I’ve been clinically depressed for 43 years and I’m all out of energy, I just got a list of therapists from my insurance carrier and now begins the long series of no’s since nobody accepts new clients in general. After the holiday silll be a long series of phone calls to find a shrink who’s accepting new patient’s going to be awful to hear that long series of no’s, But at ;east I did somethin constructive for a change.
Is there anyone who can make those phone calls for you? Having somebody else weed out the immediate no’s might be helpful.
Getting helpful medical care, whether physical or mental, can be so frustrating and exhausting. Wishing you the best in climbing that mountain and finding peace on the other side.
Yeah, been there. It’s a lot to ask, when you’re already so wiped out that you can barely get through the day as it is.
And then after finally finding a therapist and psychiatrist, the process of working past the depression was just…hard. But it was worth it. Years later, life is much easier.
Wishing you luck. Never give up.
I know that feeling and am sorry you’ve had to cope with it sooooooo long. In terms of “at least doing something constructive for a change,” great that you’re trying to get it sorted. It’s easy for someone to say “don’t be so hard on yourself” but basically impossible to do that. Hoping the right person will have a spot free for you…
I just went through my carrier’s list of providers, and most of them are now addiction specialists only. I guess that’s where the money is.
I had my DNA tested for my metabolization of medications. Turns out I am a slow metabolizer for SSRIs and tricyclics, so I don’t get any of the benefits, but all of the side effects. It did explain my dismal history with most psych meds.
Good luck.
Just keep on keeping on. That’s pretty much all you can do, one step and then another. We’re pulling for you.
I can imagine how you feel. My wife works from home as a virtual secretary for a child psychiatrist, and several times a year I’ll hear her telling callers that “the doctor is not accepting new patients. Please call back in two months, and I’ll have a better idea when he’ll start adding new patients again.”
I wish you luck in your search. Hang in there.
I was in your place in January, but luckily got a heads up from my OB/GYN when I got a list of people they recommend. If they haven’t already done so, any of your current physicians can prescribe you Welbutrin and you can get it building up in your system while you look for a counselor-type who’s accepting new patients. It can take a few weeks of it to feel any change, plus only an MD would be able to prescribe them for you anyway.
I was likewise tired of being depressed; I’m much better now, though I’m still waiting to get in w/ my preferred practice after a couple of false starts w/ other shrinks (one wanted me to see her twice a week for the first 2 months at $160/session along w/ other issues).
For real, start w/ your regular or most recent physician; I know you’ve seen more white coats in the last year than you care to think about.
I’ll be following this thread. I don’t wish to steal MM’s thunder, but I’ve been feeling this way, too, for a while.
Harsh to hear, MM. I must admit I’m naively stunned that the default answer is " No new patients ". How do they continue their cash flow? I know, crass as hell, but seriously- why are you facing an endless run of No’s ??
I hope you find someone to work with. Not just someone. A Good Fit.
Damn, I’m really sorry to hear this. It just sucks with finding a doctor that sees new patients and then coordinating to make sure they take your insurance. Stick with it, hopefully you’ll find a good match.
That’s not uncommon with docs who have been around for a while Their practice gets full. It’s either no new patients or existing patients have to wait six months for an appointment. They will take the occasional new patient from a referral to replace the attrition. As they get even older, they want to work fewer hours so they are fine with some attrition.
Anyway, I have a lot of sympathy for all who are going through this.
The problem is, at least in the US, insurance companies are reluctant to reimburse much for mental health services. There is a shortage of psychiatrists, particularly psychiatrists who will accept insurance.
Before I could go into the session w/ the last hopeful shrink, she had 3 pages of penalties/collection efforts I had to agree to. I understand her POV but it still didn’t help the environment feel like a healing one when I’m already being treated like a deadbeat-to-be.
I dunno…a therapist isn’t likely to really cure anyone, or if they do it will be over a long period of time. If you have 100 patients and they are all coming for half hour or hour-long sessions every week or every two weeks, or even less frequently than that, your schedule can get filled up. Why not?
Anyway, sorry you’re having trouble MM. Trouble in life, and trouble finding a fix. I’m proud of you for taking the first steps to feeling better!
I can no longer take any meds due to a breakdown of my blood/brain barrier so, along with my long term psychiatrist, have had to work out how to live with the illness while trying to minimise the harm of it. It took a long time to find my answers but time passes whether you use it or not.
For me it turned out that lifting heavy stuff over and over causes my brain to make its own medicine. I was not thrilled with this discovery being a fat lazy git melded to my chair but for me movement is magic. I work out to exhaustion most days, it keeps the demons too buggered to be arsed annoying me.
I started small with a bit of walking, it was bloody hard to do but I made it my job. I just kept adding on because I could see breaks in my personal cloud. I also found that some foods I loved were making me sluggish and my head turned that into grey moods, they made life harder so had to go. I can’t drink alcohol and not drown in misery later.
Your brain may well respond to something while you wait, even a little break can make life possible for the next minute. Pay attention to when those breaks come and try to expand them. I need a little bit of sun a day for instance, just a little.
I am not claiming to be cured, I just get rest breaks from the shit…and lifting really heavy stuff repeatedly makes me very useful when jars need opening or shopping needs carrying.
In case of emergency i have a loaded deadlift bar in the other room, yes, I know how stupid that sounds for a flappy, flabby old woman but fuck it, after a lifetime of wanting to die I am well over worrying about appearing stupid.
I hope you can find some small answers while you wait for big ones.