Posted by special_k on April 10, 2006, at 1:04:37
In reply to Re: How much is it appropriate to spend on therapy? » special_k, posted by littleone on April 10, 2006, at 0:26:18
I'm not horrified. And I'm glad you popped up again. I guess I'm just struggling a bit with this...
Sigh.
I don't know.
> I just think I'm more likely to get the kind of help I need from a more qualified person with the appropriate experience.
I agree.
I've had a mixed bag experience from public health. But then I've heard people get a similar mixed bag experience from private practitioners. The main limitation on public health is how they have to justify seeing you, justify their treatment strategies etc. The upside is... accountability. They won't keep seeing you if they aren't helping you. The downside is... how they measure 'helping'.
> If you really want help, it looks like you'll have to pay for it.Sure. I realise that. I guess I'm just getting to thinking about how much is reasonable.
> Instead I often see you directing really strong anger towards those services instead of taking other steps to get the help you need.
Ouch. Yeah I do feel quite angry about my lack of treatment in the public health service back home. To qualify my situation back home I was living on welfare. Basic needs would have been comprimised if I had to pay more than maybe $10 per week. Yeah I smoke... So hard to say I guess. $10 per week would have been about... 15% my total income. Less than 1/3. But I was spending well over 1/3 (well over 1/2) on rent. So it does depend on how much you are earning...
> Also, re the socialising - regardless of your diagnosis, it sounds like you may have some serious self issues as well.Sure.
> If that's the case, then the socialising aspect is waaayyy down the track still. There's a lot more important and urgent issues to work on.
I'm not planning on isolating myself in the meantime...
> Don't forget too, that there are ways to socialise for free. You don't *have* to go drinking or out to dinner or whatever to be social. I didn't really get what you were saying about the socialising you're expected to do.No. Think of it as... Business expenses?
> But to be honest, if you can't afford it, you can't afford it. Getting the help you need is more important than the impression you put forward to people. At least, that's the way I see things.
It isn't so much about 'impression' as it is about trying to situate myself so I can get a job. That will make a huge difference to me... The difference between getting a fairly high paying job (at which point I will be able to afford therapy) and not getting a job at all. Business investment if you like. And a neccessary one, yes.
> I know you've had some bad experiences, but then, were they all with the free/cheap service?
Yes. But then I have heard of people having similar problems with an expensive service... And I have also had a couple of really good people who I haven't paid to see. They moved on... That is a problem with public health yes. People move on... To a different country / region typically... Or they make the move into private practice.
> Perhaps you could try a trial with a psychologist. For x number of months. See how they compare with the people you had before and whether you can maintain the therapy $ spend level needed for that type of service.Yeah. I still think the present amount... Is too much. I had a chat to some other students... The science students get a great deal more than I do. People working part time get a great deal more than I do. If I was well enough to work part time I probably wouldn't need a therapist lol. Not so fair about science... They are getting maybe half as much again as what I'm getting. If I was getting that much then I could afford the rate. It would be more manageable.
I guess it is hard to talk about % of income. I mean what kind of income am I talking? Less than $20,000 per year. Maybe I should have been clearer on that... Not sure what difference that makes.
poster:special_k
thread:631129
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20060406/msgs/631273.html