Free or low-cost mental health care?

[trailerparkmedic]

Depression sucks. Hang in there and PM me if you need to talk (been there, done that... several times).

[Dave1982]

Still here. I did get outside for a while today and helped my father set up the rain barrels we recently bought.

[Der Cute]

Cool! glad you're doing ok and getting some exercise. Keep going buddy...and journal some of the thoughts that run through your mind. It'll help when the psych asks you "Hey so how is stuff" and you don't go blank.

C

[BookstoreEscapee]

My mom told me that "if we can afford to fix Tasha's knees," (Tasha is one of our cats) then we could afford to get me the help I need. And my dad reminded me that his company stock option was just bought out, which is netting him a significant amount of take-home cash, and that if some of that needs to go to helping me get better, then so be it.

That's great that your parents are supportive and willing to help. Before I first started meds (about 7 years ago; been off them almost a year), my mom had a conversation with my then-boyfriend (on IM, which she printed out for me to read later) and then she and my dad did a little "intervention" with me. Then she went with me to the doctor. The first week on meds I was really dizzy; my parents and boyfriend gave me rides to/from work, and a couple people at work also gave me rides home a couple nights when I closed.

Also, Vitamin B complexes and Omega 3/6/9 Fatty Acids are nice to have on hand. NatureMade brand, gel capsules, easy to swallow/digest. Those will help your overall mood. But to get truly stable, you need the professional help.

There's some evidence that low levels of Vitamin D can contribute to depression, too. Might be something to get checked out (especially if you don't spend a lot of time outside and/or drink a lot of fortified milk). I had some blood work done about 6 months ago and my D levels were low; now I take 1000 mg, and also B-complex.

[Dave1982]

And I made it through work today without any significant difficulties. No meltdowns.

I think what happened yesterday was that it was very slow, and we were on a skeleton crew so I was all alone on my side of the store, so I had no one to talk to (customers or colleagues) and all I was doing was throwing freight, which is monotonous and mind-numbing, so I had nothing but my own thoughts, which started eating me up and led to me losing it.

So today, even though it was slow again, I had more work to do, and made a point of keeping myself busy, preferably with tasks that kept my mind occupied so my thoughts wouldn't turn dismal again. I also asked Focker to keep an eye on me and check in with me every 30 minutes or so to make sure I was OK and wasn't on the verge of losing it again, and to make sure to keep me busy. He did do this, but even though he supposedly passed these instructions on to the closing MOD (our new sales manager that I haven't thought up a pseudonym for yet), she did not do any of those things. She's the only manager in all day tomorow, so I'll have to have a talk with her about it because this isn't a joke.

Anyway, one other thing I learned last night that I forgot to pass on was something my father said. Now my brother has depression and has been on medication for it for years (he's 2 years younger than me). According to ny father, both he and my mother carry a gene that means all of us (me and my brothers) are predisposed to developing depression. I don't know how he knows this; perhaps they were tested during the years it took to stabilize my brother (he has other issues besides depression). I don't think knowing that really changes anything, but if it's true, then my kid brother (10 years younger than me) should be careful, because if both myself and my other brother developed depression, then his odds may not be that favorable.

[Dave1982]

Every week my church offers Anointing of the Sick after the 11AM mass (which is the one I always go to). I know depression qualifies for it, so I think I'll ask for it tomorrow. It certainly can't hurt. I just hope I don't need a diagnosis in hand (though I don't think I do, and in any case I would be shocked if what i have turns out to not me depression).

[trailerparkmedic]

Every week my church offers Anointing of the Sick after the 11AM mass (which is the one I always go to). I know depression qualifies for it, so I think I'll ask for it tomorrow. It certainly can't hurt. I just hope I don't need a diagnosis in hand (though I don't think I do, and in any case I would be shocked if what i have turns out to not me depression).

Too late now, but normally priests are pretty cool about doing it for whoever asks (assuming you're Catholic, they're the ones I'm familiar with). Hope today's MOD is as cool as Focker was yesterday.

