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Depression and Anxiety

https://twitter.com/PlayersTribune/status/1323082402030235650

Colin Wilson's story of dealing with crippling OCD throughout his hockey career. It's a good read.
 
So I'm of the opinion that our Canadian/Ontarian health system sucks when it comes to mental health.

I'm on anti-depressants, which are generally working. Last year I was referred to a psychiatrist after I talked to my physician about concerns I might have ADHD. He generally dismissed my concerns because "I didn't fidget enough and was far too calm throughout." He focused only on my depression.

In general, I was ok with that. I'm not/wasn't searching for diagnosis or labels, but a better understanding of my issues. Despite having two very informed friends with ADHD that are convinced I have it, I accepted his finding. I then started researching and talking to others and have become somewhat convinced that I have OCPD (different from OCD.) I then asked my physician to get me another referral to the psychiatrist and the organization rejected me, saying "I've been assessed already."

Really, that's it? It was a 45 minutes consultation with a complete stranger. Imagine if you went in to a doctor and said "hey, I have severe pains in my arm, I think it's broken." They look at it and then say "nope, not broken, have a good day." Off you go.....  It'd be ridiculous and unethical, in my view.

So, I got angry and request my medical records. The psych report states: "diagnosis: major depressive disorder with anxious tendencies..........likely OCPD, shows several traits." He never f'ng mentioned this to me. I had to figure it out on my own, yet it was in my records all along. So I call the medical facility where I got the psych evaluation and previously had therapy (the only publically-funded facility where I am), and they basically say, "well, we've already assessed you and don't do 2nd opinions or assessments. You can go to a private facility if you want." A proper assessment for disorders is into the thousands of dollars. We definitely have a two-tier system here and it's not right.

So, because I'm not wealthy, I get to suffer. I don't get any help to learn how to deal with my issues. This sucks.
 
Sorry to hear that, Bullfrog :/ the infrastructure for assisting people with the breadth and scope of mental illnesses is really not there yet.

Are you working at the moment? A lot of organizations have added Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to their extended healthcare benefits portfolios.
 
Bullfrog said:
So I'm of the opinion that our Canadian/Ontarian health system sucks when it comes to mental health.

I'm on anti-depressants, which are generally working. Last year I was referred to a psychiatrist after I talked to my physician about concerns I might have ADHD. He generally dismissed my concerns because "I didn't fidget enough and was far too calm throughout." He focused only on my depression.

In general, I was ok with that. I'm not/wasn't searching for diagnosis or labels, but a better understanding of my issues. Despite having two very informed friends with ADHD that are convinced I have it, I accepted his finding. I then started researching and talking to others and have become somewhat convinced that I have OCPD (different from OCD.) I then asked my physician to get me another referral to the psychiatrist and the organization rejected me, saying "I've been assessed already."

Really, that's it? It was a 45 minutes consultation with a complete stranger. Imagine if you went in to a doctor and said "hey, I have severe pains in my arm, I think it's broken." They look at it and then say "nope, not broken, have a good day." Off you go.....  It'd be ridiculous and unethical, in my view.

So, I got angry and request my medical records. The psych report states: "diagnosis: major depressive disorder with anxious tendencies..........likely OCPD, shows several traits." He never f'ng mentioned this to me. I had to figure it out on my own, yet it was in my records all along. So I call the medical facility where I got the psych evaluation and previously had therapy (the only publically-funded facility where I am), and they basically say, "well, we've already assessed you and don't do 2nd opinions or assessments. You can go to a private facility if you want." A proper assessment for disorders is into the thousands of dollars. We definitely have a two-tier system here and it's not right.

So, because I'm not wealthy, I get to suffer. I don't get any help to learn how to deal with my issues. This sucks.
Click to expand...

Really sorry you are going through this.  Mental healthcare is absolutely broken in Ontario.  Psychiatry being region locked.  More often than not only able to get a single consult and then back to me in the office/or ER for those without a GP.  Some psychiatrists who "won't see complex patients".  Your experience is unfortunately all too common in the province.

It's not much but I can recommend a couple of books that are pretty solid on the OCPD front. 

Too Perfect: When Being in Control Gets Out of Control - Allan Mallinger

The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance - Sharon Martin

Obsessive Compulsive Disorders: A Practical Guide by Naomi Fineberg

Some of the OCD Cognitive Behavioural Therapy resources can be helpful as well.  They certainly aren't the same diagnosis but there can be some good overlap in therapies.
 
Hey, thanks for that, LK, I'll check those out. I'm currently reading The Healthy Compulsive by Gary Trosclair, who's supposed to be some guru, but I'm finding it's too focused on the driven part of the personality. OCPD is interesting because it's apparently quite common (something like 5-10% of the population), but resources are fairly scant.

Perfectionism and self-criticism are a couple of my major issues. I'm assuming from childhood trauma, but of course, I've been discharged from therapy, so who knows?

To be diagnosed with OCPD, you only have to have 4 of the 8 diagnostic criteria, so it can be quite variable.

