Lived Experience Forum

[Doglover]

Thanks @Snowie , talking to u lovely ppl on here has helped too, the care and support is rly nice. Sometimes i wish we cld meet forumites in person and then we cld hav a real hug and b there for each other in a different way, but i guess the dynamics wld b different then. The anonimity allows for greater freedom to share deeply personal information i guess.

It wld b interesring to know re private hospital costs. I dont know either but i think its in the thousands per day. Wldnt take long to chew thru caravan money at that rate!

Are u still doing well after ur hospital stay? R u feeling more stable now?

Hugs to u @Snowie  xx

[Doglover]

Thanks @outlander . Darn waiting periods! Private cover isnt in our budget either! My mum helped with the cost of the 1st 2 months, we dont know how wre going to pay for it after that. Im looking at the possibility of accessing some of my super on compassionate grounds, but i dont think they will allow it for health cover. Will need to do the same for psychologist too. These things r so expensive. 

Do u have a psychiatrist and psychologist in the public system? Thr was going to b a long wait for psychologist for me and my family intervened and said i cldnt wait that long. My mum is paying the gap for the first 10 sessions under the MHCP, wev got to come up with the money after that. Again, not sure how thats going to hapn!

Thanks for ur support @outlander . I hope things r ok ur end. Xx

[outlander]

@Doglover ive just been using the 10 sessions through the mental health care plan. As im young i still am able to access some things like headspace with slightly reduced waiting periods and no gap fees to pay. however the psychiatrist im still yet to see was a 4 month wait but with medicare i only have a small gap fee.

Do you have a local womens health centre? Sometimes they have a counsellor avaliable that are either free or low cost and they dont run off the mental health care plan so it wouldnt take away from your 10 sessions.

[Doglover]

Hi @Eucalypt ,

My apologies if i have overstepped any boundaries. I am in somewhat of a dilemma and i hav appreciated the feedback from @outlander @Snowie @greenpea @BryanaCamp@Gazza75 @BlueBay @@. I dont mean, or didnt mean to suggest that private hospitals are better than public in the general sense, rather that the public hospital that i wld be going into if that were the case leaves a lot to be desired and i am very afraid of going there bcoz of what i hav seen and as a result wld far prefer to go private if possible. My experience was that this particular hospital was not somewhr i wld feel safe or comfortable being. I am not suggesting that all public mental health hospitals/units are the same as the one i am referring to - i apologise if i came across that way. I certainly wld not want to put neone off seeking the help they need, whether that be thru the public or private system. Its just that my experience has made me scared

I hope that clarifies any misunderstanding.

Kind regards,

Doglover

[Doglover]

Thats grt that uv bn able to access the 10 sessions without a gap fee @outlander . Thats rly good. Shame about the wait for the psychiatrist, but great about the minimal gap fee. Im currently seeing public psychiatrist so thats free, but private psychologist which will b $200 once sessions run out. Yikes! Havnt worked out how wre paying for that yet. Need to give it some thought and make some decisions. 

Im not aware of any womens health centres near me, but thats a good thought. I wld also like to get marriage counselling bcoz this has affected my marriage so much, but thats all more expense. Its hard for my hubby bcoz i hav changed so much, and our marriage has changed so much, all for the worse, plus he just doesnt understand mi. So some counselling wld b good.

Do u live at home with ur parents @outlander ? Do u hav good family support?

[outlander]

Perhaps do some asking around or reaearch aome womens health centres near you @Doglover  it might be worth it till you can work out what the next steps are with a psychologist. Some psychologists  offer bulk billing or smaller fees for those who arent financially stable. It does take quite abit of researching  and asking of the service (sometime  they dont advertise it but they offer it if you ask). 

No, i dont live with parents now. I live withmy grandfather whom im a carer for. But i take care of my siblings alot so i see them and my mum at least once a day. 

Unfortunately  no they arent supportive. Very much the opposite. 

[Doglover]

Thats rly sad about your familynot being supportive @outlander , especially when ur still quite young. Im rly sorry. How hav u managed to deaal with that? Im sure u get lots of support here on the forums, but its not the same as family. That must hav bn/still be a tough road for u. I am sorry.

Its lovely that u care for ur grandfather and still see ur siblings regularly.

Thank u for ur advice re wommens centres and psychologists.

[outlander]

Thanks for your support @Doglover i realise we're going a little off topic here though. Ill respond  to your questions on another thread if thats ok...

[BryanaCamp]

hi @Doglover I'm sorry you're in such a tough situation, it really does sound difficult.

yes, pdoc means psychiatrist

I'm sorry your husband isn't very understanding of MI. My family are the same, they aren't interested and just want me to get better. They don't understand that it's something that has to be managed & gets worse at times and had its challenges each day. But my pdoc is very understanding, it helps a lot that he gets it.

How are you going today? Sitting with you 

[Doglover]

Thanks for ur kindness @BryanaCamp . Yes it rly is a tough situation - i feel totally trapped with no way out as i dont hav ne confidence that going into hospital is going to help anyway.

Im sorry ur family arent very understanding either, it makes it very challenging doesnt it. The pervading artitude towards mental illness is that we shld b able to just snap out of it. If only!!! If we cld just snap out of it then every one of us wld!

Things r the same today, symptoms through the roof, horrible head symptoms, internal burning sensation throughout head and body, amongst other things. Plus iv just realised, i feel dead inside. Just numb. I cant summon up any enthusiasm about anything. Just nothing. Im sorry to b so depressing! Thats just how i feel. I wldnt blame ppl if they didnt want to talk to me on here anymore bcoz its all so negative what i hav to say. But thats just whr im at. I wish i cld b in the place like u and @greenpea  and many others that actually give encouragement, love and support. I just seem to take. Im sorry about that. 

Thank u for being there for me. Xxx