Mental Health Issues

andreoilin

Hi guys, feel free to move this somewhere more appropriate.

I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on whether or not there are any free mental health assessment/treatment options or psychiatrists for people who aren't eligible for a medical card?

Thanks

edit: or if sessions with a psychiatrist are free once you're referred by a gp?

mrsmags16

andreoilin wrote: »

Hi guys, feel free to move this somewhere more appropriate.

I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on whether or not there are any free mental health assessment/treatment options or psychiatrists for people who aren't eligible for a medical card?

Thanks

edit: or if sessions with a psychiatrist are free once you're referred by a gp?

Your GP is first port of call for mental health difficulties. If they feel they need specialist input (e.g. if first or second line treatments didn't work, or diagnosis was a problem, or there are acute risk issues) then they can refer you to local community psychiatrist for assessment. This is free and the waiting list isn't too long, depending on whether you are referred for routine assessment or urgent assessment.
For example, I have worked in three such services in Dublin and outside and all referrals were seen within a time frame of 1day- max 2 months.
You will be seen by a non-consultant or consultant psychiatrist and assessed for mental illness.
Further treatment depends on any diagnosis or need for further assessment to aid diagnosis.
'Sessions with a psychiatrist' - are you referring to talking therapy? That is carried out typically by psychologists or sometimes other mental health professionals with special interest or training. If indicated (e.g. 12 sessions of CBT for depressive episode), then this is available in the public system depending on the resources available to your community mental health team. Unfortunately, like many areas of the HSE, this is hit and miss. E.g. I worked on a team where the clinical psychologist was on maternity leave for a year and she wasn't replaced for that time.
GPs can refer medical card holders to free general counselling services but this is a less specialised service and of course many will be excluded from this due to eligibility.
A psychiatrist may advise you seek psychological support or therapy but at your own expense and some providers will offer a low cost or tailored fee structure depending on income etc.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who diagnose and treat mental illness; there are very few who practice psychoanalysis or American-style 'therapy' and those who do would typically work in the private sector. Mental illness often blurs with more general mental health or emotional difficulties, the latter strictly speaking may not need further intervention from psychiatrists but you may be referred to other sources e.g. social work, counselling, psychology, community groups etc to improve your mental health.
Hope this is helpful and good luck.

andreoilin

Hi mrsmags16,

Thanks for your reply.

So just so I'm clear, a GP can refer to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis for example, and this would be free, but if I was to go on and get treatment, that would be at a cost?

mrsmags16

Re diagnosis- you may or may not get one but you will be assessed for mental illness and yes this assessment is free.
If you have a serious mental illness you would be kept on the psychiatry clinic books and seen regularly on the public system.
If not you would be pointed in direction of appropriate treatment which may or may not cost money.
It all depends on the difficulty.
Eg someone who is experiencing anxiety since the bank threatened to reposess their home may be referred to MABS.
Someone who has chronic OCD interefering with ability to hold down a job or relationship would be kept on for multidisciplinary care which may involve regular assessment by psychiatrist, intensive psychotherapy with psychologist, work skills with occupational therapist.
Both options are free treatment but all depend on what the core issue is.

andreoilin

Thanks for all your input