[OblivionIsAtHand]

One of the truly disturbing things about America, to me, is that you can't get therapy if you truly needed it. Or at least this is what I'm thinking. I could be wrong here, and I'd love if this were not the case. I'm aware there's free therapy, but isn't that type of therapy generally of lower quality? Again, correct me if I'm wrong. This is just my stereotype of it.

Yesterday I waivered between wanting to go on a murderous binge or killing myself due to the grim reality that nobody actually cares for you (this IS a reality, I'm sorry folks.). I came to my senses somehow, but I shudder to think had I actually acted on these ideas. As we all know, 'suicide hotlines' are profound ****.

So what does one do if they're broke, or have very, very little money? I know there's 'sliding scale', but usually you have to meet a certain deductible, I guess, before you can take advantage of that sliding scale. Or at least this is how it was broken down for me. It's a shame we don't have more accessible mental health options and take it more seriously when it should be the top priority, above everything.

I'm talking, by professionals. Not these lummoxes on the likes of 7CupsofTea. Yes, that's free, but also quite alienating and COULD potentially make you much, much worse. I'm talking professionals. Now, even 'professionals' doesn't necessarily mean good I'm aware---as I've been through about 6 different therapists, often with bad to mixed results. But let's assume for a moment that there's some actual good ones out there that have genuine compassion and aren't guided solely by the almighty dollar, or aren't complete narcissists in their own right etc.

[OblivionIsAtHand]

Here, let me ****ing bold and recap it for those with minute attention spans:

So what does one do if they're broke, or have very, very little money? (therapy-wise)

Jesus Christ, people. (But my apologies to those of you that genuinely have ADD.)

[TishaBuv]

I see no one answered you, I just saw this post.

Sadly, we just have to be our own advocates and our own doctors, and nobody does (really, really) care.

But you do care about yourself, so just get help wherever you can. If there is free help, try it. I've benefitted very much, more than any paid for therapy even, right here on PC, and it was free. Read articles about your condition and psychology on the internet. (I've read countless hours worth of stuff and obsessed about my possible BPD to no end!)

I do care about you, even though I don't know you at all, in the way that I hope you will be strong for yourself and not hurt yourself or others, and find peace and happiness. Isn't that the point of living anyway?

[*Laurie*]

I attend and also facilitate peer support groups. They are very helpful. I'm on medicaid and receive free weekly therapy from a licensed therapist.

[OblivionIsAtHand]

Thanks Tisha and Laurie. I was getting worried there for a bit. In a bit of a crisis mode last night, like I've never quite experienced.

I'm not sure why nobody else answered, but thanks for the responses, both of you.

Sadly, we just have to be our own advocates and our own doctors, and nobody does (really, really) care.

That's probably the greatest tragedy of all, and it needs to be changed, if that's the case.

I do care about you, even though I don't know you at all, in the way that I hope you will be strong for yourself and not hurt yourself or others, and find peace and happiness. Isn't that the point of living anyway?

Unfortunately I don't believe there's any inherent point to living, as a non-believer.

I'm on medicaid and receive free weekly therapy from a licensed therapist.

I've heard of free therapy due to medicaid. How does one exactly qualify for medicaid, and is there such a thing as getting free therapy outside of simply having medicaid--like, say, some kind of insurance plan? I know there's sliding scale and all of that.

[*Laurie*]

I don't know about getting free therapy outside of having medicaid - except that the Veteran's Administration provides free, excellent therapy. I think Catholic Social Services provides free therapy for anyone, Catholic or not.

Medicaid...I don't know which state you're in, or which city, but you would want to go to your closest Health and Human Services department to see if you qualify for medicaid.

I'm more or less in a similar position and I have pretty much taken a break from dealing with therapy because I don't have a verifiable income at this time, therefore, I'm unable to get even a sliding scale therapist because of the whole deductible BS.

I can only think of maybe a few options for those of us with little or no incomes:

If you are a college student, many colleges offer free therapy for students.

I also believe that many churches offer therapy, however, I personally don't feel comfortable talking to a therapist from a church because I'm an atheist.

Getting therapy from a student therapist; I've had a couple of student therapists that I saw for free in the past but neither of them could effectively do anything for me because many of my problems are too complex for anybody that isn't a highly trained professional to deal with.

Group therapy is another option that is offered for free by many mental health centers, however, it does nothing for those of us who are introverted or otherwise have issues with people.

It sucks that therapy is this hard to come by in the US so as far as I'm concerned, things like school shootings, murders, rapes, and other serious crimes like that are just as much of fault of the government as they are of the individuals who committed them because the government can't even help those of us who are the poorest get quality mental health.

[OblivionIsAtHand]

Thanks for that post. I've missed seeing posts of this caliber. I love when posts are this in-depth and address things pretty head on.

The college option is maybe one such possibility that I can exhaust, since I'll be taking a course here soon. Though, it seems unlikely this particular campus would offer that kind of thing.

I also believe that many churches offer therapy, however, I personally don't feel comfortable talking to a therapist from a church because I'm an atheist.

Yes, as you may have seen, so am I. I used to think this would be a massive problem in regards to therapy, but it seems like most therapists typically operate on more pragmatic tenets that are more secular-like, regardless (for the record, one of those worst therapists I ever had was an atheist). But with a church therapist I'm sure they would not.

Group therapy is another option that is offered for free by many mental health centers, however, it does nothing for those of us who are introverted or otherwise have issues with people.

