Hi OzBargain!
During this cost of living crisis, I been struggling to stay on top of my medical and pharmacy bills for mental health and wellbeing. This includes GP/specialists/pills/vitamins/Beyond Blue.
Anyone else feel like they need to cut down? Is it because I’m already spending too much? Can you poll below what you spend on mental health and wellbeing?
The government just announced another $500M for mental health in their midyear budget.
Thanks!
@mitchalbrown: I agree that the "War on Drugs" has had a pernicious effect on the development of new treatments. If a molecule actually makes feel better it classified as addictive and banned (Schedule 9) or heavily controlled (Schedule 8). SSRIs are supposed to make you feel better, but believe me, they don't make you happy nor high. If they did the poly substance abusers would be taking them. 2 psychiatrists I have talked to have both mentioned having a patient who got high off corticosteroids, a very unexpected effect.
Ketamine is curious. It has a pitiful 12 minute half life yet it can somehow make a depressed person better for several weeks between treatments.
$500m in the budget isn't much - $20 per person (or if you assume 1 in 10 need it, $200 per person).
Wellbeing - Chemist Warehouse, stay off the booze and cigs., exercise (high intensity for natural endorphins), adequate sleep.
Mental Health - Plenty of free stuff online (mindfullness, meditation, resiliance, yoga). Talk to friends (volunteer or visit an age care home if you need to find some - win/win). Psychs do little other than listen and make suggestions, which a friend can do; or prescribe meds which can badly mess with your brain - and the amount they charge will leave you more stressed about money too.
Consider a pet - it will love you, plus caring for it will take your focus off yourself and your troubles, which will greatly help your mental health.
, it'll go towards funding programs, research projects etc. the patient will receive very little of this directly
pets are just more responsability when i cant look after myself
i do think talking to oldies or helping out the oldies around the neighborhood helps (they cant waterplants or do their garden so much and it costs a kidney to get someone to fix it up, their families dont care ect)
put a notice up in the library (who also have mental health groups and stuff
get a dog it helps with mental stress from wife, kids, boss, and friends. dog will always be there and love you regardless of your mental situation.
Not if you are in financial difficulties already!
as a old guy comfortably retired with enough I have been mulling recently how life for those less well-off can be difficult in every way
as a college teacher I remember a maybe 35yo student who told me he really needed to see a dentist for the pain in his tooth (the free one involved very long waits), but his rent was due or he'd be kicked out today, but Centrelink required him to travel across town or he'd be cut off the dole, but he didn't have enough for public transport, so he was tossing up whether to walk the one hour to Centrelink, and/or to pay the rent, or to visit the dentist to fix the pain in his tooth - something like that.
if/when you are also homeless (my first office job was dealing with homeless alcoholics every day - see them freshly washed in the morning, give them a few dollars, see them unkempt and drunk in the afternoon) and you don't have a kitchen, then just traveling across town to the free meal places can also become part of your daily routine.
I'm pretty grateful to be who/what/where I am … ;-)
I guess it sort of depends on how you define 'spending on mental health'.
My medication is $100/month, and I don't see any professional about it at this time due to the cost. Can't afford $200/visit these days.
However if we're counting little treats when I feel down, that number changes a little.
I spend a lot, but I have legit bipolar disorder.
I can spend the money or I can spend the next 6 months in a ward. Not a tough choice.
while acknowledging the happy suggestions of 'just eat healthy and exercise' - I had a neighbour with suicidal depression - diagnosed schizo or something - I invited them for coffee several times and he always refused - he told me he didn't like to socialise with others as he didn't like it when they thought he was crazy - his words.
another neighbour similarly apparently diagnosed used to play the drums while listening to really loud heavy metal music with headphones (I could hear the music from outside) every afternoon - that was apparently his daily release of tension - and when he had a visitor he would sit on his balcony facing our small common courtyard and occasionally let out something like a loud lion's roar - which was quite disturbing to me until I understood 'oh that's just him'
the other day I read that Au police are typically not trained to handle mental health episodes in public - particularly one holding a knife or weapon for self-protection against imagined demons - and YouTube has many examples of US cops shooting and killing such people in the street - the first example of body cam I saw the other day being the teenage boy standing still in the far corner of his home bedroom, holding a knife from such fear, and after about 20 minutes the head cop got tired of waiting and said 'take him out' - shot from the door of his bedroom and killed him - job done - next !
