Pricing is far out of my reach

[Pbo6167]

I have been suffering with depression for some 5 years now.The other day i finally went and saw my GP i did a mental health assesment and she placed meds which are slowly starting to help. She would also like me do a mental assesment with a phscologist i made some calls but the pricing is far out of my reach as i am on a carers pension for my wife who has MS.Iwould just like to know can you obtain any help to see these Proffessional as i really need to talk to some one independant of my family. Any help would be greatful.

[Pbo6167]

I guess my Question is irrelivent i will crall back under my rock and get my answers else where.

[Chris_B]

Hi giving up,

Welcome to the forums, and I hope you won't give up just yet. The forums are a great place to chat to others about how you're feeling, but you won't always get an answer straightaway, it depends who is online and when people see your post, as there are a lot coming through.  If you need immediate support, you can call our support service at any time on 1300 22 4636, or use web chat between 3pm and midnight to speak to our professional counsellors.

It's great that you've had a mental health assessment and that the meds are starting to make you feel a bit better. Five years is a long time to be struggling with depression without professional help. Hopefully your GP has told you that there are subsidies available for your first ten psychologist visits, but I understand that still leaves a gap for you to pay.  It would be a good idea to explain this to your GP and see if he/she can refer you to a psychologist that bulk bills. Our support service may also be able to help you in this area too if you give them a ring.

Giving up, I hope you'll stick around the forums and talk to us some more about what is going on for you, we are all here to support you and your wife through these difficult times. Talking about your problems can really help, even if it's just to feel like you're being listened to and that there are others out there who care and understand.

[AGrace]

Hi giving up,

Welcome. As Chris mentioned we try to reply as soon as we can, but sometimes it's not soon enough.

I hope I can still encourage you to crawl back out from under the rock:)

If you dont want to wait for another GP appointment,  and you're still having difficulties finding a Psychologist who bulk bills, you can google "Psychologists who bulk bill (insert city)". I just tried this and a range of options came up for services all over Australia. Some even do home visits. 

I hope that you will find someone appropriate, in the interim feel free to post as often as you wish. There's always someone who will be able to listen, answer questions, or relate to your circumstances. 

It would be a great shame to let finance stand in the way of therapy,  we have enough other worries. 

AGrace

[Pbo6167]

Well i finnaly saw my Clinical Psychologist it was mostly just a meet and greet and to tell me what we would be going through in the sessions. She has suggested we do a 10 week session then monthly or as required after that.I feel have finnaly cut my anchor free it was very intense but helpfull session. I would just like to thank everyone here for their support and advice so far as i can now see a very dim light at the end of what was once a very dark lonely tunnel.Take care everyone and thanks again. 

[geoff]

dear Pb, welcome to this site, and I'm pleased that you have been able to obtain some professional help.

I really hope that you stay with us, because once a post gets going the more people will reply to, and this is important because everybody on this site have suffered from various types of depression, so the range of people is enormous. Geoff.

[Pbo6167]

Thanks for that Geoff my only wiish is that I sought help a lot sooner than I did and yes I will tottaly agree with your comment. Paul

[geoff]

dear Paul, thanks for getting back to us.

This site is always open for when you feel as though you need to talk to anybody, so please I hope that you do, it doesn't matter what you want to say, because if it worries you then come and post, someone will reply.

Just a word to you that my hours on this site operate between 12.01 am to about 1.30 pm as when I take my medication mostly a heavy dose of anti- epileptic it puts me to sleep, so I won't be able to reply back to you after 1.30pm but will do so early in the morning.

Mind you this does annoy me but I have learnt to accept these strange hours. Geoff.

[Pbo6167]

Keep well Geoff my meds do the same to me, my wife finds it hard as i tend to sleep at funny hours. Paul

[Joe_Black1]

Hi Paul,

Your story is soo much like mine! I too have suffered from depression for a long time (for nearly 30 years) and the pricing of help is too much for me. My wife also has MS! I completely get the strain you must be feeling!! (And of course, the struggle your partner goes through too).

I sought help a couple of weeks ago, had a good session, but then tried to book a Psychologist... $75 out of pocket after medicare/ insurance. That's too much for our family, so I have to stop my treatment. That realisation has not helped my mindset at all.

What did you manage to do? Were you able to find a cheaper way to see a clinical psychologist (that's the same type of referral I was given).

J