Venting The either/or of mental health care

[TheQ22]

They exist, for sure, I'm happy you've found one of them! I had a therapist some years back who was quite nice. I don't know if she actually helped that much, but I guess her vibe was good so it always felt good to just go there and vent a little. But this was when I still had the perks of being a minor, so I met with her for two years and we only stopped on my request. Now it seems I should be ecstatic if I can get 15 sessions.



Ah yes of course, because every doctor who was born, raised and trained here is automatically good at their job.

I'm just gobsmacked that was their solution.

 

[ceelo]

Any time I see a doctor about any problem, they'll ask if I'm working or how work is going. It's like the primary objective of any health care system is not to keep us healthy but to keep us as wage earning tax payers. If they do keep us healthy, it isn't for our own peace and happiness but to make sure we contribute. And if we can't do that, too bad so sad.

this is entirely correct, its why the entire mental health push atm is a giant load of shit that cares only about mobilising you as a taxpayer and thus NEVER tackles the problems making everyone miserable in the first place because they dont want to rock the boat. I went to an anxiety group once and no lie they were using a fucking corporate training method on us.

the UK mental health system is a joke, (if this is where you are) even if they do take you seriously, they still don't seem to care!

this also, im in a bad way with some fucked up somatoform anxiety disorder thats VERY extreme, i had a kind of seizure the other day where i couldnt open my left eye and shit, phoned doc and was treated like a total cunt as if im an exaggerating time waster when i had perfect fucking health and was an athlete for until 33, he was angry i had used the word seizure and basically told me it was nothing ... ive been chronically debilitated and ill for 17 months.,

 

[Sarahlynn]

This is my experience as well. I have been depressed for as long as I can remember, and have apparently tried all possible antidepressants, combinations, some anti-psycothics and even ketamine. Nothing helps. But I am not sick enough for admission anywhere (not that I want to). I got an autism diagnosis a few years back, and now we are at "oh well, we can't cure autism, and depression is a common co-morbidity, you have to learn to live with it".

Everyone has said that I should get on disability, including psychs. I resisted as I wanted to work, but my last attempt at working I am now about to burn to shreds, and I am sicker than I have ever been.

Turns out, now I have demonstrated that I "can" work, so I am no longer eligible for 100% disability. Who is going to want to hire someone with higher education (no part time positions in my field, so will have to look into entry level jobs), on half disability, with months long episodes of crippling depression each year... There is no way I am going to be able to keep my apartment on 50% disability. Haven't been completely sure about CTB'ing, but guess the choice has been made for me now.

 

[moonchild]

I'm just gobsmacked that was their solution.

I can give you that, but to be fair, her main solution was mostly medication, which is very standard. And even exercise is pushed as a big thing when it comes to mental health, so it's not really out of the ordinary. Since my first post, I've had multiple follow ups with the same doctor and she's also written a referral, so it's not that what she's doing is strange and out of the ordinary. It's standard practice, which is exactly the problem.

 

[moonchild]

This is my experience as well. I have been depressed for as long as I can remember, and have apparently tried all possible antidepressants, combinations, some anti-psycothics and even ketamine. Nothing helps. But I am not sick enough for admission anywhere (not that I want to). I got an autism diagnosis a few years back, and now we are at "oh well, we can't cure autism, and depression is a common co-morbidity, you have to learn to live with it".

Everyone has said that I should get on disability, including psychs. I resisted as I wanted to work, but my last attempt at working I am now about to burn to shreds, and I am sicker than I have ever been.

Turns out, now I have demonstrated that I "can" work, so I am no longer eligible for 100% disability. Who is going to want to hire someone with higher education (no part time positions in my field, so will have to look into entry level jobs), on half disability, with months long episodes of crippling depression each year... There is no way I am going to be able to keep my apartment on 50% disability. Haven't been completely sure about CTB'ing, but guess the choice has been made for me now.

