[HD7970GHZ]

Hey everyone,

I was just thinking about how much time and money I've spent dealing with my mental health issues - and was shocked to reflect on it! I'm curious what other people's experiences have been! Please share!

Here's mine:

Early Psychosis Treatment - 2 years (Twice monthly sessions)
Inpatient Hospital Ward - 33 days
Outpatient Care Facility - 2 months
Outpatient Hospital Programs - 50 days
Mental Health Therapists - well over 100 sessions
DBT - 2 years (Just starting)

I don't even want to consider the costs. Luckily I am in Canada. All I gotta say is you lot in the USA are extraordinarily strong people considering the high cost of mental health care and the resilience in moving forward despite all the challenges!

Thanks,
HD7970GHZ

[Crazy Hitch]

I can't say I'm good at counting these things as you are.

But it's fair to say I've seen 3 psychologists, 4 pdocs, outpatient crisis care and a flip load of money on medications!!

Pdoc wants me to start DBT but the hospital waiting lists for group treatments can have a 6-12 month waiting period so she might be referring me to a one on one psychologist for DBT - although she did say long term studies have shown group sessions are more beneficial in the long term than one on one. Dunno.

[The_little_didgee]

Why were you in an early intervention program? Was your BPD mistaken for the psychotic prodrome?

[Espresso]

I haven't really kept track, but here goes:

DBT for more than a year
inpatient 3-ish weeks
3 visits to the psych ER
3 psychiatrists (1x / month)
a couple therapists (1-4x / month)
6 medications
$550 out of pocket not including insurance premiums (considering all I listed above, this amount actually isn't too bad)

[dancinglady]

Originally Posted by Espresso

I haven't really kept track, but here goes:

DBT for more than a year
inpatient 3-ish weeks
3 visits to the psych ER
3 psychiatrists (1x / month)
a couple therapists (1-4x / month)
6 medications
$550 out of pocket not including insurance premiums (considering all I listed above, this amount actually isn't too bad)

Ready for this one:
Psychologists - 2
Psychiatrists - 10
Medications too many to count
DBT - almost 2 years
LCSWs - 5
34 years of outpatient therapy1 to 2 times a week
2 weeks in state hospital
5 days in private hospital
34 years of insurance premiums
34 years of my hard earned money paying copays - part insurance did not pay for
6 months in partial hospitalization
2 years in day support
If anyone wants to top this go for it.

[HD7970GHZ]

Wow, thank you for sharing your stats! It's amazing how much time goes into ourselves when we are burdened so heavily. I hope you all got quality care in that time!

TheLittledidgee: Yes, after graduating high school I was experiencing major social anxiety, mood swings and some paranoia. My family doctor thought it was psychosis so he referred me to an early psychosis treatment program. It was a 3 year program. I was put on heavy medications and I spent 2 years under the spell of being diagnosed as Psychosis NOS / Bipolar. About 2 years into it I became super depressed and was committed to a hospital for a month. After that month I was sent to an Outpatient care facility designed to get people back into society and strengthen skills in living and self-care. I left 2 months into that because I really didn't need to be there. I stopped taking medications altogether, against doctors orders, but I was able to relinquish more control over my life. For a time I was doing well. But soon after I began to experience more mood swings, more emotional outbursts and more anxiety, etc. I started seeing a therapist and she helped me to get properly diagnosed and managed to get me over one of my worst fears: driving.

Once I got diagnosed with Borderline - I began to deal with my problems - but that took about 4 years in the mental health services to get proper diagnosis and proper care. It's amazing how easily someone can be misdiagnosed. In my experience - it takes years in order to get a proper diagnosis. I wish there was a faster way to find it.

Since then I have been through month-long outpatient hospital programs - that aim at stabilizing lives through CBT and a taste of DBT. I went to that program twice in a span of 3 years. I also spent many sessions in therapy in between.

I've since been referred to a DBT program and have recently been accepted and told it will be approximately 2 years in treatment. All my hopes are on this program. If it doesn't help - I don't know what will...

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

[The_little_didgee]

I'm glad you figured it all out. Misdiagnosis is really common. I went through it too and suffered because of it. Now, I am getting the right care. It is such a relief to be heard.

