I am unlovable

[Puzzle]

Hello, my "name" is Puzzle and I am new to this forum.

This year has been a really awful year for me.  My dog died, I haven't been able to hold down a job and on the weekend my boyfriend broke up with me.  I am feeling so alone. How do I feel better? I am worried I have undiagnosed depression/anxiety. I would love to see a psychologist but all I can think about is the cost...how do people afford it? I want to change my attitude and feel genuinely happy but I don't know what to do to make it happen. I feel like I am unlovable and that I will die alone. 

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi Puzzle,

Welcome to BeyondBlue and thanks for reaching out.

It's true that lots of psychologists can be really expensive but one way to minimise that cost is to go through the GP.  They can create a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, which allows them to refer you to see a psychologist under Medicare (no gap).  From memory it should be about one session per month for a year, and then they can organise follow up care-plans afterwards if you need.

Another alternative is to try going through Community Health centres; often they have Mental Health nurses or Social Workers that can still offer the counselling that you need, but this can often be heavily subsidised or free.  This might be a more feasible option in-case there is a wait.

Hope this helps - first step is definitely your GP.

Feel free to get in touch if we can help more.  I hope that you start to feel better soon.  

Take care,

[geoff]

dear Puzzle, welcome to the forum.

What Romantic_th3f has said is your best option, but there are psychiatrists who bulk bill, but then you may have to wait a few weeks before you can see either, so a Social Worker will offer their opinion but the diagnosis has to come from a doctor or a psych. Geoff.