[Dave1982]

Checking in again. I'm going to call the place I found again tomorrow, on the off-chance that they are open.

And I did get anointed. Father R didn't question it, he just did the anointing, then told me to make sure I get the professional help I need.

[Magpie]

Couple of comments

My friend who committed suicide in March was very determined to not be a burden on his parents. He finally went to a private hospital for help (it did do him some good). One of the main reasons he didn't go earlier was because it would cost his parents money, and he didn't listen to them when they said they could pay it.

If this is a chemical imbalance then you want to get it treated ASAP. Because even once they get your brain chemistry back to normal you're still going to be depressed - you've learned certain ways of thinking that are now normal for you. So the sooner you can get yourself out of these habits of how to think the easier it will be to do it.

And it's great that you're getting help. Anointing of the sick, seeing mental health professionals, talking to coworkers and family. These are all very good things to do.

[Dave1982]

The place I found down the street from my store just called back. The receptionist has to check around with the various profesionals there and see who has open slots, but she said that given my availability, there should be no problem fitting me in! In the meantime, An initial eval is $150 and each session after is $125, though there's a possibility we could negotiate it down a bit if necessary. I need to check with my family to see if that rate is do-able, and I'll hear back tomorrow about availability.

and the Community Health Center, which I called first? Still nothing from them.

[Der Cute]

and the Community Health Center, which I called first? Still nothing from them.

Sweety, comm mental centers are usually overbooked and under paid. These are the places that the nutty streetwalkers go to. The ones that keep mumbling "I hate marshmallows I hate marshmallows I hate marshmallows" go here, due to low cost, somewhat decent mental health care.

I'd start with the first place you quoted, ask if they do cash discounts, and go from there.

Remember: not all psych/shrinks work on the first few tries.

The process you're going to go thru here is this:
Intake - asking you bazillions of questions so they have some idea on how to approach you. Such as : Have you used any drugs in your life. Have you used any drugs in the last 30 days. Do you have mental illness in your family. Have you done any self harm.

The next step is to sit down with a person and start chatting about how you feel.
A lot of these will be open ended questions, so they're expecting you to talk, and they'll prod gently if they need more info.

The problem I see happening with this (IMO, and experience) is that it's HARD AS HECK to trust a person when they're asking you "Oh Hey, have you shot anyone today?" personal, deep questions...the stuff you've got locked up for reasons.

You have to trust them. And it's also emotionally draining to bring those dark down issues UP to the front, verbalize, process and hear advice on it.

And what if you just don't like the person? You have to do it all over again.

What Im saying: Don't expect miracles for the first 3 visits. Go in with trust, but listen to your gut. Be open, they need that, be honest, they need that, but be patient.

It takes time to find a drug & treatment, it takes time to adjust dosage, then it also takes time to start talking about the issues in you AFTER you've got your brain balanced.

Start now by writing out pros & cons about your life. Just WRITE and don't edit. Have the pen be your gut talking. Keep this, for later.

Cutenoob

[Dave1982]

Sweety, comm mental centers are usually overbooked and under paid. These are the places that the nutty streetwalkers go to. The ones that keep mumbling "I hate marshmallows I hate marshmallows I hate marshmallows" go here, due to low cost, somewhat decent mental health care.

I know. But it's still aggravating to not even get a call back when you know you need the help.

Anyway, the place that did return my call will be calling again tomorrow to set up an initial appointment (most of them were off today so they couldn't do it right then), and quoted the rates. I told my parents what the rate was, and my father just said "not a problem" and my mother will be writing me a check to cover 10 visits. That is so incredibly helpful. I feel better already just knowing that they are behind me 100%.

[Der Cute]

Poke! Anyone home?

[Dave1982]

Still here. Had my first session yesterday, and so far all I can report is that they don't think I'll need any meds.

[fireheart]

Still here. Had my first session yesterday, and so far all I can report is that they don't think I'll need any meds.

unless they are a psychiatrist, they can't give you meds anyway. Just give it time, but if your depression is the non-melancholic type, you may be responsive to therapies other than medication.