What I've got would take a team of lawyers and forensic psychiatrists to sort out. So I just treat it myself with Uber Eats and alcohol.
“It is what it is”
Free and endless supply, with an early exit bonus.
I keep interactions with girls to a minimum
That shiz is expenno
About tree fiddy
$100- $300 onlyfans subs
Eating well is how he rich live so well and long and regular checkups are bulk billed by gps just keep looking until you find a good one .
Attitude is another ,and being social , keep looking til you find good secure grownup type people .
But start with gut health physiotherapist and nutritionalists visits can be free though a program with your gp.
Then get off your ass and exercise , walking is free , once you have some decent joggers .
Say hello to people , good morning , weather related comments .
Do some free trials for local gyms , take some classes like taekwondo or jujitsu or something, first class is usually free .
Get outside , meet people , get comfortable with it , stress will wane overtime …
If exercise, "interacting" and eating well was the cure to depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, antisocial disorder, dissociative identity disorder, shouldn't we have a lot less mentally sick people? Exercising, interacting and eating has literally been here for millennia, and isn't rocket science.
Celebrities absolutely do all three of these and yet MANY are very sick.
This advice is not helpful. You can't exercise away a tumour. Mental illness isn't just "feeling sad" or "crazy". Schizophrenia for example, is literally incurable, and often genetic. You will never be able to exercise it away and it can only be controlled by medication or counselling.
I think you are both correct in some ways. Yes, just saying 'go out an exercise' doesn't really acknowledge the difficulty that mental illness can pose. But also, the general treatment for most mental illness will involve goals around exercise/health, socialising, working, connecting with values etc… therapy and medication just help this process along.
The single most important diagnostic criteria for most mental illness is dysfunction in health, social, work and the like.
The single biggest protective factor (arguably) against mental illness is again good health, social, work, and the like.
You see? That is partly why it is harped on for so much — it makes a big difference for MH: prevention, vulnerability, cause, and treatment.
And no, most mental illness is not just 'feeling sad' but also not like a tumour. It is somewhere in between.
We're saying the same thing. Exercise, eating healthy and having a good sleep schedule are often the first 'medications' given to those suffering poor mental health. People suggesting that those will mental illness should just 'exercise, and socialise and build resilience' show a lack of understanding of mental healthcare. These suggestions will have already been recommended by nearly every healthcare professional at the start of a mental healthcare plan.
Ok medically brainwashed person , you believe what you want and I’ll believe what experience has taught me .
And
Listen before going down the drugs route for bipolar or schizophrenia know that there is something called drug induced Parkinson’s from those specific medications ,the mental health professionals push onto patients , oh they don’t tell anyone that when they’re a potential “danger “ .
Anecdotes does not equal science. Our experience is worth moot
This is not anecdotal ,this a cause and effect , a neurological condition caused by prescribed drugs .
Until you have done some research and can speak on the subject from an informed position , I can’t discuss it further with you .
Good day sir
The bee venom for lung cancer guy believed in his 'experience' too and that turned out great…
Ok , try talking to a neurologist about this before you give a random “opinion “ .
Really I’m done talking to half wits .
I’m sorry but you’re borderline ignorant.
Do the research
And I’m done talking to amateurs With nfi .
Its been a difficult year. EAP at work is free, I've used 4 times this year and had 3 good sessions. Travel and purchases that helped with coping I think I've spent around $5k.
I think I spend all my money on mental health and wellbeing.
For example….. spending on others improves my mental health.
I have hobbies which help with my mental health and well being… live music, attending sporting events etc.
Does Lego count?
Oh, crap, it worsens it when you miss out, but you get lengthy highs when you find vintage treasure in bulk lots and build it and marvel at the history and creativity.
Hardcore gigs are still cheap
Do $$ on beverages and relationships count towards mental health? If not, then $0 for me.
Cheer up ,
We’ll all be dead soon anyway ,
so why worry ,
tis like me old mate used to say ,
Always look on the bright side of life ,
To do to do to dodododo ,
And if that doesn’t work
Blame the Romans , I mean what did they ever do for us anyway ay .
