Finding a psychiatrist who can prescribe medicine is difficult in an emergency. Finding a psychiatrist who takes insurance on short notice is next to impossible. Paying out-of-pocket for individual therapy can cost thousands of dollars a year, and it will take you no less than a month before you see the psychiatrist. . . if you’re lucky. I’ve been told long as three months until the next available appointment. If the patient is stable and possesses the means and desire to go this route, then go for it. Individual therapy is necessary for many people and all in the beginning of their diagnoses.
However, there are some options outside of having to go the psychiatric unit at your local hospital and telling them you’ve been off your medication for a year and now you desperately want to take it, which was the first step in my recovery. I ended up in the psychiatric unit for eleven days. Thank the man above and Fort Walton Beach Hospital for admittance, but I wish I’d known these simple things three months ahead of time.
First, if you’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness and have already taken a medication that kept you out of trouble, go straight to an emergency health care facility and tell the general doctor what your problem is. The doctor will prescribe at least a month of medication. And remember only a licensed medical doctor can prescribe mental health medication. Not a therapist. Not a counselor. Not even a psychologist. Keep that in the back of your mind. You can always go the “Minute Clinic” route if you are in dire straits. It works in a pinch.
Once you have obtained your medication, locate the Behavioral Health Center in your town and make an appointment. They will not take you as a walk-in, but you can schedule an appointment most likely within the week if not sooner. At the Behavioral Center the staff will process and evaluate you and make every effort to meet your needs. Don’t worry about insurance. Having no insurance is no excuse. These centers will give you discounted medicine, free blood tests, and affordable counseling even with no health insurance at all. In other words, Behavior Health Centers will also make every effort to meet your financial needs.
Tell yourself and your loved ones that if you put in the least bit of effort, a patient can find medication. And it’s a heckuva lot cheaper than hitting the bottle to calm your ass down.
