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Old 09-30-2010, 07:14 PM
 
10,103 posts, read 19,308,446 times
Reputation: 17432

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You must address the depression, or everything else is likely to fall apart. Depression is serious and potentially fatal. Suicidal thoughts require urgent treatment. The feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness can improve with counseling and perhaps medication. If you have insurance, you probably are covered; if not, your state probably has a low cost alternative. Once the depression improves, you will find it easier to do things where you can meet people, make new friends, and find contacts that are useful in getting you to where you want to be.



That advice is sooooo unrealistic.

First, even if you have insurance, mental health benefits are extremely limited. At best they only pay a portion of the bill, oftentimes the patient is left with a substantial sum, sometimes thousands.

Insofar as the state having low cost alternatives, well, not for everyone. Just the fact that you don't have insurance doesn't automatically qualify you for any type of state-funded counseling. Usually you have to meet some sort of income test. Then the wait is lengthy, and the services usually disappointing and abrevated.

So what's my point? Just that there are no easy, low-cost alternatives for mental health. When people smile and say "get counseling" they really have no idea what they're talking about. Even with insurance, we waited over 2 months for an appt for our son, and our OOP (out-of-pocket) for the first visit is $100, subsequent visits are $50 each. Our income isn't that high, its a financial burden on us, and there is no free counseling from the state. Still, we will pursue it if it helps, but don't go giving people the idea there's all sorts of "help" out there just waiting for you!

If you think you're depressed now, just wait until you get a bill for $1000+ from a mental health professional, that will make your day!
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Old 09-30-2010, 07:20 PM
 
Location: SW Missouri
15,853 posts, read 35,012,995 times
Reputation: 22693
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaryleeII View Post
You must address the depression, or everything else is likely to fall apart. Depression is serious and potentially fatal. Suicidal thoughts require urgent treatment. The feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness can improve with counseling and perhaps medication. If you have insurance, you probably are covered; if not, your state probably has a low cost alternative. Once the depression improves, you will find it easier to do things where you can meet people, make new friends, and find contacts that are useful in getting you to where you want to be.



That advice is sooooo unrealistic.

First, even if you have insurance, mental health benefits are extremely limited. At best they only pay a portion of the bill, oftentimes the patient is left with a substantial sum, sometimes thousands.

Insofar as the state having low cost alternatives, well, not for everyone. Just the fact that you don't have insurance doesn't automatically qualify you for any type of state-funded counseling. Usually you have to meet some sort of income test. Then the wait is lengthy, and the services usually disappointing and abrevated.

So what's my point? Just that there are no easy, low-cost alternatives for mental health. When people smile and say "get counseling" they really have no idea what they're talking about. Even with insurance, we waited over 2 months for an appt for our son, and our OOP (out-of-pocket) for the first visit is $100, subsequent visits are $50 each. Our income isn't that high, its a financial burden on us, and there is no free counseling from the state. Still, we will pursue it if it helps, but don't go giving people the idea there's all sorts of "help" out there just waiting for you!

If you think you're depressed now, just wait until you get a bill for $1000+ from a mental health professional, that will make your day!
A lot of mental health issues can be caused as a result of Vitamin B deficiency. Processed foods contain virtually NO vitamin B at all. I read a book several years ago that stated that as much as 20 percent of people on drugs for mental illness could be cured with B vitamin treatment.

Before I plunked down a ton of money on "conventional" treatment, I'd sure as heck run down to the health food store and pick up a bottle of B vitamin complex for about $10 and see if it helps. You certainly have nothing to lose by trying and it might make all the difference in the world.

20yrsinBranson
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Old 09-30-2010, 07:51 PM
 
Location: Georgia, USA
36,974 posts, read 40,935,301 times
Reputation: 44899
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaryleeII View Post
You must address the depression, or everything else is likely to fall apart. Depression is serious and potentially fatal. Suicidal thoughts require urgent treatment. The feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness can improve with counseling and perhaps medication. If you have insurance, you probably are covered; if not, your state probably has a low cost alternative. Once the depression improves, you will find it easier to do things where you can meet people, make new friends, and find contacts that are useful in getting you to where you want to be.



That advice is sooooo unrealistic.

First, even if you have insurance, mental health benefits are extremely limited. At best they only pay a portion of the bill, oftentimes the patient is left with a substantial sum, sometimes thousands.

Insofar as the state having low cost alternatives, well, not for everyone. Just the fact that you don't have insurance doesn't automatically qualify you for any type of state-funded counseling. Usually you have to meet some sort of income test. Then the wait is lengthy, and the services usually disappointing and abrevated.