I asked my questions because I went through the psychotic prodrome (and psychosis). It was mistaken for BPD, because I showed up in Emergency for suicidal ideation that was caused by Paxil. The prodrome can resemble the "transient stress psychotic symptoms" seen in BPD especially when it is just emerging.

Here in Ontario people with a BPD diagnosis are often stigmatized or ignored. I'm glad psychiatry is actually helping you. Good luck with DBT.

[jean17]

Originally Posted by HD7970GHZ

Hey everyone,

I was just thinking about how much time and money I've spent dealing with my mental health issues - and was shocked to reflect on it! I'm curious what other people's experiences have been! Please share!

Here's mine:

Early Psychosis Treatment - 2 years (Twice monthly sessions)
Inpatient Hospital Ward - 33 days
Outpatient Care Facility - 2 months
Outpatient Hospital Programs - 50 days
Mental Health Therapists - well over 100 sessions
DBT - 2 years (Just starting)

I don't even want to consider the costs. Luckily I am in Canada. All I gotta say is you lot in the USA are extraordinarily strong people considering the high cost of mental health care and the resilience in moving forward despite all the challenges!

Thanks,
HD7970GHZ

To Alberta, with love, from Nova Scotia! I completely agree with you. Having Universal Health Care is one of the greatest things about being a Canadian. I don't know how folks without it manage. I, like you, have been using it for my Mental Health my whole lifetime up to now and don't see that I will ever not need it. I know our taxes are high, but I just wouldn't be able to get care without them. So again I say, "I am so glad that I am a Canadian.

[dancinglady]

You Canadians are very lucky.

[misfit77]

Though I am in Canada too, we don't get all of it for free (though I am beyond grateful for what we do get). On medication (when I didn't have insurance) I was spending over $1500 per year.

Psychiatrists: 6
Psychologists: 1
Social Workers: 2
Medications: Almost every SSRI and SNRI, different mood stabilizers, different anti-anxiety meds, ADHD drugs (Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, Vyvanse).
No hospitalizations
Up until this year no "Mental Health Days"...I always seemed to be able to work even at the worst of it...but now, since I am a counsellor, it's impossible when you have a breakdown to be able counsel others.

[shezbut]

Well, I'm not sure if I can recall everyone & everything, but here's what I can recall at this point.

Psychologists: 6
Social Workers: 3 or 4
Psychiatrists: 6
Medications: I have tried almost all of the SSRI's out there, and am now taking Effexor XR, buspar, and Abilify to control my persistant & resistant depression that has followed me throughout life.
Hospitalizations: 2 in teenage years and 3 in adulthood ~ lasting 3 months "locked down", 8 months in housing, in teenage years; and total of 4 months in adulthood.
Outpatient therapy: 33 years now, weekly-biweekly, and I have a tough time seeing that ever stopping honestly.
DBT- 3 years total, recently re-started group DBT (third time is a charm, right?)

Yeah... life has consistently been very challenging for me & I've needed professional help to find the motivation to keep going. I am trying hard though, day by day.

[HD7970GHZ]

Wow this is amazingly insightful. Thanks for sharing everyone.

[dancinglady]

Having a mental illness is not for the middle class. You with her have to be extremely poor on Medicaid, Canadian with govt insurance or work your butt off at 2 jobs like I did for 11 years to pay for all of this treatment just to stay alive. New question for everyone: is staying alive really worth all of the thousands we pay to stay alive. I am having my doubts.

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by dancinglady

You Canadians are very lucky.

We are up to a point.

I'm on ODSP and get drug coverage through the Ontario Drug Benefit Program. A few of my prescriptions for my bowel disorder are not covered so I have to pay for them.

When we need to see a specialist there is often a long wait (E.g., months) unless the problem is urgent. It also varies from province to province. I live in a city where a lot of Quebecers cross the river for medical care. Apparently we have better hospitals.

[technigal]

hmmm....I will try.

pdocs - at least 10
psychologists - 4
meds - too many to remember, current drug cocktail is working well
hospital stays - 1 - 72 hour hold (only stayed 24 hours), 1 - 12 day stay, 1-10 day stay, a few emergency room visits
day treatment program - 18 weeks (every day group therapy from 9-5)
advanced skills program - 18 weeks (pretty much DBT light)

Supposed to be seeing a new therapist, waiting for a call.

I am also grateful of living in Canada.