Like anything worthwhile, psychotherapy takes time and effort. And often just getting through the door can be tough.
How do you find a therapist? Where’s the best place to look? Isn’t it pricey? Do you even need to go?
You probably have a slew of questions with a side of skepticism and self-doubt. In fact, many hurdles can prevent people from seeking professional treatment.
Below, you’ll find specific obstacles that might stand in your way — and the solutions to overcome them.
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This article may be appropriate to non-psychotic problems with mentation or behavior, but it says nothing about the serious problems caused when people who slip into psychosis don’t know they’re ill, and therefore don’t seek medical care. The first category is of little concern, but the second can be tragic.
@PaulS: I agree that lack of medical care in the event of psychosis can be tragic. But why is the suffering of people with non-psychotic psychiatric disorders of little concern? People suffer badly and sometimes die from mood disorders without psychotic features. Lack of treatment for ANY psychiatric condition is a problem.
Paul, I understand your concern about psychotic illnesses, but it’s statements like the one you just made that need to be challenged. Statements like yours, that non-psychotic mental health problems are of little concern, is a very good example of the problem of stigma surrounding these illnesses. Human suffering should not be minimized or dismissed.
I wonder whether the biggest blockades to starting a course of psychotherapy (besides finances, of course) are previous bad or indifferent experiences with therapy, or bad or indifferent experiences of friends with psychotherapy.
Nothing teaches like experience, or the experiences of others whom we trust.
I have to agree with TPG: one of the reasons people don’t seek out psychotherapy is the still highly uncertain nature of treatment — and the unwillingness of professionals to admit that.
For me the chief obstacles were stigma, and not being sure if it was severe enough. Where I am a GP needs to be convinced it is severe enough for a psych referral. I was fortunate to get an appointment right away, but often a referral leads to a long waiting list to see a psychiatrist. Also, GPs seem less likely to refer when it is depression and are more likely to treat themselves.
I think a significant obstacle is structural – and not treating mental health the same as physical health. There also appears to be a shortage of psychiatrists, and where I am these are currently the only mental health practitioners outside of hospitals that are fully covered through the medical system.
So the obstacles from where I sit are stigma followed by limited accessibility.
Stigma and lack of access are tied, with lack of access gaining. Often those with psychosis end up in jail with little or no treatment depending on where they are and for how long. Long referal waiting lists, the Pdocs and others refusing to accept any insurance makes them increaseingly unavalable to most people especily those on disability because of psych disorders.
If Obamas Gun laws pass how many more will refrain from seeking care for fear of the Dr telling on them? How many shall no longer tell any Dr anything?
While much of the Obama proposed gun legislation makes sense, I’m another one who’s uncomfortable with the therapist reporting requirements. Does this mean that if I as a hypothetical therapist learn in a session in 2013 that a patient is a deer hunter, and then learn in a session in 2014 that the patient is having suicidal ideation, I’m going to have to report that patient? And what will be my liability if I dont? If the patient commits suicide after leaving therapy, can I be sued?
Good topic for its own blog sometime.