Inpatient?

[PaperDolls]

Is there such a thing as inpatient treatment for depression? If so, how does one go about getting that treatment?

[Leslie1210]

Hi Paperdolls,
Being in recovery, you can look for Tx. Centers that offer help to 'dual diagnosed' people. This type of tx. center will work with the addiction and the depression.
try looking on the internet or in your local phone book. If you have insurance you can claim it due to alcoholism which is considered a disease.
best to you,
Leslie

[PaperDolls]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not, and never have been in treatment for alcoholism. I just quit. Most days I say I am not an alcoholic, I just had a "drinking problem". (I know what you want to say.....go ahead, I can handle it

Honestly, seeing what my mother has been through with the alcoholism diagnosis on her med. records, I'd like to keep that diagnosis out of mine. The p-doc I was seeing didn't even want to diagnosis me with bipolar because he said it's not good to have in your medical records. As I type that, that sounds pretty stupid really.

Yeah, I just need to make some phone calls I guess.

[Leslie1210]

LOL
I'm laughing with you. I did the same thing because of what I saw my Dad go through. I stayed away from wiskey ( his alcohol of choice) and drank scotch.
Actually, I think your Dr. is acting on your best behalf. Sometimes a diagnosis get's thrown into the mix that could be inaccurate. That's what peeves me. But I've never experienced any trouble over the alcoholic lable. I am proud to say I'm in recovery and it weeds out my real friends and associates.
Have you asked your Doc about tx centers? Your depression could be a result of many things other than a psych. diagnosis.
It happens to ton's of women in the first stages of recovery.
best of luck,
Leslie

[PaperDolls]

No, I never really asked him about that. I quit drinking and figured that was that. Huh, may be there's more to it. I think someone around here pointed me to an article about that. I don't remember now. It's called something........and acronym. Anyone?

My mom is uninsured and is constantly turned down when trying to get coverage because she answers "yes" on the the "are you an addict/alcoholic" question. That's all they ask ...... not, are you sober or how long or any of that.

Any way -- I'm going to call my pdoc right now. I bet he's booked solid for a month. Damn it.

[Leslie1210]

there are types of insurance that will not turn her down. Does she have access to legal advice? Alcoholism is a legal disability and should not be discriminated against.
that really sucks doesn't it?
L

[PaperDolls]

Well, yeah, my brother is a lawyer. He probably doesn't even know about it. I'll have to ask him about it.

She was turned down for disability years ago and now just wants some major medical insurance and possibly coverage for prescriptions she's on.

[PaperDolls]

Yeah, this sucks.

Call the pdoc's office:
Me: Hi, I'd like to make an appt. with Dr. pdoc.
Are you a current patient?
Me: Yes.
Okay, would you just like the first available?
Me: Yes, this week if possible.
Oh no, he's actually booked until the end of June. Do you want to do that?
Me: No, actually that won't help me at all.
Ok, thanks. Click!!!


Honestly, how is that any freaking help? I wonder if I was a new patient I would get in quicker. Or may be I should just be a little more crazy......

[Bozo]

Originally Posted by PaperDolls

Yeah, this sucks.

Call the pdoc's office:
Me: Hi, I'd like to make an appt. with Dr. pdoc.
Are you a current patient?
Me: Yes.
Okay, would you just like the first available?
Me: Yes, this week if possible.
Oh no, he's actually booked until the end of June. Do you want to do that?
Me: No, actually that won't help me at all.
Ok, thanks. Click!!!


Honestly, how is that any freaking help? I wonder if I was a new patient I would get in quicker. Or may be I should just be a little more crazy......

I went through the same thing a year ago. My wife is the same thing for a problem with her knee. What a world, huh??

[PaperDolls]

Originally Posted by Bozo

What a world, huh??

Indeed.

Ain't America great?!

[Leslie1210]

It seems like a double bind when people are reaching out for help because I find you have to be very assertive. Most people who are depressed or in crisis aren't very in touch with their assertivness
I've run into this in my world as well as with my residents. I've learned to say " no..I need help now and I'd like to talk to my Doctor." I just had this happen with a resident who's meds were needing refills. They gave me an appointment in June! I said No. I need an appointment now and I'm willing to come in and wait. I got in 5 days later. Receptionists do a lot of screening and sometimes the doctor doesn't even know what's going on. Push past them, you have a right to speak directly to your doctor.
Leslie

[Zoey]

I was told to just go to the emergency room at psych hospital and they would admit me, but only for about 7 to 10 days.
If feeling really bad would be worth a try. Unless you have a fear of that on your records.

I have heard one cannot buy new insurance if been on mind altering drugs??
I would call insurance companies myself, to make sure, we hear all kinds of things.

[ccgirl]

About 9 years ago I was having a severe bout of post partum depression (just to go along with all the other mental issues, lucky me) In the middle of my therapy session, I said I wanted to kill myself. You can bet I ended up inpatient.


If you go to the emergency room, if you feel that bad, they will send a social worker down. If you tell them you don't feel safe going home, that you feel you may do something, they will probably put you somewhere inpatient.

Most importantly, do what you have to to be safe and get the help you need.

[PaperDolls]

Thank you for all the replies.

