How do I take steps towards getting professional help for depression?
November 5, 2012 9:46 AM Subscribe
I realize that questions about depression have been asked hundreds of times before, but I'd really appreciate some specific advice. How should I go about getting professional help for feelings of depression, as a poor student?
I've been suffering from some symptoms of depression for awhile now, and have taken steps to try and alleviate them (regular exercise, healthy eating, trying to get sunlight, adding flax seed to my diet, reading "Feeling Good" by David Burns, etc.), but I've come to realize that I could benefit from professional help. I finally had the courage to call my university's counselling services and schedule an appointment. However, the service requires a phone interview before you can make an in-person appointment for help. I scheduled the phone interview for a certain time, and they stated that I would receive a call at that time, but - I never got a call. I realize that there was likely just some administrative mix-up (it's not like they intentionally forgot me) but it's still really discouraging. My questions are:
-How do I go about scheduling another phone interview? I know that, objectively, the steps are 1) pick up the phone 2) call the office, but I get really nervous when I have to speak on the phone or admit that I need help. Sadly, it took a lot of courage to make the first appointment, and I need to somehow allay my fears that the second appointment won't be kept either.
-How do I communicate the seriousness of my symptoms, when the only times I have the motivation/courage to seek help are the times that I am feeling better? I also have a tendency to downplay how bad I am feeling. I know that my university prioritizes resources based on the severity of people's problems. I'm worried that I'll get on the phone and describe my problems as being "a little stressed about school" or something of the sort and they'll give me an appointment to meet with a counsellor 6 months in the future.
-I realize that it would be a good idea to also speak to my GP about my symptoms, but I am currently in a different province. Would going to a walk-in clinic be of any help? Should I instead try to find a family doctor in this province (and if so, how do I go about doing this?)? Should I wait and make an appointment with my GP when I am home for Christmas?
-Given that I don't really have any money in my budget for a therapist, would it be worth it to seek a therapist outside of my university? I've heard of therapists who charge on a "sliding scale" but I have no idea whether that happens in Canada, and if so, how I would go about finding a therapist.
I realize that to a certain extent my questions can be answered through the archives (which I have read extensively), but I would be really grateful for any help. Thanks!
I've been suffering from some symptoms of depression for awhile now, and have taken steps to try and alleviate them (regular exercise, healthy eating, trying to get sunlight, adding flax seed to my diet, reading "Feeling Good" by David Burns, etc.), but I've come to realize that I could benefit from professional help. I finally had the courage to call my university's counselling services and schedule an appointment. However, the service requires a phone interview before you can make an in-person appointment for help. I scheduled the phone interview for a certain time, and they stated that I would receive a call at that time, but - I never got a call. I realize that there was likely just some administrative mix-up (it's not like they intentionally forgot me) but it's still really discouraging. My questions are:
-How do I go about scheduling another phone interview? I know that, objectively, the steps are 1) pick up the phone 2) call the office, but I get really nervous when I have to speak on the phone or admit that I need help. Sadly, it took a lot of courage to make the first appointment, and I need to somehow allay my fears that the second appointment won't be kept either.
-How do I communicate the seriousness of my symptoms, when the only times I have the motivation/courage to seek help are the times that I am feeling better? I also have a tendency to downplay how bad I am feeling. I know that my university prioritizes resources based on the severity of people's problems. I'm worried that I'll get on the phone and describe my problems as being "a little stressed about school" or something of the sort and they'll give me an appointment to meet with a counsellor 6 months in the future.
-I realize that it would be a good idea to also speak to my GP about my symptoms, but I am currently in a different province. Would going to a walk-in clinic be of any help? Should I instead try to find a family doctor in this province (and if so, how do I go about doing this?)? Should I wait and make an appointment with my GP when I am home for Christmas?
-Given that I don't really have any money in my budget for a therapist, would it be worth it to seek a therapist outside of my university? I've heard of therapists who charge on a "sliding scale" but I have no idea whether that happens in Canada, and if so, how I would go about finding a therapist.
I realize that to a certain extent my questions can be answered through the archives (which I have read extensively), but I would be really grateful for any help. Thanks!
Keep going after your university counselling service. If they have an email address, it might be easier for you to contact them that way to make another phone appointment.
You should definitely see a doctor. If you search for "doctors taking patients [my city]" you should be able to find a listing of doctors. It does often take some time to get in as a new patient though, particularly if you're in a city with a shortage of physicians. In the meantime, try a walk-in clinic during non-peak hours - you can phone and ask the receptionist the best time to come in - so the doctor isn't too harried and can spend some time with you.
posted by bethnull at 10:03 AM on November 5, 2012
You should definitely see a doctor. If you search for "doctors taking patients [my city]" you should be able to find a listing of doctors. It does often take some time to get in as a new patient though, particularly if you're in a city with a shortage of physicians. In the meantime, try a walk-in clinic during non-peak hours - you can phone and ask the receptionist the best time to come in - so the doctor isn't too harried and can spend some time with you.
posted by bethnull at 10:03 AM on November 5, 2012
Can you draft an email to your student counseling center that explains what happened and request that they call you at time X, and you are concerned about the first mixup and nervous about being screened? That way you can take your time to explain yourself in writing, it's less scary than having to explain it over the phone, and hopefully they will be sensitive to your concerns.
Same goes for when you actually have your first meeting - jot down notes on what you think is relevant, concerns you have, etc. Drafting this over a few days before your appointment will help you focus on getting what you need. Read it or just hand it to the therapist.
posted by slow graffiti at 10:03 AM on November 5, 2012
Same goes for when you actually have your first meeting - jot down notes on what you think is relevant, concerns you have, etc. Drafting this over a few days before your appointment will help you focus on getting what you need. Read it or just hand it to the therapist.
posted by slow graffiti at 10:03 AM on November 5, 2012
Re: scheduling the appointment. Is it easier for you to talk to people in person than on the phone? When I was a student, I hated talking on the phone (still do, in fact). I'd tried calling the counseling center at my school but kept hanging up, or dialing six numbers and chickening out, and what have you. What helped me finally make an appointment was physically walking into their offices. I realized that I could lose my nerve one million times trying to pick up the phone to call, but if I walked all the way across campus to get to them, all I had to do was stand there until someone talked to me. Somehow that seemed easier than calling, so I talked myself into doing that. And it worked! They were very nice, scheduled an appointment for me, and even offered me candy.
Or do you have a friend you trust? Maybe they can call for you. Obviously they can't do the phone interview in your stead, but if they can handle the scheduling for you, all you have to do is pick up the phone when the counseling center calls back.
posted by serialcomma at 10:04 AM on November 5, 2012 [5 favorites]
Or do you have a friend you trust? Maybe they can call for you. Obviously they can't do the phone interview in your stead, but if they can handle the scheduling for you, all you have to do is pick up the phone when the counseling center calls back.
posted by serialcomma at 10:04 AM on November 5, 2012 [5 favorites]
I'm all for Canada in most things, but I've found that Canadian attitudes about mental health care are really different than US (or at least California) attitudes. In a ridiculously over-simplified way, my experience (both personal and professional) is that in Canada mental health issues are more stigmatized and mental health care is thought of as something for crazy people, whereas in the US (California at least), the stigma is less pronounced and mental health care is thought of as something that normal people can use productively for supportive purposes.
I'm saying this not to discourage you, but to let you know that you might have to push harder to advocate for face-to-face services than you would have to if you were in a more mental-health-care-friendly environment. Do you have a friend or family member that you can enlist to advocate for you? It's hard to fight for yourself when you're feeling down.
Also, you don't say what province you're in, but there are self-help groups such as Recovery International in Canada. I've known several people who have benefitted from going to such self-help groups. Again, if you can get a friend to help support you as you try to get help, it'll make it easier for you.
There are also on-line resources (chat rooms and self-help manuals) and smartphone apps to help with depression.
posted by jasper411 at 10:34 AM on November 5, 2012
I'm saying this not to discourage you, but to let you know that you might have to push harder to advocate for face-to-face services than you would have to if you were in a more mental-health-care-friendly environment. Do you have a friend or family member that you can enlist to advocate for you? It's hard to fight for yourself when you're feeling down.
