Comments on: Great Help If You Can Get It http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2008/10/07/great-help-if-you-can-get-it/ A blog about mental health Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:55:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jane Mountain, MD http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2008/10/07/great-help-if-you-can-get-it/comment-page-1/#comment-3828 Jane Mountain, MD Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:58:44 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2008/10/07/great-help-if-you-can-get-it/#comment-3828 This is such an important topic. Those like myself who have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder need to stay in treatment or be seeking treatment. Most communities do offer programs with a sliding scale or at no cost if you qualify. Two quick tips: 1. If you call an organization or your insurance company for help and they can't answer your questions, ask them who can. Call your State Division of Insurance if you are unclear of what your insurance must provide or if you aren't getting appropriate care. 2. Look to your community for help in managing stress—MHA (Mental Health America or Mental Health Association), DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Alliance); even your local library may have free classes in stress management. Bipolar can make stress more difficult to manage, but you can always add new skills for managing stress to complement your treatment. This is such an important topic. Those like myself who have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder need to stay in treatment or be seeking treatment. Most communities do offer programs with a sliding scale or at no cost if you qualify.

Two quick tips:

1. If you call an organization or your insurance company for help and they can’t answer your questions, ask them who can. Call your State Division of Insurance if you are unclear of what your insurance must provide or if you aren’t getting appropriate care.

2. Look to your community for help in managing stress—MHA (Mental Health America or Mental Health Association), DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Alliance); even your local library may have free classes in stress management. Bipolar can make stress more difficult to manage, but you can always add new skills for managing stress to complement your treatment.

]]> By: erin http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2008/10/07/great-help-if-you-can-get-it/comment-page-1/#comment-3827 erin Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:59:05 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2008/10/07/great-help-if-you-can-get-it/#comment-3827 i've recently found myself in this predicament. for a while, i was doing ok on meds and with therapy, but now that i've switched meds (that aren't quite working as planned) and life stresses have risen, i can't even afford to go as much as i'd like, and need, to! are those assistance programs just for people that meet certain income requirements? i’ve recently found myself in this predicament. for a while, i was doing ok on meds and with therapy, but now that i’ve switched meds (that aren’t quite working as planned) and life stresses have risen, i can’t even afford to go as much as i’d like, and need, to! are those assistance programs just for people that meet certain income requirements?

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