394
Rate of suicide in the U.S. peaks among older men, a hard demographic to reach (www.usatoday.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/news@lemmy.world
120 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 14 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

I just want to say something about the mental health practitioners not calling back:

It's the worst part about getting help is how hard it is to find. This is true for all folks, too. So, I just want to provide a quick how-to because I've been through that particular step 5 or 6 times and it's only slightly less annoying when you know the best steps to take. Not saying you didn't do all these things, and not saying you shoulda known if you didn't, but this is for anyone reading this. This also only applies for US. Idk how other countries do it, but it's probably better than this.

  1. UnInsured? Skip step 2 and 3

  2. Find your health care card. Call the number(s) on the back. Reach a human (never easy). Ask for a list of mental healthcare practitioners that are within x miles of CITY. use biggest nearby city for best results. Or just say STATE if your state is small enough. Regional accuracies may vary.

  3. Go to psychologytoday.com or google around for another mental healthcare finder. Use the list you got from your insurer.

  4. Search by your conditions at a site line psychologytoday.com. curate as long a list of options as you can for your area.

  5. Mass email to all of them. "Hi. I'm dealing with SYMPTOMS, I have this healthcare. I was wondering if you were accepting new patients." Send.

Within 1 week, if you have no response, re email all of them and say you got no response and you're really trying to find help, and if they could give you recommendations, that would be great.

  1. Setup appointments. First sessions suck. And it takes a solid 3 sessions to know for sure if someone is a possible fit.

  2. If they're not a good fit, you go back to your list. This repetition is exhausting, especially because when you finally reach out for help, you're at a breaking point, and all of this feels like too much already. Keep going.

  3. Hopefully you find someone that's a good fit through this process. It sucks. Hang in there.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    This is all great advice. The issue I in particular have and a lot of other guys probably do as well is that I only ever get like 4-5 sessions with any therapist before they basically start booting me out the door. The issue is that per society I'm perfectly functional. I work, I pay my bills, I take good enough care of myself that I function. I've never attempted suicide (although stats show most guys only attempt is the sucsessful one.) I'm a low priority. I'm not a statistically high suicide risk. I'm not at risk of becomming homeless. I'm not being abused or abusing drugs. I'm already receiving medication that kind of works. All in all my situation is not dire so naturally the people who are in a more dire situation get prioritized and there are a lot of people in more dire situations.

    I have enough of a medical background to know how triage works and I get that that is what is happening but it still just sucks. No place will actually keep me on long enough for me to improve at all and even if I do start to improve I get dumped at the first slightest sign of improvement. So I'm just stuck perpetually "functioning". It's kind of like the wellfare cliff. I'm doing just well enough that there's no long term help available.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    I read your response with interest and empathy. However, I feel it's important to address a few misconceptions for the benefit of anyone reading this.

    Firstly, the idea that mental health practitioners prioritize patients based on their societal functionality or perceived risk level is not accurate. In the United States, mental health professionals are bound by ethical guidelines that stress the importance of client-centered care. This means that treatment decisions should be based on individual needs and therapeutic goals, not on a patient's external life circumstances like job stability or living situation.

    If you've repeatedly been discharged from therapy after only a few sessions, this is concerning and not a standard practice in mental health care. Therapists are trained to provide ongoing support, and decisions to conclude therapy should ideally be mutual and based on progress and goals, not on arbitrary measures of functionality.

    Also, the concept of 'triage' in mental health doesn't operate the same way as in emergency medical settings. While it's true that individuals in crisis might need immediate attention, this doesn't mean others are deemed 'low priority.' Everyone's mental health needs are important, and a good therapist understands this.

    If you or anyone else feels that your therapy is being prematurely concluded or that you're not getting the depth of support you need, it's crucial to bring this up with your therapist. If the issue persists, seeking a second opinion or a different therapist might be necessary. It's important to find a therapist who resonates with your needs and provides the required level of support.

    While your experiences are valid and unfortunate, they are not reflective of standard mental health practice. I encourage anyone seeking therapy to advocate for their needs and keep searching for a therapist who offers the right support and commitment.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent