4 ms·

Disappointed to see that "See a doctor or mental health professional" has not yet been mentioned. So I'll recommend that. My anxiety had started manifesting phy

Disappointed to see that "See a doctor or mental health professional" has not yet been mentioned. So I'll recommend that. My anxiety had started manifesting physically as panic attacks. After verifying my situation wasn't an emergency, he said my diagnosis was a no-brainer and prescribed Sertraline. It's helped a lot, and I've had no ill side-effects. Please, please see a doctor or mental health professional if you suspect you have anxiety or depression. It doesn't necessarily mean you'll need medication if you're not keen on that. At the very least they will help you establish a baseline.

alando46 8y ago
I see a therapist in the same way that I see a dentist – even if there's no immediate crisis, preventative care is generally much easier than waiting until there is some sort of major issue. If we have someone check our teeth and gums a couple times a year just to clean out the gunk and make sure everything is ok, why wouldn't we do the same for our (arguably) most important organ?
- PeanutNore 8y ago
  I'm not sure if it really makes sense to see a nephrologist every 6 months to clean the gunk out of your kidneys, but I may be mistaken. That's what you meant, right? The most important organ, the kidney?
  - alando46 8y ago
    Hahaha
- brookside 8y ago
  One argument against is cost - weekly CBT in NYC is going to run about 150 a session which will work out to ~7800 a year.
  - heyyyouu 8y ago
    In many states insurance covers these costs. On my insurance the cost is the same as a doctor appt, $40, and that includes both the subscriber and the dependents. Psychologists and psychiatrists. It can be hard to find doctors who are accepting new patients but its not impossible.
    - brookside 8y ago
      I know at my previous job the Aetna payment towards my therapist ended up being $10 per session. (I believe I paid $50 and insurance paid $10). For this reason, the vast majority of "good' therapists, in this market anyhow, choose to not accept below-market rates.
CodeWriter23 8y ago
I'm sure that works for many. A mental health professional helped me a lot. I saw an LCSW not a Psychiatrist. First thing he suggested, supplementing B vitamins and magnesium, along with exercise and diet. He said our other work would have limited effect otherwise. The healing therapies we engaged included directed breathing exercises, meditation, inventorying love relationships, and just talking through my limiting beliefs and my assumptions/misconceptions about myself and others. Most of the limiting beliefs were manifestations of survival skills developed in response to childhood trauma. Seeing it that way made it simple (not easy) to leave all that shit in the past and write a new future for myself. That said, when it comes to medication, it's kind of like Russian Roulette. The documented side effects of SSRI-based antidepressants of suicide and homicide are catastrophic when the subject has a co-morbid disorder or perhaps genetic distinctiveness making them susceptible those side effects. There's no way to screen if a subject is prone to those effects, and basically there is no screening at all (similar to your own experience -- it was a "No Brainer") to determine if someone is clinically depressed. Such a diagnosis is achieved through non-invasive, casual observation, and is far from perfect.
throwaway987909 8y ago
Every mental health professional I have seen has suggested some sort of medication. And when I say suggested I mean pushed. It's like dude, how many times do I have to tell you NO.
- heyyyouu 8y ago
  Psychiatrists usually do, but I've never had an actual Ph.D. Psychologist do. They're usually all for cogantive/talk therapy/stress release techniques, etc. (At least in my and my family/friends experiences). Are you dealing instead with maybe mental health professionals without advanced degrees?
  - mchahn 8y ago
    > I've never had an actual Ph.D. Psychologist [prescribe drugs] That may be because they aren't allowed to.
thebigspacefuck 8y ago
Did you drink coffee?

alando46 8y ago

I see a therapist in the same way that I see a dentist – even if there's no immediate crisis, preventative care is generally much easier than waiting until there is some sort of major issue. If we have someone check our teeth and gums a couple times a year just to clean out the gunk and make sure everything is ok, why wouldn't we do the same for our (arguably) most important organ?

PeanutNore 8y ago
I'm not sure if it really makes sense to see a nephrologist every 6 months to clean the gunk out of your kidneys, but I may be mistaken. That's what you meant, right? The most important organ, the kidney?
- alando46 8y ago
  Hahaha
brookside 8y ago
One argument against is cost - weekly CBT in NYC is going to run about 150 a session which will work out to ~7800 a year.
- heyyyouu 8y ago
  In many states insurance covers these costs. On my insurance the cost is the same as a doctor appt, $40, and that includes both the subscriber and the dependents. Psychologists and psychiatrists. It can be hard to find doctors who are accepting new patients but its not impossible.
  - brookside 8y ago
    I know at my previous job the Aetna payment towards my therapist ended up being $10 per session. (I believe I paid $50 and insurance paid $10). For this reason, the vast majority of "good' therapists, in this market anyhow, choose to not accept below-market rates.

CodeWriter23 8y ago

I'm sure that works for many. A mental health professional helped me a lot. I saw an LCSW not a Psychiatrist. First thing he suggested, supplementing B vitamins and magnesium, along with exercise and diet. He said our other work would have limited effect otherwise. The healing therapies we engaged included directed breathing exercises, meditation, inventorying love relationships, and just talking through my limiting beliefs and my assumptions/misconceptions about myself and others. Most of the limiting beliefs were manifestations of survival skills developed in response to childhood trauma. Seeing it that way made it simple (not easy) to leave all that shit in the past and write a new future for myself. That said, when it comes to medication, it's kind of like Russian Roulette. The documented side effects of SSRI-based antidepressants of suicide and homicide are catastrophic when the subject has a co-morbid disorder or perhaps genetic distinctiveness making them susceptible those side effects. There's no way to screen if a subject is prone to those effects, and basically there is no screening at all (similar to your own experience -- it was a "No Brainer") to determine if someone is clinically depressed. Such a diagnosis is achieved through non-invasive, casual observation, and is far from perfect.

throwaway987909 8y ago

Every mental health professional I have seen has suggested some sort of medication. And when I say suggested I mean pushed. It's like dude, how many times do I have to tell you NO.

heyyyouu 8y ago
Psychiatrists usually do, but I've never had an actual Ph.D. Psychologist do. They're usually all for cogantive/talk therapy/stress release techniques, etc. (At least in my and my family/friends experiences). Are you dealing instead with maybe mental health professionals without advanced degrees?
- mchahn 8y ago
  > I've never had an actual Ph.D. Psychologist [prescribe drugs] That may be because they aren't allowed to.

thebigspacefuck 8y ago

Did you drink coffee?