When your sessions run out

[CherryOnTop]

I've been signed up to a Mental Health Plan for anxiety and depression. The psychologist is nice and is helping me and it's good to have someone to talk to. But I feel like we've only scratched the surface and I'm nowhere near being able to function on my own. I still cry a lot, have no friends, can stay in bed until 3pm, am not brave enough to do some really simple activities and still get hysterical quite a bit. I still just feel either really tense or really dejected. 

However we've only got a few sessions left until all 10 sessions are used up and I'm pretty sure I need much more. I just can't afford to pay for the psychologist on my own. Even with private cover it's too expensive. And I don't have anyone who would offer to pay for it for me. 

I guess I can go on medication but I'm on some pretty powerful painkillers so I don't know how viable.that will be. And I'm a midget and tend to react really badly to drugs.  

Can anyone suggest any other options for affordable treatment besides a mental health plan, or if there's any way of getting another extension?

[HA1]

Hi Cherry,

Welcome!  I'm not sure which state you are in, but if you were in NSW, you should try going to your nearest Community Health Centre and have a chat about your circumstances.  I don't think they ever turn anyone away. Usually you can find them collocated with your nearest public hospital.  They are staffed with the complete range of health professionals.  If you are in a different state, you might try googling for something similar.

take care 

K

[AGrace]

HI CherryOnTop,

Just to add to AOK's kind suggestion, most states operate Community Mental Health Centres in at least each catchment area. These centres offer Case Management, Individual Therapy sessions, Support Groups etc which are free of charge.

You can also speak with your GP about getting another 10 sessions added to your Mental Health Care Plan. Let him/her know where you are at and how beneficial it has been to date.

Another thing that I only found out recently is that you can request 10 sessions of Group Therapy with a trained Psychologist in addition to individual sessions. So you may also like to find out whether your current Psychologist runs group therapy sessions, or is s/he can recommend someone who does. Then it's just a matter of getting your GP to stipulate both group and individual sessions on your Mental Health Care Plan.

You might also like to look into Support Groups run in your local area. You can search these online. Usually you will find Support Groups for at least Depression and Anxiety somewhere nearby, and most often these sessions are free.

Also if you have medication concerns, discuss these with your GP. There may still be something that you can take in addition to the pain relief, and often it's good to tackle our health from a number of different approaches.

I hope this helps, let us know how you go.

AGrace

[CherryOnTop]

Thanks so much. There is a community health centre 20 minutes from me so I might pay them a visit. 

 I did hear of a group that runs them for about $30  session so it's a great idea for the future once I have my social anxiety a bit more under control. I didn't know about support groups either but I just found out that there's a GROW in my area by looking online. 

I guess my psychologist must know this is coming up, my level of progress and if the thought about it for two seconds he would know I can't pay him privately so he must be preparing for something. I'm sure I'm not the first patient he's had in this situation.