I get a good night's sleep and play some boardgames with family and friends, or go out for a beer with a mate. Free (apart from the beer ;) )
Medical cannabis patient here I spend between 400-500
Spend nothing.
I go running, swim at the beach, use the home gym, eat a healthy diet & spend time with loved one's.
Follow your religion, be kind to everyone and make a connection with God! This helps a lot.
Only if you believe in religion. Otherwise “god” doesn’t help anything.
I have a theory that says religion chooses you, not the other way around. Those that believe I notice it really helps with them being well, physically, mentally and emotionally. Some try it and it doesn't do anything. But It's just a theory!
$50 every 60 days for (non-PBS) prescription anti-depressants and some GP gap when I run out of referrals.
I’ve never spent a cent because I’m a tight arse and generally don’t spend anything on my health unless really forced. I use company provided services when I did have issues through Covid (mainly due to my insane work load induced by Covid than anything else). My wife has big issues from pregnancy but we save where we can using mental health care plan, using Medicare safety net, and used council/governent funded crisis supports when shit really hit the fan (we had free counciling, hospital care and even a nanny 5 days a week while I was working for months all free). There are many ways you can get free help but it’s hard to find them, all I can say is ask for help in local community groups on Facebook, speak to as many different doctors and people in hospitals as you can because there are so many different avenues you can try but many just don’t know about them. Lastly be weary of physchologisys and psychiatrists that just want to keep you as a regular customer, I think there are many dodgy ones around just string you along. We luckily found one that we trust through free council services and eventually she moved to private and although we need to pay a small gap she often happy to just have a chat on the phone for free if we can’t make it to appointment with everything going on.
Gym membership =)
But not actually for my mental. Just part of my routine.
Ponder the big questions. Why are we here? Is there a purpose?
I used to be on antidepressants, aropax was my prescription drug of choice. Lasted about 18 months. I had about 5 sessions each with a psychologist & later a psychiatrist. It helped, given the personal/family/work stresses I was under at the time. But at some point, I questioned Why? was I taking them.
Later on, after stopping them, there was a revelation of sorts, first of a couple.
I became a Conspiracy Theorist, & all my troubles melted away. Instead of many different problems, I now had just the one, which isn't really a problem as such, just a different & probably more accurate way of viewing the world.
You can do it too, just start questioning everything.
I always wonder why weeds keep growing in my garden and why my garden looks like shit, making me feel like shit every time I look at it. I did my own research and all my issues went away when I realised the gov and big pharma Bigw was the reason. I feel much better now. I am now questioning Bunnings too.
What conspiracy theory do you believe?
I suppose the main one is that most humans are being guided like cattle or sheep in a certain direction, without realising it.
I am planning to cut down next year.
I have just hopefully finished a very stressful period where i was seeing psych fortnightly to weekly.
But i cant afford it, and i dont want to hog my therapists time so they help less people, so i am hoping i wont need so much help next year, so want to transition back to fortnightly and then back to monthly.
I also plan on stopping some of my meds with doctors advice.
All this government money "going in to mental health" is just being handballed between different nepo organisations, whole thing needs a big review and destruction and recreation of a lot of satellite services and commissioning orgs
You should've known better than to ask this question on Ozbargain.. the question is how much do you need to spend on mental health and wellbeing, and how you define "wellbeing".
If a person is perfectly happy, neurologically sound and healthy then they don't need to spend anything. If a person is not, they will usually have to spend something.
You need to spend on medications that stop you from becoming a threat to society or yourself, until when/if you can control this without them. You don't get to negotiate what prices these are.
You don't need to pay for a yoga subscription.
There's such a wide divide from people who have obviously never experienced mental health issues and those that have.
I believe the evidence suggest that these treatments allow the establishment or remapping of neuropaths in the brain.
The “illegality” of these drugs has set research back by decades and even now hold it back but despite that, the stigma is being lifted and they are now becoming legitimate forms of treatment.
It’s insane that fentanyl can be legally developed for medical use but something like mdma/psylocibin can’t. Maybe because everyone experiences pain painkillers as a treatment, no matter what lethal substances are used in them are acceptable but because not everyone experiences forms of debilitating trauma or other mental health issues, not everyone can understand the need to be open minded about the potential of these arbitrarily “illegal” substances