

Just be aware that they are likely to be legally obliged to involve your parents if active medical intervention is to be started, depending on where you are in Oz.

I don’t know about Australia but I would think it would be wise to tell your folks what is going on with your depression so they can find the proper doctor for you. Your regular doctor may not be who you need to see.

If you are at a boarding school I’m sure they will have a doctor. Perhaps you want to keep it private in which case just go for it and make an appointment with a local doctor. They are usually sympathetic souls and will give you good advice. Being away from home can be very stressful and lonely.

Talk to the health care worker at your boarding school. Every health care professional in Australia is bound by privacy laws (the specific Act varies between states) which are designed to allow this type of discussion to take place. If they betray your privacy, they could lose their job and be de-registered. They should be able to get you in contact with a doctor, who may then give you a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist depending on his/her assessment. However, the provision of prescriptions and most medical services to a person under 18 must be with the consent of a parent or guardian unless the relevant law provides for special circumstances. As @Odysseus said, your local doctor will be able to give you more information, and has a responsibility not to pass it on.

Ok so you can be any age from 12 to see a doctor alone in NSW, Australia. You must be over 16 to buy prescription medicine and you WONT get sleeping pills if your under 17. Which is total bollocks…due to being in risk of addiction..

@JustAnotherGirl There are alternatives which are preferable to sleeping pills, particularly for young people.

Chronic insomnia is highly prevalent in our society, with an incidence of 10 to 30 percent. It is a major cost to society in terms of health care expenditure and reduced productivity. Nonpharmacologic interventions have been studied and shown to produce reliable and sustained improvements in sleep patterns of patients with insomnia. Cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia has multiple components, including cognitive psychotherapy, sleep hygiene, stimulus control, sleep restriction, paradoxical intention, and relaxation therapy. Cognitive psychotherapy involves identifying a patient’s dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, challenging their validity, and replacing them with more adaptive substitutes. Sleep hygiene education teaches patients about good sleep habits. Stimulus control therapy helps patients to associate the bedroom with sleep and sex only, and not other wakeful activities. Sleep restriction therapy consists of limiting time in bed to maximize sleep efficiency. Paradoxical intention seeks to remove the fear of sleep by advising the patient to remain awake. Relaxation therapies are techniques taught to patients to reduce high levels of arousal that interfere with sleep. Cognitive behavior therapy involves four to eight weekly sessions of 60 to 90 minutes each, and should be used more frequently as initial therapy for chronic insomnia. (Am Fam Physician. 2009;79(2):125–130, 131–132. Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Family Physicians.)