Mental health service axed and now isolated

[Guest_9866]

Isolated all my life. Ask for help and doors slam shut in my face. Finally by off-chance an accidential pyschologist entered my life for another matter, and as they say, rest is history. After 3-4 years (initially weekly to monthly meetings) she left the public system and I was suppose to continue with a new pyschologist. However, a decision was made to axe the service (which was reinstated later with replacement but only for new clients under strict new criteria). I have been alone since September. I have no one. No longer getting medical help. Call and online chats not working. Forced to pay for private telehealth and I cannot afford it and it is going over old ground work and going no where (considering ending private sessions and just stand on my own two feet). I live in regional qld. I have no one. I am carer but no help available either. Every time I have asked for help in recent months has blown up in my face which makes me worse unwell. Where can introverts like me, aged in 40s, have no family and no friends (completely isolated) get help. Is there any grants or funding opportunities I can access to continue accessing help. Thankyou.

[Sophie_M]

Hi GeminiLion,

We are so sorry to hear about what you have been going through. It can be so upsetting to find a psychologist that you like, only for them to be no longer available.

Many of us here on the Forums can relate to struggling with the expenses of seeking support. People who are eligible for mental health support funding under NDIS can obtain financial assistace in continuing to seek support, if that is something you are eligible for. Of course, we must also acknowledge thatgoing through the process of obtaining such support can be exhausting and stressful in and of itself.

If you are linked in with a GP, it can be good to discuss your concerns with them. They may be able to recommend some bulk-billing services locally. 
  You mention that phone support and online chat does not feel like it is working, however just in case: If you'd like to give our counsellors a call on 1300 22 4636, they can help you to work out how to get a bit more support. We’d also recommend checking out AskIzzy (https://askizzy.org.au/) – a really useful site for finding local support.  Thank you for sharing here, GeminiLion. Hopefully you will hear back from our lovely community soon. Kind Regards,  Sophie M 

[Guest_9866]

The askizzy brought up the service that was axed. And nothing else. Already been through the GP who recommended a referral service but it was primarily for NDIS and under 30, for which I am neither. And from there led me to private option for which the closet was telehealth in our capital. I have now concluded that I have to find more academic-style information to be my own pyschologist and accept that I am alone and just give up looking for actual help. I am only child, never had friends, etc so all this is just an extension of that unfortunate bubble I have always been stuck in and I have to just accept my situation is highly-likely will always be. Because of this I am bit of an outsider alien looking into the human world. Try and use this situation or unique circumstances to my advantage instead of feeling like an outcast or socially disable. Just be that alien and take control of standing on my own two feet.