Mental Health Professionals....i'm Very Upset!!!!!

[TeddydaBear62]

I have very little income. People working at McDonalds make more than I.

Every since my family died, wife abandoned me and friends turned their backs,

I've searched for support. Unfortunately....unless you have insurance or a lot

of money.....mental health organizations don't want to hear from you.

Anyway.....calling, writing emails.....struggling to find anyone to talk to.

I came across on support website here in my state. Something called DBSA.

(have no memory what it stands for). But their center was still too far away

to travel to. So they recommended another center for low/no income persons.

JIMHO (Justice in mental health org.) (Justice.....yeah....right)

They had no published email address so I had to call them.

The following is an excerpt of an email I sent to the lady back at DBSA to

let her know what I found at JIMHO (GOD I hate these silly abbreviations).

_______________________________________________________________________________________

I spoke with someone at the website you mentioned.

His viewpoint so upset me......I can barely describe.

He asked me what I was looking for.....

I told him....support.....someone to talk to....relate to.

A drop in center nearby.

He asked me to describe my situation.

I began to tell him of all the bad things that had happened and

were still happening to me. (When someone rudely started yelling

for him within the office, and he had to deal with that)

(this seems to happen far too often when I'm on the phone. Were

no manners taught in these peoples homes?)

When he finally got back with me.....I told him my highlights, but not all.

He agreed and said what a rough situation I was in.

Then he said something that is so offensive to me.

He tried to philosophise about how we all "choose" how we

react to any given situation.

Ma'am....if this is this mans view on mental health?

He knows nothing about depression and nothing about mental health!

None of us "choose" how to react to any given situation.

If we the depressed could "choose" then logically we

would "choose" to be happy!

None of us would ever "choose" to go through the living hell

we live every day.

But it seems that those who don't understand depression

or mental health in general....somehow get put in charge

of organizations to minister to those of us with mental

health problems. This is beyond ironic.

I don't see any hope for me as long as no priority is

placed on getting help for "everybody" no matter where

they live. And help for "everybody" no matter their

status or income.

I can see no true help for anyone unless the seriousness

of this is brought out into the open. That people who can

help, finally do get involved.

There are many of us pleading for help and can't find it.

Sorry if we are not conveniently located near a drop in center.

Maybe they need to consider going mobile.

________________________________________________________________

The ignorance of this man I spoke with at JIMHO is unconscionable!

I should have just told him......

EUREKA! Im cured! I just decided to be happy from now on!

Once this new cure gets out....guess you'll be closing your doors eh?

We are all going to "choose" to be happy from now on! No need for anymore

mental health professionals.

But this stands to illustrate the ignorance across the board of mental health

professionals. Maybe not all, but many believe our situation is of our own

choosing!!!!

Edited January 25, 2016 by TeddydaBear62

[Tilted]

Sorry you had this experience TeddydaBear62 - sounds awful...

[Jules19]

I can understand how upsetting that comment is, but I want to offer a different perspective.

 

I could be wrong, but that person could have meant that we choose how we react physically, not mentally.

 

What I mean is that although we cannot change our emotions, we can decide to take steps to overcome them.

 

For example, when many people, including myself, wake up in the morning, everything in my mind tells me to stay in bed.  It is a struggle to get out.  I would much prefer to just lay there.  But I decide to get out & do something.

 

It is very hard, especially when you are struggling with a mental illness, but it is possible to overcome.

 

Btw, I can relate to your situation.  I don't have much money, & the thought of it upsets me very much. 

 

I hope that you don't take my post the wrong way.  I understand how difficult it is to function with depression, & truly hope that you are able to find some support soon.

[TeddydaBear62]

I don't take any offense Jules. You try to look on the brighter side.

But I knew what he meant.

Ignorance of depression is rampant.

My own minister....in church....included in his sermon....how unpleasant

it is to be around depressed people. He called them "boo-hooers".

And he knew at the time I suffer from severe depression and PTSD.

My God! Is he serious? Doesn't he realize that part of his job is

to council all those in need?

If you don't believe me about the ignorance of the public.

Try placing an ad on Craigslist asking for help for depression and

a support group. You will receive the most awful, crazy and spiteful

remarks. Some will even advocate ******* yourself.

[Fizzle]

Most of us with anxiety issues and depression find these sorts of comments very offensive and especially if we are hard woking and try to help ourselves a lot. In truth it could be that he is a bit CBT minded. Its true that how we react to situations can hinder or harm a lot. But if only it was that simple. Why we have the thought processes and why we react like we do is very legitimate and there is always good reason for it.

 

Looking at how we react to situations probably forms the biggest wedge of the psychological pie out there but you are not alone in finding it invalidating Many of us have invalidation injuries/bruises. And how its communicated also makes all the difference. ]

 

Your minister is just ignorant. 

Edited February 3, 2016 by Fizzle