I guess a crisis to one person isn't a crisis to another. I'm not suicidal just going crazy. To me a crisis is like, an emergency, knife in hand. That's not where I am. Apparently, it has to get to that before I can get immediate help. I'm just frustrated right now with the whole system.

I'm going to wait until the 21st to see this new therapist. In the meantime, I know where the 24/7 crisis place is if I need it.

There are lots of people that have it much worse than I do.

[historyteach]

Paper Dolls;
The hospital workers or social workers are interested in if you 1. feel like you want to die and 2. have a plan laid out to make it happen.
If you''ve thought it through, and know how to make it happen, then you are placed in protective custody. If it's just a nebulous, "I wanna die" feeling, without plans, you are still considered safe. At least in RI, anyway.

You do NOT have to have the knife in hand. And that statement does indeed worry me. Let me know where you're at -- what state; county. I can get you emergency numbers for you. It will be ok.

Shalom!

[PaperDolls]

Thank you Teach.

I really am okay right now. Just very frustrated about the whole mental health system, not just for myself, but for anyone who has to go through this crap.

Since I've come back here to SR, I've been feeling quite a bit better. I suppose just getting stuff out and having people understand what the heck I'm talking about.

You're right, I do NOT have knife in hand and do NOT ever intend to. I am not suicidal by any means. Just feeling a bit helpless, tired, worn-out, sad, etc.

I have the crisis number for the local county mental health center. It's a 24/7 line and I know I can always go there if I need to.

I have an appointment with a new therapist on Monday and am looking forward to it. I'm going to try this thing without the help of anti-depressants if I can. I still take my sleeping pill every night and clonazopam when I need it.

Thanks!!

[shutterbug]

Paperdolls...i was very depressed and having difficultiy functioning in my life and being told it would take a month to get me on meds that would take up to 6 weeks to start working was plenty to throw me off the edge!

If you need help, you need help. No need to wait until it gets to that extreme of a crisis to take care of yourself.

A woman i'd met and my mother took me to a state crisis center. it took all night to get me checked in, but i finally did. I spent three days inpatient where i got the much needed rest and got started on much needed meds.

ALSO....I'd suggest checking with your local nami or dbsa groups and asking about out-patient treatment. (www.nami.org and www.dbsalliance.org) After i got out of the hospital i ended up in a WONDERFUL outpatient facility that i attended every day for about 6 hours total. I can't stress how extremely helpful it was to be in the group treatment sessions that I had thought were complete wastes of my time and energy.

Also...you are likely to find FREE bipolar support groups in your area at one or both of the sites listed above. Besides the support you will find at them...you will also find lots of people who are very knowledgable about the resources available in your area!!

I can't stress how helpful these kind of people can be in our lives! Especially when we don't have a clue where else to turn.

hugs,
Jenna

[PaperDolls]

Thanks Jenna!

Today has been crazy -- I've been so busy at work. It's days like these that I realize how unorganized my mind is. I can't keep anything straight, I can't multi-task like I used to.

As my boss was leaving, I apologized to him for being so bitchy and irritable today. He always laughs about it -- but I know it drives him crazy. He said "Yeah, we need to hire you an assistant....." -- ha, ha I'm his assistant, I'm supposed to keep his sh!t straight and I don't even know where my own sh!t is! He's been very tolerant of everything over this last year and half (or what ever it's been) but I can tell it's really starting to get to him.

"it took all night to get me checked in, but i finally did. I spent three days inpatient where i got the much needed rest and got started on much needed meds."

Boy, that sounds so nice! Getting rest -- for my brain mostly -- sounds so nice.

[shutterbug]

trust me, i know how it feels to have your brain completely fogged. The only mood stabalizer I've tried that didn't make me more tired and that truely had a positive affect on my abilities to concentrate and focus was Lamictal. The downside was my acne got worse, but it's time for me to suck it up and go back onto one -- and i'll probably ask to go back to that one. There was such a big improvement for me.

Yes, that's why my hospitalization was better than any tropical vacation could have ever been for me -- for those 3 days, I literally had absolutely nothing to think about or worry about b/c while i was in there i couldn't do anything about my bills or work or cleaning my house or doing laundry....nothing!! The best vacation ever i tell you!

You sound like you've got a pretty cool boss. i wasn't so lucky back then when all this hit me and my old boss made my already bad crisis into an absolutely living hell that I nearly didnt' come back from. The boss i have now is more like yours...he's cool. he tries to understand and sympothise with people in that we are all human beings.

Do what you need to do to take care of yourself. Have you thought about just taking a week or even a couple extra days off from work just to relax and rest?

[PaperDolls]

I DO have a very cool boss -- we have a good relationship. Very honest.

Originally Posted by shutterbug

Have you thought about just taking a week or even a couple extra days off from work just to relax and rest?

I have thought about taking some time off -- but C works out of the house and it really screws up her day when I'm at home. And then, when I'm home there's always something I should be doing ...... laundry, bills, etc...... So it's never very relaxing unless I just shut myself in the bedroom and watch TV or something. Either way, not really going to work.

We need to plan some sort of a vacation for this summer. The past few summer's we've rented a cabin at the lake for a week and spent some time on the water. It's always nice and relaxing. Of course, then you have to come home to reality!


Have a good weekend everyone.