Also, you don't say what province you're in, but there are self-help groups such as Recovery International in Canada. I've known several people who have benefitted from going to such self-help groups. Again, if you can get a friend to help support you as you try to get help, it'll make it easier for you.
There are also on-line resources (chat rooms and self-help manuals) and smartphone apps to help with depression.
posted by jasper411 at 10:34 AM on November 5, 2012
Call them back. Stop thinking about it and start dialing about it.
posted by oceanjesse at 11:51 AM on November 5, 2012
posted by oceanjesse at 11:51 AM on November 5, 2012
Best answer: I need to somehow allay my fears that the second appointment won't be kept either.
No, you don't! This is not a necessary condition for making the phone call. I totally understand what you are talking about -- you think that you need to feel different than you do right now in order to make the phone call, but you don't. You don't have to work on making the fear go away for this -- that's an extra step in the process and it is superfluous. You can be horribly fearful and still make the phone call. So do it right now. I'm not usually a fan of the "just do it!" brigade but in this case, yes, just do it. It will take about 90 seconds.
posted by Wordwoman at 12:04 PM on November 5, 2012
No, you don't! This is not a necessary condition for making the phone call. I totally understand what you are talking about -- you think that you need to feel different than you do right now in order to make the phone call, but you don't. You don't have to work on making the fear go away for this -- that's an extra step in the process and it is superfluous. You can be horribly fearful and still make the phone call. So do it right now. I'm not usually a fan of the "just do it!" brigade but in this case, yes, just do it. It will take about 90 seconds.
posted by Wordwoman at 12:04 PM on November 5, 2012
One of my favorite avoidant techniques for phone calls was to call after I knew the office was closed, so I could just leave a message and not have to speak to a person. It was like talking to myself, a one way conversation that just as well it seemed no one else would hear. Yeah, technically it's not good to avoid your anxiety, but right now you just need to take the steps that will get you into the office and then you can work on the things you need to work on.
Also, to put it into perspective: it's a counseling center. You don't have to call and say, "I need help." Admitting that much vulnerability is scary. You can probably just call and say, "I'd like to have an interview, please," and they'll know what you mean without you having to say it (or they may prompt you for clinical specifics, which aren't about the specifics of your feelings, which is easier when you're in distress and afraid of opening up just yet).
posted by houndsoflove at 3:42 PM on November 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, to put it into perspective: it's a counseling center. You don't have to call and say, "I need help." Admitting that much vulnerability is scary. You can probably just call and say, "I'd like to have an interview, please," and they'll know what you mean without you having to say it (or they may prompt you for clinical specifics, which aren't about the specifics of your feelings, which is easier when you're in distress and afraid of opening up just yet).
posted by houndsoflove at 3:42 PM on November 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Your next step is just to call them back. It might help to write a draft of what you need to convey when you speak to them. As houndsoflove says, you don't have to have a detailed discussion of your symptoms right then.
As far as conveying the seriousness of your situation once you actually do get an appointment: Do some thinking about the severity of your symptoms. What issues are giving you the most concern? Do you have regular panic attacks? Are you missing classes because you can't make yourself care? Difficulty sleeping because you are anxious about school? Are you drinking to excess? You can make a list and then it is just as simple as handing the list to the counselor. I've done this when it seemed too difficult to talk about my issues, especially when, like you, I found myself downplaying the severity of the situation.
posted by bunderful at 6:38 PM on November 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
As far as conveying the seriousness of your situation once you actually do get an appointment: Do some thinking about the severity of your symptoms. What issues are giving you the most concern? Do you have regular panic attacks? Are you missing classes because you can't make yourself care? Difficulty sleeping because you are anxious about school? Are you drinking to excess? You can make a list and then it is just as simple as handing the list to the counselor. I've done this when it seemed too difficult to talk about my issues, especially when, like you, I found myself downplaying the severity of the situation.
posted by bunderful at 6:38 PM on November 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
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Or, is there a disabilities resource center or office at your school? If so, again, those are people you're totally allowed to go to and say "I need help, but I am getting in my own way trying to get it." And they will, hopefully, be able to facilitate for you.
I'm sorry I can't help with the other issues, as I don't know how it all works in Canada.
posted by Stacey at 10:00 AM on November 5, 2012 [1 favorite]