I've found this guy's video (this one in particular) to be by far the most helpful. So if anyone wants to learn about OCPD or suspect you might have it, take a listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEhin2dCh8U

 
Without being a armchair Doc, a lot of people are going through this including me. I am going to investigate this treatment when I get back from my sales trip.  I am in a bad way right now and like a lot of people who have been financial ruined by Covid (and Hurricanes) are suffering big time.

A NHL'r from past seasons with a history of depression is starting his own company (with plenty of investors). It helped him regain his life.
Daniel Carcillo long to drop the gloves, metaphorically speaking. ?I?m a no-bullshit type of person,? says the former NHLer and now CEO of Wesana Health, a Chicago-based life science company.

It really seems to help a lot of people.  I know there has been a huge backlash on treatments on this site. And I post this reluctantly. But if someone like Bullfrog can stop suffering or at least help him, I will take the abuse.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/psychedelic-treatment-with-psilocybin-relieves-major-depression-study-shows
 
Does anyone if you can get help for ADHD without extended coverage. My psychiatrist keeps telling me it?s unnecessary to speak to someone else who specializes in ADHD and he just keeps prescribing me Adderal and a different depression med every 6 or 8 months. But no help on actually overcoming or controlling the ADHD. He keeps
Saying your productive enough let?s focus on the depression. I feel trapped.
 
I don't remember there being any help for ADHD...you can however get a tax break for the disability. It is also retroactive to when you were first diagnosed..we did it for my son and they went back 9 years and reassessed my taxes...we also carried the disability tax credit until he was 18...he has to apply for it himself after that age..we didn't put him on drugs. We took him to a place called The Listening Centre in  Toronto. It's not cheap but basically they retrain a person how to hear. What that allowed him to do was focus on whatever noise/voice he chose to and wouldn't get overwhelmed/distracted by all the noise around him. The turnaround in him was pretty amazing because he actually learned to focus. He used to have 10 meltdowns a day when he was a kid...they stopped almost immediately after going there..like I said though, not cheap and something to look into. I wish I could help you more.
 
Big Daddy said:
Does anyone if you can get help for ADHD without extended coverage. My psychiatrist keeps telling me it?s unnecessary to speak to someone else who specializes in ADHD and he just keeps prescribing me Adderal and a different depression med every 6 or 8 months. But no help on actually overcoming or controlling the ADHD. He keeps
Saying your productive enough let?s focus on the depression. I feel trapped.
Click to expand...

Have you asked to be referred to a therapist? My good friend sees a therapist every month and it's been helpful. She has other issues as well (complex PTSD), so maybe that's why?

My friend who has pretty severe ADHD, highly recommends the ADHD Rewired course and group coaching. It's $1500 though. She says the support and understanding from the community is the best part (which is free I believe). Also highly recommends reading "The One Thing" which is actually required reading for the course.

I saw a therapist for a year and have been discharged. Now trying to get back in is almost impossible. You essentially have to claim you're suicidal to get in.
 
Bullfrog said:
Big Daddy said:
Does anyone if you can get help for ADHD without extended coverage. My psychiatrist keeps telling me it?s unnecessary to speak to someone else who specializes in ADHD and he just keeps prescribing me Adderal and a different depression med every 6 or 8 months. But no help on actually overcoming or controlling the ADHD. He keeps
Saying your productive enough let?s focus on the depression. I feel trapped.
Click to expand...

Have you asked to be referred to a therapist? My good friend sees a therapist every month and it's been helpful. She has other issues as well (complex PTSD), so maybe that's why?

My friend who has pretty severe ADHD, highly recommends the ADHD Rewired course and group coaching. It's $1500 though. She says the support and understanding from the community is the best part (which is free I believe). Also highly recommends reading "The One Thing" which is actually required reading for the course.

I saw a therapist for a year and have been discharged. Now trying to get back in is almost impossible. You essentially have to claim you're suicidal to get in.
Click to expand...

I have to echo BF - literally as I just finished my appointment with my therapist 10 minutes ago (for minor stuff - a lot dealing with self confidence and vulnerability/lack thereof), but I always feel good coming out of a session.  You know what you need best, so even if your psychiatrist doesn't think it's necessary, if you want to try it out then I think it's still definitely worth trying out.  The lack of public options is not great here in Ontario, but like herman said - most benefit packages will include stuff for Psychotherapy and or a Master of Social Work, and mine in particular didn't even need a referral from a doctor.  Definitely worth looking into and recommended!
 
Thank you so much guys. It?s really frustrating. Bullfrog tanks I will seek out that book. I think it?s time to go back to family doctor and have him refer me to a therapist because spoke to the psychiatrist again today who gave me an 11 minute phone consultation, made sure I had refills of the shit he?s prescribing and again steered me away from getting help for the ADHD saying I need to focus on my depression which I feel is a direct result of the ADHD. At the 11th minute when I was trying to push him into directing me towards some other form of therapy. He?s say ?Well go to go now. We can talk again in 3 months? like fuck I?m so frustrated
 
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