YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

What do you have to tell doctor to get them to take your depression seriously? Are there key words; phrases? Or did I just have an incompetent doctor?

You did the right thing in getting a new doctor, Maurice. Your health is not a game. Your health-care plan may allow you to see a psychiatrist directly, as well. Please take care, all the best.

I don't have a health care plan. And aside from a visit to a walk-in clinic to have a rash on my finger looked at, I haven't been to a doctor in several years. The idea of choosing a doctor is something I've been avoiding (dreading?). My experience with doctors is extremely limited. I only went to my last (and only) doctor because my roommate at the time recommended him.

It's not exactly great advice, but if I happen to have broken into tears into the waiting room I've noticed my doctor suddenly takes me very seriously. My doctor sucks but thankfully I've had enough help through local mental health services and psychiatrists for it not to matter, all I need him to do is keep rewriting my med scripts.

My opinion is this - you probably had an incompetent doctor or maybe they were having an off-day, I don't wanna judge or anything.

There are no key words or phrases, it's just a case of describing your symptoms and feelings and how it is affecting your health and your life. Any doctor worth their own chair should be able to understand how that is a problem and how you would benefit from help.

And if you get a doctor that sucks remember that no one doctor is God or wikipedia of medicine, there are places where you can get helped.

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Low/No Cost Mental Health Resources

United States website to find sliding scale "low/no" cost mental health services. Also information on medication assistance: NeedyMeds - Free/Low-Cost/Sliding-Scale Clinics U.S. Database

Discussion of low and no cost therapy resources, even in usually under-served areas: Maria Bamford podcast, Episode 95, Jan 04 2013 at minute 6:00.

If you think you might need this resource, then you definitely need this resource - please check out the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network - RAINN at RAINN.org

Google searches for low and no cost therapy resources, even in usually under-served areas: your town or county + one of these terms:

• low cost counselling service
• sliding scale counselling service
• CMHC
• community mental health
• community service board office

From this MentalPod board - some places to get help for people with limited resources:

• Help for little or no money
• Best Insurance Companies/Types for Mental Health Care
• Links for More Mental Health Info/Suicide Hotlines

Here is a post and thread on Reddit about getting medication at low or no cost: Community Assistance Program, accepted at Target pharmacy and many other pharmacies

If you are just needing someone with the chat with online, not a professional, there is a great depression chat room that usually has at least 40 different people, you can go and go private and discuss issues and just get stress off your chest. Here is the link:

depression-chat-rooms.org

Finally, here is a good summary of the precursors to suicide to help you understand yourself and others, it is from a PhD psychologist whose father committed suicide:

American Psychological Association - Thomas Joiner, PhD - Precursors to suicide, for yourself and others

Cheers to you, for scrolling all the way down to the bottom of this copypasta!