Hi dr4maqueen, first off, it’s really brave of you to open up like this. That motivation you’re feeling because of your new friends is such a powerful thing, hold onto that!
Regarding mental health institutes or inpatient care: they definitely aren't a scam. For many people, a "reset" in a safe environment is exactly what they need to break the cycle of using substances to cope. However, the private ones can be very expensive, and the public ones usually have a specific intake process.
Since you mentioned money is a struggle, the best first step in the Australian system is usually getting a Mental Health Treatment Plan. This gives you Medicare rebates so therapy becomes much more affordable.
If life feels too chaotic right now to even book a regular doctor or sit in a busy waiting room (which I know can be super overwhelming when you're already low), you could look into a telehealth GP. I used platfrom like Beyond Blue, Hotdoc and Hola Health recently to get my plan and referral sorted from home. It was much easier than trying to coordinate a physical appointment when I didn't have the "spoons" to leave the house, and it gets the ball rolling so you can talk to a professional about whether a residential program or a psychologist is the best path for you.
