[__ Prayer __] Decision….?

[Christ_empowered]

It seems minor but I need to decide between trying a telehealth service to get prescriptions for my psych meds or continuing at the local clinic which will include counseling every 6-8 weeks. No counseling with telehealth…just periodic med checks. I’m not on controlled substances or anything and I’ve been in the same stuff forever so it’s really about…

Stay local with care and deal with junk that comes my way or get it through med checks.

I just don’t know? I’ve been invited to join a support group st the clinic for stable people who have ongoing problems with social anxiety keeping us isolated. Haven’t gone to the first group yet. It seems like my group includes people with more severe diagnoses who also deal w social anxiety…

Which is helpful. But I dunno

I honestly don’t think my anxiety is it really was the real problem. If anything my so called social anxiety kept my mind off how impossible my teens and twenties were and a lot of it was social and economic not psychological. And yet…

Now I’m 41 and leading a modest but comfortable life in mainstream society with schizophrenia. Stigma is..a misstatement. It’s more like being voided or cancelled, socially. I dunno God is Good I’m thankful for my loving long suffering parents. I just…

I don’t want super emo connections or anything nor do I want to start a revolution lol but just decent reasonable social interaction.

Ugh decisions…

Thoughts anyone? Thanks

 

[Mare333]

It’s a very difficult decision, I pray that the Lord guides you to make the right one.

 

[for_his_glory]

You have been dealing with much, but praise the Lord He has brought you through some horrendous stuff. Telehealth might be a good route to take to get your meds as there seems to be no hassles of going to the clinic. The support group might help you with the anxiety and to just talk things out, also you might make some new friends.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I’ll go to the first scheduled group meeting and see how it goes. Not to sound pessimistic but I’m not expecting too much. I know there are other people who have similar experiences as me but i was in a support group a long time ago and…not really a good experience. This one might be different…I’ll give it a shot…but I’m not going in with high expectations. And…

Telehealth appeals to me because I could get my prescriptions without having to deal with the clinic. The downside is that it’s more time in my own place and not out in the community doing…something. I dunno

If I go to telehealth I don’t think I’ll be able to do the group because I won’t be a patient at the clinic. I’m sort of wondering if I should continue counseling…mine is easy breezy not rehashing stuff and mostly just convo on how to do life better…

Because honestly? I benefit from meds and I like the idea of counseling because people are designed to have time with people and it makes my mental health treatment less clinical more human but…

I’m 41. The Lord spared me saved me is saving me. My parents are amazing and have forgiven me and we spend time together now and it’s good so…

Maybe I just need med checks? I dunno

 

[evenifigoalone]

Prayers for wisdom for you, praying right now.

 

[Christ_empowered]

The clinic can be difficult in an oppressive way. Under the breath insults etc. and…

I actually had a telehealth appointment for disability that was incredibly rushed and stressful to deal with and…

It has me reconsidering telehealth for psych but then again…

They don’t keep prescribers very long at the clinic. For a while there I was seeing a telehealth psychiatrist at the clinic. They had a room set up for appointments and everything. So I’m kinda confused by…well the mental health system in general and my situation in particular.

My new counselor is an ordained minister, Wesleyan I think . I can talk scripture if I bring it up but he can’t bring it up first? It’s a community mental health clinic so there are rules apparently.

But I dunno schizophrenia is such a weird thing. I don’t mEan that in a pity party way it’s just..,

Even with treatment the outlook is not spectacular. A lot it is because even with treatment it’s hard to sustain meaningful employment. And for whatever reason my treatment in years past was so bad that my former counselor said doctors…note the plural…should have lost their licenses . But there again lots of people have been mistreated in the mental health system and the system in some ways is getting worse…

More involuntary commitments more forced meds etc. weird thing? I’ve never been committed. Also never been in a state hospital and only 2 hospitalizations the last over 15 years ago.

So I dunno

 

[evenifigoalone]

I go to a community mental health clinic as well. Theyyyy... don't seem to be the best. But I don't have much to really compare them to, either. I've never been to a private practice clinic.

 

[Christ_empowered]

The insults etc happened to me in private practice as well. I seem to be a magnet for some bizarre form of behavior modification or something?

Outpatient they use lower doses in private practice and it’s more personalized. I came in on abilify which is why I’m in abilify now. This clinic seems to use lots of seroquel Risperdal and zyprexa for schizophrenia. Like…to the point that I think they have a formula sheet or something?

Telehealth will accept disability or private insurance. I just need abilify prescriptions minus the oppressive clinic atmosphere.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I’m leaning towards telehealth. I remember when this woman around my age…5 years either direction…

Would yell at me while I was in the waiting room about putting me in the state hospital and me do meds through high doses long acting injections and…

Ugh at one point she made a comment about having my dad terminated from his job and so I finally told my dad about it. I’d been telling my then counselor. And then….

She no longer showed up at the clinic and a clinic employee was fired or allowed to resign or…something….

Not really sure the system itself is that great but at least telehealth would give me distance between my treatment providers and me and my life. Plus…

No controlled substances no off label drugs and I’ve been reasonably stable for a long time now so why bother with a clinic that seems to mostly deal in controlling people?

I dunno

Thanks for the prayers and support…

 

[Freedomtofly]

My son has social anxiety, he didn’t cope well in his teens and eventually tried to end his life. Then he developed self harming. He is now in his early 30’s, stable on meds and no longer self harms. He would find counselling in a group setting difficult, but has done one to one counselling over the phone. ( just something our NHS offers )
I think you have to find what suits you , going along to a session will at least help you see if it is beneficially. Can you change your mind once you have chosen, often as not once we take a certain path it can determine if it was the right one. I absolutely hate having to decide between two things sometimes, however remember Romans 8:28, God can work through and use which ever path you take xx

 

[Christ_empowered]

Some people really can’t do group therapy. I’m glad your son is doing better and receiving the help he needs.

