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Getting psychriatric help without the family finding out plus a medical card question

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  • 29-06-2016 1:12am
    #1
    Iwantmoney
    Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭


    I'm experiencing long-term mental problems (approximately 3 years), and I have decided to get help because things are starting to get a bit out of hand. However, I don't want my family to find out about it. Never. Next year I will be studying in college far away from home and I was thinking about getting help in the city i'll be studying in. I am wondering, since i am a medical card owner, will my medical card cover it? Or do medical cards only cover visits that are done in the city i actually live in and have the card registered? I mean, the whole "family doctor" thing. Or would it cover the visit in other cities/with other doctors as well?

    (Just to clarify- i'm over 18.)


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    #2
    dar100
    Registered Users Posts: 1,735 ✭✭✭dar100


    Your medical card will cover it. Doesn't matter what county you're in.

    Would you not consider getting some support from your family, especially since you are moving to a new county, a lot of isolation I'd assume


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    #3
    JuliusCaesar
    Registered Users Posts: 4,882 ✭✭✭JuliusCaesar


    You will have to ask your GP to refer you to the mental health services. Treatment there is free of charge.

    Have a look at the Sticky on Finding a Psychologist/Counsellor/Psychotherapist.


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    #4
    Iwantmoney
    Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭Iwantmoney


    JuliusCaesar wrote: »
    You will have to ask your GP to refer you to the mental health services. Treatment there is free of charge.

    Have a look at the Sticky on Finding a Psychologist/Counsellor/Psychotherapist.

    Will I have to go to my actual gp in my current city (By gp i mean family doctor?) for him to refer me to the mental health services? Or would an ordinary doctor in the city where i want to get help be able to refer me there as well on the medical card?


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Iwantmoney wrote: »
    Will I have to go to my actual gp in my current city (By gp i mean family doctor?) for him to refer me to the mental health services? Or would an ordinary doctor in the city where i want to get help be able to refer me there as well on the medical card?

    Most colleges have free/discounted GPs and free student counselling, that would be a good place to start. Waiting lists for counselling from the HSE can be very long so it might be worthwhile checking out counselling in college while also getting a psychiatric referral from a college GP if they think that's what you need.

    Best of luck OP.


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    #6
    JuliusCaesar
    Registered Users Posts: 4,882 ✭✭✭JuliusCaesar


    You have to be registered with a doctor to use the medical card. So piratequeen's advice about using the Student Medical Service is excellent.

    Your family doctor/GP - the one you are already registered with - can also help, and is sworn to confidentiality anyway.


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    #7
    Iwantmoney
    Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭Iwantmoney


    What is the average waiting time? If i'll go to a GP and tell him about everything, how long will they make me wait? I'm planning to go to a doctor at the end of this month, but if they'll tell me i have to wait 2-3 months, this will be too hard for me


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    #8
    JuliusCaesar
    Registered Users Posts: 4,882 ✭✭✭JuliusCaesar


    It depends where you are, but a new patient assessment in the HSE shouldn't be longer than 2-3 weeks, once the referral is received.

    You can go to any GP for a referral, but you'd have to pay for the consultation UNLESS you're registered with the GP under the medical card scheme, OR you attend your college doctor.


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