Wing of Madness FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) (Cont'd)
Q. I have a low income, and no insurance. How can I
get treatment?
A. This is a very tough question for me to answer, since I don't have a complete understanding of what type of government or state assistance is available, and whether mental health treatment is covered. I have tried to find general information on the Internet to answer this question, and I have not had much luck. My suggestion is to talk to someone at a local mental health clinic, perhaps one connected to a hospital. Explain your situation, and see if they have suggestions or information that will help you.
Q. How do I find a support group in my area?
A. Call the mental health or psychiatry department of your local hospital and ask them for suggestions.
Q. I have a friend/spouse/relative who suffers from depression, and I feel helpless. What can I do to help him or her?
A. First of all, educate yourself about depression, which is presumably what you're doing on my page. Secondly, it's very important that you try to be understanding and supportive. I address this topic in-depth on my page When Someone You Know is Depressed.
Q. I have a friend/spouse/relative who I am sure has depression, but who refuses to get help. What can I do to make him or her go to a doctor?
A. To put it bluntly, there is nothing you can do that will be effective in making someone seek treatment. Even if you can coax/cajole/shame/scare/push someone to keep an appointment with a doctor, that person will not be a good patient. It's unlikely that they will stick to a medication regimen or participate in psychotherapy. Your best bet is to try to find out why they are resisting getting help, and educate yourself so that you can counter their misunderstandings of this illness with good information. It's possible that they realize they have depression, but may be scared that if the doctor can't help them, their last chance is gone. Try to find out what is at the bottom of their resistance.
Of course, if they are a danger to themself or others, you may want to talk to
a psychiatrist and an attorney about possible involuntary commitment. I have no
knowledge about the legality of that move, never having been involved in it. 
Q. (Well, not exactly a question) I was going to write my own page about depression, but it looks like you've covered everything.
A. I will never cover everything, because I've only told my story, not yours. I think it's important for everyone who has experienced depression and wants to share their story to do so. It's what other people connect to, and makes them realize they're not alone.
Q. How do I go about finding a good psychiatrist/therapist?
A. I'm planning to write a page about this sometime in the (hopefully) near future. In the meantime, check out this link, which offers some good advice:
- Choosing a Psychiatrist - APA Online
I have had the best luck finding good psychiatrists by asking my general practicioner (family doctor) to recommend someone. Of course, this is only advisable if you trust and like your family doctor. If you don't, then it's easy to ask around to find yourself a GP.
Q. Do you know of any ways to treat depression with alternative medicine?
A. Okay, first of all, I'll suppress the urge to rant about treating depression yourself. I'll assume that you have been diagnosed by a psychiatrist and had other illnesses ruled out, and that your doctor has not recommended trying antidepressants or they haven't worked for you. Please stay away from the numerous sources on the Web which are selling herbs that they promise will banish depression. They are only looking to benefit financially from your pain. If you want to go the herb route (and I really don't understand why people think herbal is so much better than chemicals), then go to a naturopathic doctor. Most of all, be informed. Herbal medicine has its side effects and contraindications with other medicine. Here are some links you can check out.
Q. I was just diagnosed with depression, and I want to talk to other people who understand what I'm going through.
A. Please the Discussing Depression page. You will find that you are definitely not alone in this illness.
Q. After reading your page, I think I may have depression. What do I do next?
A. Get medical help - simple as that. Especially if you have any suicidal thoughts or feelings! Your depression could be caused by a hidden medical problem, so you should consider having a complete physical, with the doctor aware that you feel you might be suffering from depression. Talk to your family doctor about your concerns, and ask for the name of a good psychiatrist if no medical condition such as thyroid problems, etc. is found to be causing your depression. If you do not feel comfortable with your family doctor, then ask around till you find the name of a couple of recommended ones, and interview them. No one has to know why you are looking for a new family doctor. I have received my best recommendations for psychiatrists from family doctors I liked and trusted.
Q. What happened to the newsletter?
A. Three things happened to the newsletter - Multiple Sclerosis, the birth of my son and blogging software. As you can imagine, the first two cut down on my energy and time, in that order, and the blogging software makes it feasible and effortless to put up news stories almost every day. So the News Blog essentially replaced the newsletter.
