[pachyderm]

I thought this was an interesting article by DocJohn on how some people take advantage of others needing help:

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archive...rehab-centers/

[splitimage]

That's a little scary. By the time an addict / alcoholic is ready to get help they're usually pretty desperate to get help NOW, or at least I was and navigating treatment centres can be pretty confusing. It's marginally better in ON, where we have centralized gov't run assessment and referral centres, but it's still confusing. I totally lucked into my rehab.

splitimage

[TheDragon]

The problem is that now days, mental health and well being has simply become another industry. When that's the case, regardless of what businesses say, their role is first and foremost a business (as it has to be in order for it to be successful).

The biggest problem with this is that while there are certainly good people who only want to help, you cannot say that about everyone involved in the field, at which point there are ethical lapses in how their business is ran. It's extremely unfortunate to see how far these ethical lapses can go in marketing and I hate to think what kind of effect it can lead to.

Ethical advertising is a big deal now days, especially with all the laws surrounding it. Any business that caters to those that are not doing well should be put under even more scrutiny.

Good on DocJohn for taking action.

[Hellion]

That's creepy, if I got that I would have likely deleted it, I don't trust any of those random emails I veiw it as junk mail that I throw away like those credit card applications the same credit card company keeps mailing me. Sometimes people wonder why I or anyone would distrust the system that's there to 'help', I think some mental health professionals I've talked to where a bit shocked at my refusal to do anything they've suggested unless they explain it in a way I can understand and its something I am willing to do.

last time I talked to a psychiatrist she said I should try effexor and I refused it because I actually took the time to research it myself and found I was not at all comfortable with the potential side effects and withdrawl symptoms if I couldn't afford a refill. Then finally so i could get out of there because it wasn't going anywhere useful I mentioned I already take trazodone which has anti-depressant properties but is more sedating than stimulating for the anxiety and not being able to sleep issues I have so didn't see why I'd need another anti-depressant as well. She raised the dose but its optional this past week I have not found I need any more of it than usual but if I want I can take twice the dose. But yeah I feel like in those situations I have to be agressive about what I am ok with and what I am not ok with because no one else is there to do it for me.

when I was in one the social worker was the only one I really trusted I started getting freaked out about if I'd be able to leave when I wanted even though I was voluntary and she re-assured me I was voluntary and they didn't have the right to keep me there if I was ready to leave. I fully experianced the theory that a psych ward its self can drive you insane if you're there too long. If I remained worried about not being able to leave than I would have probably ended up involuntarily for having one of my horrid anxiety/disassociation attack things. I suppose I am better able to be assertive about what treatments I don't want when I know I am free to walk out and go home and get on with my life.