To get a psychologist/psychiatrist. I really don't have any insurance, and i definantely couldn't afford it... but I've got some problems i've came to realize I would like to work through, and therapy or medication im gonna give it a shot, at least get a session with like a therapist or somethin, to get an educated opinion on what might be wrong with me, not really gonna get into symptoms and whats wrong, but I just need some advice on how to go about it, and I figure this is the best place to ask on here... well, anyone wanna tell me how they went about it? like did you just go to the regular doctor and tell them whats wrong, and did they refer you to someone, or did you have to go to some certain place?
A friend of mine went to her GP, and they gave her all the details she needed as they aren't qualified to deal with such things. Otherwise, check the yellow pages (the American equivalent whatever it may be), I know it sounds silly, but again I knew someone who just rang a number from the book for alcohol therapy. But yeah I would say go to your GP first, see what they say. Even if was the wrong place to be you will at least knew where you should be going by the end of it. Chin up man, obviously no idea what's wrong but shame to hear when people have any degree of problems.
well okay i think i can help a bit. for reference i'm in the northeastern US, though i don't wanna be much more specific. new england though, so i don't know if your area has drastically different methods, if in the US probably not though. a couple years back i went to my normal doctor for some mental issues. this is actually a good place to start because sometimes, certain problems can be rooted in a physical complication (brain tumor, thyroid problems, etc) so it's important to explain what's going on so that your doctor can run tests as they see fit. once that's cleared away, which it probably will be, they'll tell you it might be a good idea to see a therapist/psychiatrist etc.... they usually have some good resources and could definitely give you some numbers/places where you'll find what you're looking for... when i went, they even gave it to me by category- "here's a number for psychiatry (medicine), here's one for cognitive therapy" etc etc. as always don't be afraid to try a couple different things out; it might take a few tries before you find someone you're comfortable with/a method that works for you. i did have insurance at this point though so i should say that this method is likely to be expensive, but definitely mention to your GP doctor your concerns about money and see what they can do for you. i did that for a while but kinda gave up on it (didn't like the first therapist i met with and made the mistake of just forgetting about it instead of finding someone i did like). so it has been a few years but recently i was involved in a research study that focuses on schizophrenia, conducted by a local clinic. this clinic is really good about money/payments and really it's a community based thing that focuses on getting people help even when they might not be able to afford it. i'm sure there are other places like this, it just might take some digging but definitely ask and/or research for local clinics, especially ones that may specialize in whatever is going on with you. as i don't know your exact monetary situation i don't know what you can/can't do, but i went through both of those and had very good results. hope you find what you're looking for, it sucks trying to find some help with no way to really pay for it.
Thanks you two, I appreciate you taking the time to post that to help me out... I'm kinda hesitant though, because I know when you do go to therapy and such, they might put you on meds... and im not against it, if its what i need, but ive had a few close friends put on meds, and it seemed to have made them worse off, im afraid they might experiment with medications and it might bring me fucked up worse than I am when I went in you know? I'm really wanting to get a therapist, It'd be nice to just have an educated person, like listen to me, and diagnose though, and just to have someone to help me through problems within that im not comfortable letting out you know, cause it stays confidential. im tryin my best to think positive and be happy but for so many years, its like ill get into feelin generally happy for a few days or so, and then it just hits and im like damn, life fuckin sucks, its like long cycles of depression and anxiety, that only goes away very rarely, mostly i wrestle with it on a daily basis. i've been like this for al ong time, later years of elementary school like it just hit me and stuck like depressed for long ass times and then moments of "clarity" as i call it, but its usually back to sad ol me. i just wanna be happy, and feel good about myself enough to put myself out in the world, and work on tangible things that make me happy, but i cant do that until i get myself stable you know? yet again, appreciate the advice you two, and anyone else that comes along, much appreciated. ill defianantely work on the things you to said to do, as I think it would benefit me very much. peace.
Check the yellow pages under psychiatry, and there are some places that are actually income based. And if you dont make much money or you dont have a job, its free. (the meds arent of course, but sometimes they have a pharmacy in the place so you get them really cheap) Also, if you are prescribed any medication, i would highly recommend that you research it on the net before taking it. Heres a great site that has info on alot of drugs. http://www.crazymeds.us dont mind the name, its a well made site and very helpful.
ah yes... quite a good idea. thanks for the site, i usually go to erowid, and this is just a good extension to the knowledge gained there.
oh yeah man i totally know where you're coming from, meds definitely are not the answer for everyone. the first guy i saw wasn't even licensed to prescribe any medication, he wasn't a medical doctor. his method was strictly talk therapy and non-medicated techniques which is probably a good road for you to go down... as always, if you get to the point where you think meds might be a good idea (which is possible) then you can always give it a shot, don't feel like you need to commit to something just for the sake of having "already made a decision". it's the job of a psychiatrist to prescribe, because they are medical doctors, so if you're looking for the natural route, i'd stay away from psychs... try looking for cognitive therapists and the like, and again don't be afraid to ditch someone if they're not working well with you... that's the only reason i stopped, and i didn't care enough to keep looking but really, finding a good therapist can totally be the difference. anyway i gotta say it's good that you're not running to a pill like a lot of people might... the way you're looking at going, you're going to learn some things that are going to be much better off in the long run... in my opinion meds should really be a last resort kind of thing only when absolutely necessary, and even then it should just be a temporary thing to get people back on their feet while helping them to learn other methods that they can use for themselves.
I guess its always a good idea to check the yellow pages or whatever. When i went to go see mine my mom went to my doctor and she sent me to one.... I also have insurance though.
