The struggle for quality mental health treatment
By angel_smiles
@Lolaze (5093)
St. Louis, Missouri
December 19, 2015 11:37am CST
As I've written here before, I have mental illness and had a very rough 2015. I spent a grand total of eight months in treatment three times a week and the result was only partial stability. All the psychiatrists I've seen don't really seem to even care. Most spend 5 minutes with you at most, the last one I saw would book 4-5 people all for the same time slot even. Before that, I had a nurse practitioner refuse to adjust my medications when I was hallucinating on a daily basis. Getting decent treatment seems near impossible.
I have found a new psychiatrist - she's actually among the top 100 psychiatrists in the country. The first issues is that she doesn't take insurance and requires you to meet with her for two hour-long appointments to get established as a patient. The total for those appointments is over $800! My mom is going to pay for it out of savings left from my dad's life insurance, thankfully. The money is only my first concern though.
I'm really afraid my symptoms and my history is going to scare her and make her not want me as a patient. This is probably because I had a psychiatrist 'fire' me for admitting myself to the hospital this past year, yes you read that right - the doctor didn't want me as a patient anymore because I admitted myself to the hospital when I was suicidal. I guess she would've preferred I acted on my plan to kill myself? Anyway, I'm afraid that will happen again. I've been in the hospital seven times, one of those being for over a month in a residential treatment program. I have bipolar disorder with psychotic episodes. And I'm in the process of filing for disability because I can't work a job that supports myself. I'm kind of scary on paper.
So, my worst nightmare is going to see this doctor only to find out that she is afraid to treat me and I end up forced to go back to the doctors who spend 5 minutes with their patients and seem to have no clue how to help me.
7 people like this
6 responses
@celticeagle (165978)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Dec 15
I am so sorry to hear of your problems. I was diagnosed with severe depression with panic attacks in 2004 although I have had depression most of my life. I am now retired and disabled. I cannot find a med that helps me. I have one that works for the anxiety but not for the rest. Have even had a DNA test and tried the meds it reported. No go. My doc is good but she doesn't know of one that will help me. It sounds to me like you need to get some psychological help from people who really want to help you and that are not just out for themselves.
@celticeagle (165978)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Dec 15
@Lolaze ...I wish I had a therapist. Had a free one a few years back but they don't do that anymore and the one I went to after that I didn't like.
@OreoBrownie (3755)
• Commerce, Georgia
19 Dec 15
Gosh! You could maybe turn the cost into the insurance, but who has 800 bucks lying around?
That's $400 an hour! I was in the wrong field!
There is. Government psych in counties if you are in the US. it's based on your income.
My daughter just has to pay $20 for her psyc because her hubby has her on his company insurance. They also have medicine insurance coverage. Maybe you could make some phone calls to check on insurance.
@Lolaze (5093)
• St. Louis, Missouri
19 Dec 15
I am unfortunately in the process of waiting to get Medicaid and its taking awhile. It also seems like none of the good doctors take insurance in my city. The ones who do treat patients like an assembly line and book multiple people at the same time and spend 5 minutes at most talking to you.
@softbabe44 (5816)
• Vancouver, Washington
20 Dec 15
That's really bad that they have to act like that they sound like they would just want you to leave well enough alone sorry you're going through this not fun.
@Reese_so_Real (92)
• Atlanta, Georgia
20 Dec 15
Wow...this is an issue close to my heart because I also suffer with bipolar disorder and anxiety. I was miss diagnosed for years until I did my own research. I am sorry you have experienced this from the people that are there to help you. At no time should you concern yourself with other ppls ignorance. Because A. They should be happy to have you, without our issues they would have no pay check. And B. That one firing you may had be a good thing because that's not someone you want on your treatment team. You're right what if you had of followed through? I am going through something similar, I have been in shut-down mode for two weeks now missing two appointments. The reason being I feel what's the point. But I know my mind is my worst enemy and that if I wait to long I get worse. Well I'm here with you for support.
@Kaygreen1913 (162)
•
20 Dec 15
I hope everything works out for you. Finding good mental health treatment is definitely a pain.
