Need Help
 

I am going through a very stressful and challenging time once again. I have no desire to have a drink and that I am grateful!
I feel that I should finally talk to a counselor or Dr. about my bouts with depression and anxiety but I have no insurance and can not afford the cost. Does anyone know of any online free help?

This site has rules, for good reason, that we can't give medical advice. We are allowed to offer our experiences, but even that sometimes can lead to problems.

But, I prefer not to say....see a Dr., especially when a person doesn't have insurance or whatever.

Nobody knows what is going on in my head. I might be horribly depressed, but unless I admit it, nobody knows.

i self medicated with booze for decades and now that I don't do that anymore I have to do all of the other things to get happiness.

It has taken me years of clean living to get to this level of mental comfort and stabilization. From day 1 clean until now, my only way out was suffering. I did things to ease it, thank God, but the mental anguish is literally insanity. It sucked way worse on day 1 than it does now. The anguish didn't really get better, I got used to it and then it got better.

It has taken a direct effort to get this far for me... But, your depression may be way different than mine.

I don't use direct/personal help, but I google everything.

I just googled, "what to do if I hate my parents."

I don't hate them as much as resent them, but it could be worse for sure.

I was depressed a bit yesterday as well. My wife is so annoying. We have been together for over 20 years and we still go round and round sometimes.

I get tired of her whinning and nagging I have to leave the room. Then she acts like nothing happened. Then I try to let it go. It takes me less time to let it go then it used to. So I am optimistic. There are other things, but as you can see, things here are not all roses.

Folks talk about gratitude, but I am sure there is a chemical imbalance in my brain that causes my depression. When I work out hard and it goes away for a while. Exercise is my main drug/therapy now.

I just deleted a whole bunch of text here, some on purpose. I figure you still get the point. The point for me is: I have to find ways to make my own happiness without drugs. It takes years to figure this out.

But, like I said in the beginning, we are all different. Nobody knows what is going on in my head. Same for you.

Love and Thanks.

In my area they have hotlines you can call for free counseling.
If I were you I would use Google and type in "hotlines for depression in "enter your State or City".
In my area for substance abuse they also have many free Zoom group meetings....sometimes attending these and just listening or talking can help me in addition to the 24/7 online AA Zoom meetings.
Hope you feel better soon.

In the U.S. you can go online to your state's insurance website and sign up for insurance. If you can't afford it, your state will pay for it.

I have to agree with D122y about, "No one knows what goes on in my head and I don't want a drug to help me."

I've gone to "therapy." Useless, in my opinion. I've taken anti-depressants. Made me feel worse.

The best thing(s) I did was work out my specific issues, and there were plenty. Still are some days.

Humans are pretty complicated, but there is a book or a website for any issue. For me it's usually about forgiving or about humility or fear. Very human. Not really things I can escape, I just have to work through them. :lol:

You're okay, stuff comes and goes for all of us and I know you are capable of solving whatever issue you face. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

I've found counselling useful. Sometimes I've needed that outside perspective.

There maybe a free clinic near you:
https://www.needymeds.org/free-clinics-branch

I don't have any other links for free counselling I can vouch for, but I hope you'll get some more good suggestions from the Americans here, Sammy

D

Check with your county government services. I live in a very small rural county and we have a behavioral health department.

We have "Beyond Blue" and "SANE" here in Australia. They are both online. Maybe something similar where you are?

The fact that you have no desire to drink and are working on the underlying issues seem like major progress.

I can't recommend any online counselling but there is a book I've read that really helped me with both anxiety and depression: The Feeling Good Handbook by Dr. David Burns. I read it about 20 years ago and now my daughter is using it. It's available on Amazon....lots of reviews as well. It's very practical step-by-step cognitive behavior therapy. Maybe something to consider.

I'm thinking about listening to pod casts as well. Someone else posted a link on here recently for a recovery podcast but I didn't write it down...grrrr.

If I may be so blunt - - - how were you affording your alcohol? You don't have to answer that ... Just allow yourself to go there.

I think that if you really want to find affordable counseling, it shouldn't be too hard. Just about any place you call will be able to refer you somewhere that may offer what you need and can afford.

Best.