So what's my point? Just that there are no easy, low-cost alternatives for mental health. When people smile and say "get counseling" they really have no idea what they're talking about. Even with insurance, we waited over 2 months for an appt for our son, and our OOP (out-of-pocket) for the first visit is $100, subsequent visits are $50 each. Our income isn't that high, its a financial burden on us, and there is no free counseling from the state. Still, we will pursue it if it helps, but don't go giving people the idea there's all sorts of "help" out there just waiting for you!

If you think you're depressed now, just wait until you get a bill for $1000+ from a mental health professional, that will make your day!
Some suicide statistics: Facts About Suicide - HealthyPlace


Would you tell someone with chest pain not to go to the emergency room? They might get hit with a bill for well over $1000. I am sorry you have had so much trouble with DS and your own medical issues, but depression is an illness with a significant mortality rate attached. Neither of us know OP's financial status. But getting attention for the depression is essential. He can even go to the emergency room, though it would be better to call a psychiatrist or ask his family doctor for a referral.

To say, "That advice is sooooo unrealistic." is projecting your own situation on someone else.
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Old 10-01-2010, 01:49 AM
 
Location: Tucson/Nogales
23,074 posts, read 28,799,187 times
Reputation: 32373
Quote:
Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson View Post

You might consider taking some Vitamin B supplements while you are at it, and some. St. John's Wort wouldn't hurt. Depression is very often a result of Vitamin B deficiency.

20yrsinBranson
I can get depressed just reading the newspaper, watching the evening news. Not a week goes by they don't do profiles of destitute unemployed people in this town, featured in our newspaper.

I can look over my towhouse courtyard walls and look at that tent that's been sitting there for 2 years with a couple that's homeless, compliments of the mother that lives there in a one bedroom townhouse.

My roommate scrounges for any work he can get, and if he can't find work for a week, I can get more depressed about it than he can.

And reading any number of threads on City-data.com can be sinkers as well.

If you're truly compassionate and highly sensitive, it's harder to keep the "clouds" away.

I'll have to try some of that Vitamin B. Perhaps the next time I read of of some destitute person featured in the newspaper, I'll have a good laugh!
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Old 10-04-2010, 05:53 PM
 
Location: Near a river
16,042 posts, read 21,906,098 times
Reputation: 15773
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcb1025 View Post
Let me first start out by stating that I do enjoy City Data's forum. I find a lot of the advice and encouragement on here very helpful.

Now, as you can probably tell, the topic of my post is a grim one. I'm curious whether or not people have been more depressed or have had more suicidal feelings as a result of the economic recession. Do you have friends or family members that have talked to you about this?

Personally, I haven't been happy since my junior year in college in 2005. First, it started out with a horrible relationship with my ex-gf. She treated me awful and totally disregarded my feelings. I coped with that for about two years and then I graduated from college in 2008. Of course, like so many others, I was freaking out over the job market. Fortunately, I found something within a couple months of graduation. The job wasn't ideal and the pay wasn't great. Over the next couple years, I've managed to get a couple of solid raises, earning about $10k over what I started out making.

Regardless of the significant financial gains in such a short amount of time, I still have never been happy. Part of the reason is that I have a significant amount of student loan debt. Another reason is that I'm currently 1200 miles away from any person whom I consider family and a "good" friend, so I feel alienated. Thirdly, I'm petrified that I will not amount to much, meaning my salary may have already peaked, my degree is worthless, and I will never be able to have a family. I can confidently say that the first and third reasons for my unhappiness are significantly tied into what I read on this very forum.

First, I see a lot of posts on here arguing how horrible and detrimental debt is. Here I am, 24 years old, and I feel like my life is on hold because of my student loan debt. The continuous taunting and chastising of debt on these forums makes me feel like my life is over before it has even begun. Secondly, I constantly see posts badgering the field of academic study that I got my degree in. They argue that it's worthless and that I'm never going to get anywhere in my career with it. If it were anything less, I'd say the hell with it and just upgrade to something more marketable. But I can't just upgrade or trade in my education. I'm stuck with it, as well as the huge debt load that came with it.

So here I am, with a big debt burden and supposedly a worthless degree. I feel trapped and hopeless. Frankly, I think my parents and friends back home are tired of hearing about it. I don't think that many on here care about it. I get the feeling that this forum is heavily populated with a social Darwinistic outlook (so the hell with me). People have suggested that I should seek professional attention, but I don't really understand how that will help. They will give me common sense remedies like exercise more, pursue hobbies, make friends, etc. But in the end, I will have spent even more money on the therapy and still have a huge debt load on my shoulders. I'm tired of hearing "it's going to be alright" or "everything will work out in the end". These are not solutions, just empty words that detract from the real issue. I feel hopeless and that, at 24 years old, I've already thrown my life away. No, I didn't do drugs, nor did I have several illegitimate children out of wedlock, nor did I murder anybody. I was only trying to better myself, and now I'm told that it was all done in vain. I feel hopeless and I feel like I'm near the brink of falling apart.