Damn, I'm so sorry, that sounds awful. I don't know where you live, and I'm not saying this is the same, but personally I've always felt lucky to be born in my country (I'm in Scandinavia, for context) because it seemed like even if you're in a worst case scenario, the government will make sure you at least have enough money to live a somewhat normal life. I do think that's an excellent idea, but now that I've had a brief encounter with social security/benefits (?), it's been absolutely horrible. Like, I managed to sweet talk my abusive father into transferring $500, just so I could pay my rent right before it was due, and then I couldn't get anything for the next month because I apparently "have income". Wow, thanks... It's not like this makes me XXX times more suicidal... :)

 

[Sarahlynn]

Damn, I'm so sorry, that sounds awful. I don't know where you live, and I'm not saying this is the same, but personally I've always felt lucky to be born in my country (I'm in Scandinavia, for context) because it seemed like even if you're in a worst case scenario, the government will make sure you at least have enough money to live a somewhat normal life. I do think that's an excellent idea, but now that I've had a brief encounter with social security/benefits (?), it's been absolutely horrible. Like, I managed to sweet talk my abusive father into transferring $500, just so I could pay my rent right before it was due, and then I couldn't get anything for the next month because I apparently "have income". Wow, thanks... It's not like this makes me XXX times more suicidal... :)

Thanks. Scandinavian as well. I am super grateful for being born here, don't get me wrong. I will probably get some degree of disability, but not enough to actually live on. I will get the additional "sosialhjelp" (same as they denied you?), but that is a hassle to deal with every month for the rest of your life, as you constantly have to apply, it is often late, and you have to lay every bit of your economy bare to random people on a monthly basis to be deemed worthy.

I have a central 1 bedroom apt by myself, that is too expensive for sosialhjelp to cover, so I will have to sell. Probably have to get some shitty, noisy apartment somewhere else... Have to sell my car. Can not have any savings or security money for stuff like sudden dentist visits or if something, like my phone, has to be renewed. Won't have economy to do anything but exist. When I struggle as much as I do with a "comfy" lifestyle, living with constant economic worries will be too hard. If I had gotten 100% disability, I would have been able to at least keep my home and live a somewhat normal life.

For people from elsewhere in the world, I probably sound like a horrid, spoiled brat right now... :(

 

[Zorya]

Where I live mental "care" is a living hell.

 

[moonchild]

Thanks. Scandinavian as well. I am super grateful for being born here, don't get me wrong. I will probably get some degree of disability, but not enough to actually live on. I will get the additional "sosialhjelp" (same as they denied you?), but that is a hassle to deal with every month for the rest of your life, as you constantly have to apply, it is often late, and you have to lay every bit of your economy bare to random people on a monthly basis to be deemed worthy.

I have a central 1 bedroom apt by myself, that is too expensive for sosialhjelp to cover, so I will have to sell. Probably have to get some shitty, noisy apartment somewhere else... Have to sell my car. Can not have any savings or security money for stuff like sudden dentist visits or if something, like my phone, has to be renewed. Won't have economy to do anything but exist. When I struggle as much as I do with a "comfy" lifestyle, living with constant economic worries will be too hard. If I had gotten 100% disability, I would have been able to at least keep my home and live a somewhat normal life.

For people from elsewhere in the world, I probably sound like a horrid, spoiled brat right now... :(

Yep, that's the one. I can't imagine living like that for any long period of time, for all the reasons you stated. I understand it's only meant to be the last safety net, but it's not like you magically start being able to function all on your own thanks to that one (1) thing that makes you no longer eligible. Much like with mental health care, I feel like there's very limited resources for the "in between", and you essentially have to put yourself in a worse position to even get any help or assistance. Which I suppose your situation is a perfect example of. Then there's also minimal coordination between different government agencies so you have to navigate everything by yourself. As if I'm not suicidal enough already ://

Sometimes I also feel like a whiny brat, but just because someone has it worse doesn't mean I/you don't have it bad. "A somewhat normal life" isn't even that much to ask for, in an ideal world of course.