Yep. Not something I would even remotely consider.

It sucks that therapy is this hard to come by in the US so as far as I'm concerned, things like school shootings, murders, rapes, and other serious crimes like that are just as much of fault of the government as they are of the individuals who committed them because the government can't even help those of us who are the poorest get quality mental health.

You're ******* right. I couldn't agree with this more. I hate getting political in any context, and I rarely would, but things could potentially get much, much worse under our current president's watch. There needs to be dramatic change as far as health care and mental health care. Mental health care needs to be one of our top priorities.

Some days I'm amazed I haven't killed someone myself, out of pure desperate fury. Days will go by where I'll say to myself something to the effect of 'phew. Another day I haven't committed mass murder. Quite an accomplishment.'

Getting therapy from a student therapist; I've had a couple of student therapists that I saw for free in the past but neither of them could effectively do anything for me because many of my problems are too complex for anybody that isn't a highly trained professional to deal with.

That's exactly it, and this is what I've been harping on about in this thread mainly. The complexity of my problem. Everyone feels that their problems are complex, but I genuinely have to weave in and out of a ****ing labyrinth when addressing my tome of grievances. It's not that I feel that my problems are any worse than anyone else's, it's just that I'm not content with even the slightest thread sticking out or it snowballs and my problems get out of whack all over again. And now learning how truly little people listen and absorb information it's like holding a gun to my temple in an already very difficult juggling act, because I have to really grit my teeth/make myself sick to expend energy on describing my neuroses in the most coherent way possible since I obviously lack the Conciseness Gene. All my extra work in describing the situation seems to be in vain, and you're certainly not going to get rewarded for being extra vigilant about your own problems. There's no pat on the back anymore. There's no 'atta boy'. There's no lauding of your efforts for going the extra mile and wading through ****. Simply cold indifference. I'm starting to become physically ill because of people, in a similar fashion like the book Nausea.

[reb569]

Someone mentioned Catholic Charities. They really are a good organization and do provide services to anyone regardless of beliefs. I wouldn't hesitate to go to them if i needed to and while I was raised a Catholic, I consider myself an atheist.

Another idea is Mental Health Associations. They are non-profit and run on funding and donations. We have a really great on in my area an provide a wide variety of services, including in the case of the local one, just a place to go to be around people in a sort of social way.

Here is a link to the find an affiliate option on their website: Find An Affiliate | Mental Health America

Mental Health care coverage in this country is horrible. I have insurance through my employer for myself and my daughter. I paid out over $9000 last year for medical and mental health, primarily for my daughter, and have already paid out over 3000 this year. I consider myself lucky and am terrified of the day that I can no longer cover her. She's 18 now, I can cover her until she's 26, unless that is somehow changed in the fight to take more services from the poor and mentally ill in the coming years. It is my hope that by the time she turns 26 she has been able to get through some type of job training or college and have a job with coverage.

And people wonder why I harbor such hatred for the wealthy elite and why I'm a strong supporter of Robin Hood ideals and vigilantism.

If I ever become so poor that I am forced into homelessness because of my mental illness, I WILL become a thief that specifically targets the rich along with these big greedy corporations (not small or medium sized businesses) such as Walmart. If the rich want to dance, well I'm a master at it.

Regardless, that Mental Health America suggestion is a good one.

[Dimensions]

Dear Broke. I am on SS and SSI. My income is $900/mo iin CA. Average rent for an apt.in this area is $900/mo---$1200. Do I qualify as "broke"? (Smile )I have---what I think is---
a wonderful outlet/therapy that can be done at home (and I'm serious about it being a therapy). ART. Of course, some art forms are very expensive if you want to really get into it. Personally, these are some of the forms that I use: Collaging, Poetry, Journaling, Altered Books---anything done with paper...well, almost anything.. Scrapbooking, Collariage adult themed adult coloring books useing colored pencils or felt pens, etc. Use other items, like ephemera, that you have around the house...items that provoke memories that are goo and that are bad. Express yourself using markers, paint brushes, pencils, crayons, colored pens and pencils,cardboard, books,,the possibilities are endless. I cut out pictures from the neighbors magazines that strike me They can be large. They can be tiney. I personally like doors, children with a variety of expressions, hands, and songbirds (I'm in a positive space right now). I glued them on cardboard (I cut out panels of cereal box cardboard and turned them over to glue on the gray side). I cut the pictures so that they had no border and then, sometimes, glued them on top of each other. I forgot to mention that sometimes I either painted the background or placed the pictures on top of a whole interesting magazine page or a sheet of scrapbook paper cut to size. I also enjoy carving pink erasers by drawing a simple design and then using a sharp craft knife, making VERY narrow, V-shaped canals. Most important, you express what you are feeling. Be free. No one is going to see it. If you want to shout "****" in words glued down, then DO it. I hope this helps. I took my pages that were 9" x 11" and put them in sheet protectors (look for the kind that don't stick) and put them in a binder...that way I can review my feelings. Oh! and in a separate thin. small book, I wrote what my feeling were at the time and the symbolism some of the pictures meant. I want to say, I didn't necessarily go into the collaging with a particular thing in mind--and that was what was so great! My feelings really came out..HIDDEN feelings found it's way on paper in all the different art forms. Please try it---you don't have to be artistic at all (that's why I chose magazine pictures to begin with). What a difference. With warm regards...