So how have you guys coped with this or helped your friends/family cope with this? What suggestions did you give them that could potentially have positive results or an actual solution to their troubles (not the typical "everything will be alright"). Just curious. Thanks.
There are many, many young adults older than you--into their 30s, who are not doing as well as you. Many unemployed or never got work in the first place.

Second, all degrees are worthless. It's the skills you got while going to school that are what you really paid for, and the transferrable skills that you can list on your resume.

Transferrable skills (that not many can do well) include:

Writing, editing (your post is well written)
Research
Anything technical you learned
Communications
Interpersonal relations
etc.

Make a list of your own transferrable skills and keep it handy.

Today employers hire those that have skills in interpersonal relations. They don't want wave-makers. I've read that many hire on this skill alone, figuring they can train the new employee in specifics. There's nothing worse for companies than a trouble maker!

So please calm down and start to enjoy life, don't become old before your time. Yes you have student loan but who your age who went to college doesn't? Student loan is not shameful, it's an acceptable kind of debt. Just keep paying the minimum or the maximum on it, whatever--it was your investment just like buying a house is (oops, better than buying a house, these days!).

Denver is a cool place. Get out and meet people any way you can. Family is great but it's not worth giving up what you have to move closer. You're fortunate, you have a job and you're smart. Celebrate! Look for friends. Relax as much as possible.
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Old 02-17-2012, 08:39 PM
 
5,546 posts, read 9,967,354 times
Reputation: 2799
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaryleeII View Post
You must address the depression, or everything else is likely to fall apart. Depression is serious and potentially fatal. Suicidal thoughts require urgent treatment. The feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness can improve with counseling and perhaps medication. If you have insurance, you probably are covered; if not, your state probably has a low cost alternative. Once the depression improves, you will find it easier to do things where you can meet people, make new friends, and find contacts that are useful in getting you to where you want to be.



That advice is sooooo unrealistic.

First, even if you have insurance, mental health benefits are extremely limited. At best they only pay a portion of the bill, oftentimes the patient is left with a substantial sum, sometimes thousands.

Insofar as the state having low cost alternatives, well, not for everyone. Just the fact that you don't have insurance doesn't automatically qualify you for any type of state-funded counseling. Usually you have to meet some sort of income test. Then the wait is lengthy, and the services usually disappointing and abrevated.

So what's my point? Just that there are no easy, low-cost alternatives for mental health. When people smile and say "get counseling" they really have no idea what they're talking about. Even with insurance, we waited over 2 months for an appt for our son, and our OOP (out-of-pocket) for the first visit is $100, subsequent visits are $50 each. Our income isn't that high, its a financial burden on us, and there is no free counseling from the state. Still, we will pursue it if it helps, but don't go giving people the idea there's all sorts of "help" out there just waiting for you!

If you think you're depressed now, just wait until you get a bill for $1000+ from a mental health professional, that will make your day!
I must interject here. I did a simple search on sliding fee scale therapists on the Net and I pay $40 a session. The first session was $40. Please do not make it seem like it's impossible to get help or extremely expensive. And this was not the first therapist I had this experience with. Oh, and depression IS very serious so there was absolutely nothing unrealistic or untrue about that advice.

To the OP, you are young. Debt sucks. But you are employed and doing well. Times WILL change and so will your life.
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Old 02-17-2012, 09:23 PM
 
Location: Purgatory
2,615 posts, read 5,378,823 times
Reputation: 3099
I feel the exact same way. Reading this forum and other sites doesn't really help much. I'm my own worst enemy for trying to challenge the advocates of social Darwinism and defending the poor. It all leaves me with a sickening feeling in my stomach. My own financial and job circumstances are not good either. My wife has major student loan and they are coming after us for money we don't have.
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Old 02-17-2012, 10:03 PM
 
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2,190 posts, read 6,830,964 times
Reputation: 2076
the thread is well over 2 years old.
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Old 02-20-2012, 10:16 PM
 
Location: Cushing OK
14,539 posts, read 21,168,909 times
Reputation: 16936
Being on disability, life is one long recession. I'm glad its there but sometimes I think its rather pitiful to think of how worried I get about something happening. When did such a measley sum become so important?

Sometimes I feel really angry at society, for some of us *could* really make a mark, except as we don't fit in its going to be a cheap, and hard one to make. TPTB are wasting a whole lot of options when they made the world we're supposed to live in a cookie cutter.

And now they're talking about how the cost of everything is going to skyrocket and its really hard not to be depressed.
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Old 11-25-2012, 04:42 PM
 
10 posts, read 15,819 times
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Default Old Thread

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Originally Posted by jaijai View Post
the thread is well over 2 years old.
So what? It's still pertinent today and could help other people as well. I found it by doing a Google search.
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