I dunno I guess…if telehealth ended up being a no go then I could either try to get a referral to the psychiatrist my primary care provider sends people to or go back to the clinic. The clinic has just been such a nightmare at times and for no really good reason I can see? And…

Confidentiality seems to not really exist for me. Happens. It’s been a problem with both private providers and the clinic so I’ve kind of figured that it’s just the mental health industry itself. And…

Not to sound retro radical but a lot of people who have been through psychiatric treatment…again private and community clinics…report similar issues sometimes years after ending all treatments. Ugh

My general practice doctor won’t do my psych prescriptions except maybe a short term prescription until I can see a psychiatrist. It’s abilify. Until it went generic it was all over the tv internet etc. now I ask my doctor about refilling my abilify and I get told to find a psychiatrist. Ugh.

Some dude woke me up this morning and after hitting the exterior wall of my bedroom he started talking fairly loudly about my psych labels . I’ve never been committed never been in a state facility. Only 2 hospitalizations both in over priced private places the first 20 years ago and the 2nd over 17 years ago. And…

I dunno i really want to just build a quiet meaningful life without my past being used against me but…?


Not a pity party btw…it’s just frustrating and it’s becoming a problem now because I have a good life situation going thanks to my loving long suffering parents…

And it really seems that some vocal people want to rip me to shreds all over again. It’s unnerving and creepy.

Thanks

 

[Freedomtofly]

My sister in law has paranoid schizophrenia, she went down with it at the age of 21 and is now in her 50’s. The meds have never got rid of the inner voices on a permanent basis, we kind of excepted her with the voices so she talk freely around us, sadly she would sometimes take herself off the meds and end up being sectioned. For the last five years she has had to be in a care home. She’s not talking to me at the moment , but when she is I go and spend time with her, we can still have a laugh together. I do understand about the labels , as soon as you mention the illness it creates fear in some people. I presume it’s because of the extreme cases that cause the sufferer to do some pretty awful stuff. It doesn’t take into account the many people who respond to meds in a positive way.

 

[Christ_empowered]

Sorry about your sister in law. I will say..I’m glad they still have places for long term care in your country. Here in the USA it varies widely…some states still rely way too much on long term use of state hospitals others have barely any long term care options available for most people.

The meds are not perfect but in my own life I’m thankful to have access to abilify and if that stops working or something I could try something else. What’s strange about psychiatry at least in my case is how treatment can be so punitive even in private settings. Also it’s weird to me that schizophrenia can’t generally be treated by family doctors in my area. I mean…schizophrenia equals some sort of antipsychotic. Do I really need a psychiatrist?

I’m glad you visit your sister in law and accept her schizophrenia and all. That’s amazing to me. Love covers a multitude of sins.

The social aspect is rough. I live in a small city near the small town that was my hometown. I’m thankfully near my parents and they’re very kind and supportive. I’m not trying to be Mr.popular lol but schizophrenia has pretty much invalidated my social existence. I dunno it’s better in some parts of the USA than others…

Where I live there’s been an over use of group homes. Glad I don’t have to deal with those. Some local group homes were shut down and the owners had to deal with criminal charges. Eek

Ok thank you

 

[Freedomtofly]

Although my sister in law is in a care home many years ago the government cut back on many services within the community, so now there are many who fall through the system and the whole mental health system is pushed to the limits. Two of my children suffer with mental health issues and they have had good and bad experiences, so it’s not really any better over here in the U.K.on that level, where it is different is with medication. My children’s issues are treated through the local GP, but not my sister in laws.
Tina was my favourite sister in law, I married her older brother when she was seven years old and she would often spend weekends with us and our children. She is quite nasty to the direct family, I get it from time to time but not in the same way.
So sorry for the way it has impacted you within society, I know it’s not the same but I hope you feel a sense of community on the forum x

 

[Christ_empowered]

One of my friends moved to England and she’s talked a little bit about the austerity measures. Not good at all…


I don’t mean to complain too much about the effects of schizophrenia on my social life lol it’s just…

Wow good thing I have wonderful parents. I’m blessed beyond measure and a lot of the junk I deal with is…

A mix of the way the world works and I think spiritual opposition. It’s like..,

God’s work in this world is always met with opposition.

In Christ I have a decent modest surprisingly comfortable lifestyle and…

Before I was considered schizophrenic I was considered society’s reject lol . As in I got ripped to shreds and deliberately over medicated by shrinks and could easily have ended up in prison and or homeless or..,

But my parents…especially mama…didn’t let it happen. Now I’m 13 years into truly knowing Jesus Christ and they’re doing well…I’m healthy and law abiding…

And I don’t see an escape from stigma labels rumors etc. I’m not so much trapped as I am…

An outlier? If my parents weren’t able and willing to go the extra mile I’d be another person trapped by past sins and mistakes labels stigma inescapable poverty etc. as is…

Me having a decent quiet life in a modest strata of mainstream society is…

For me? Nearly miraculous! For people around me? Unacceptable! lol I know this because people tend to be vocal about it because I’m socially a non entity.

Sorry to ramble on and on.,,

Thanks again!

 

[Christ_empowered]

Ok

So mama says stick with local?

Thoughts?!?!