With the increasing need for mental health care, mental health professionals are having trouble meeting the demand. There are so many things that have happened in the last few years such as natural disasters, soldiers returning home from war, a failing economy, homes being foreclosed on, unemployment and loss of health insurance, and other economic problems, that the demand has increased immensely.

With all the stresses that occur in our daily lives, many people are suffering from anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, drug addiction, and other mental health issues from these events. The majority of these people have no idea how to find mental health care that is available and affordable. Because of this, people turn to their medical doctors to find relief, which is not the solution. Most medical doctors are not equipped to help people with their mental health issues except for prescribing medication for depression and anxiety, which is not necessarily the best solution. Hopefully, this information will shed some light on how to find the help you need for your mental health issues.

Based on research from an article in the Health section of USA News entitled "Six Ways to Get Affordable Mental Health Services" (among other sources), some of the steps you should take to locate mental health services are listed below.www.usanews.com

Search the Web: If you have access to the internet, the first thing to do is locate a mental health clinic in your area. On the MHA website you can find help in locating affordable mental health care. Go to mentalhealthamerica.com.http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net Click on the "Get Help" tab at the top of the page and scroll down to "Finding Help." This section consists of frequently asked questions and answers, the first of which is how to find treatment. This site is filled with many links to organizations that will be very helpful in assisting you in finding mental health care.

Locating Local Mental Health Services:
To locate community mental health centers in your area, search the website at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov After you enter your location, it will provide you with a list of local organizations. After entering your address, city and zip code, you can get results in text only or both text and a map. These organizations provide services for health care, as well as mental health care and substance abuse, based on a sliding scale according to your income.

If You are Employed:
If you are employed, check with your employer to see if they have any mental health intervention services available. Some employers have access to mental health care for their employees for crisis intervention which may consist of a limited number of visits. When you need help, this immediate intervention can be very helpful to eliminate some of the stress. Remember stress takes a toll on your body and can be very dangerous to your health. The sooner you get help, the better! Many people wait far too long before seeking help, which may extend treatment. If the problem is treated early, less treatment may be needed and may result in a higher success rate.

Contact Your Church:
If you belong to a church or religious organization, contact your clergy member to obtain counseling. Most clergy do not charge for their services and can offer you immediate help. Even if you are not a member, you can go to a church near you and ask for help.

Join a Therapy Group:
If your insurance will not cover mental health services, joining a therapy group can cut costs. Group session rates are much less than individual sessions. By sharing thoughts with others in similar situations, you can often alleviate some of the stress in your life that is causing your mental health issues. Groups can be very effective for substance abuse, domestic violence, grief, parenting, and many other subjects.

Don’t Forget Family and Friends:
Just talking over problems can alleviate stress from an issue you might be facing. Discussing the problem with family or friends can be helpful for immediate intervention when you become overwhelmed. Just looking at the problem logically and discussing it openly may open up solutions that can help provide you relief.

Private Insurance: For those employed and covered by health insurance, most private insurance companies will pay for mental health services. Depending on the type of insurance, some insurance companies require a referral within the network from the attending physician and a co-payment at the time of service. Other types of insurance allow you to go to any provider and pay a co-payment. Your policy will describe the type of coverage you have. Unfortunately, mental health services are not always covered at the same rate as medical services.

Uninsured Individuals: For those individuals who have no insurance coverage, the following suggestions may be helpful. For more information and answers to your questions, read the article on How to Pay for Mental Health Services. http://counsellingresource.com/aboutcouns/paying.html

1. Medicaid. If your income is low, you may qualify for Medicaid. To find out if you can receive this assistance, contact your local social services department.
2. Medicare: For seniors and those on Social Security Disability, Medicare covers a large percentage of mental health treatment costs.
3. Community Mental Health Centers: If you have no insurance at all, local community mental health centers charge for services on a sliding scale, according to your income.
4. Pastoral Counseling: Go to the clergy where you attend services and seek help. There are usually clergy members who are certified to perform counseling services. There is ordinarily no charge for these services. If you do not attend services anywhere, go to a church or synagogue near you and ask them for help.
5. Self-help Groups: Most every community has self-help groups that meet and discuss problems. There is usually no charge to attend these group meetings.

When you feel something just is not right, the sooner you seek some type of help, the more successful treatment may be. Instead of keeping things inside, talk things over with family, friends, your pastor, or your family doctor. The three most common problem areas are substance abuse, depression and anxiety. For more information on these problems please refer to thebody.com.http://www.thebody.com/content/art30638.htm

Substance Abuse: If you suffer from three or more of the following symptoms, you should seek mental health treatment.

1. Is it taking more and more of your substance of choice to get high?
2. When you are not using your substance of choice, are you having adverse physical symptoms of withdrawal? Are you using other substances to help you through these symptoms?
3. Have you been using your substance of choice longer than you thought you were going to?
4. Are you constantly trying to lessen your use or stop using your substance of choice but cannot?
5. Does your substance of choice consume much of your time either in trying to find it, using it, or trying to get over its effects?
6. Do you find that you do not enjoy social activities the way you used to and find you are isolating yourself from these activities just to get high? In other words, is your main motivation in life to get high?
7. Even when your body is showing detrimental effects from using your substance of choice, do you continue to use it?

Clinical Depression: If you find you are experiencing four or more of the following symptoms most every day during a two-week period, or if friends and family have brought up the subject, perhaps it is the time to see out some professional help and catch the problem early.

1. Do you find yourself feeling depressed on a daily basis, or have others told you that you appear to be depressed?
2. Have you lost your desire to participate in activities that you would normally enjoy?
3. Are you eating more or less than usual and is it affecting your weight?
4. Have your sleeping habits changed by either sleeping more or less than usual?
5. Are you feeling listless or jittery more than usual?
6. Do you feel like all the energy has been taken out of you?
7. Do you feel like you have no worth or blame yourself for things that are not your fault?
8. Are you having trouble focusing or making decisions?
9. Are you experiencing suicidal thoughts?

Anxiety: If the following symptoms occur over a period of six months or more, or if they are very strong over a shorter period, and you know they are not related to a physical illness, it may be time to seek professional help for your anxiety.

1. Are you experiencing excessive worry about things?
2. Are you unable to control your worried thoughts?
3. Are you suffering from at least three of the following symptoms: tension; restlessness; irritability; getting tired quickly; lack of concentration; or the inability to sleep long or well?

Your mental health is important to leading a full rich life. Do not let what others may think about seeking help stop you from getting yourself well. Remember your mental health is as important as your physical health to live your life at its best!!

The content on this page is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Speak with a qualified heath care professional to ensure that you have the most accurate information regarding any mental health diagnosis.