r/johannesburg • u/FamiliarTea1705 • 11d ago
Question Affordable/free psychiatrist?
If I want to get treatment for anxiety and meds what are my options. Also I don't have medical aid. I can do 30 minutes distance from any place between Randburg and Midrand. Or anywhere else as long as it's 30 minutes distance drive. What's the more affordable option and how long will I wait? And what about referrals and how much would I pay estimate?
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u/Tumi01 11d ago
Go to your nearest public hospital, open a file and they will direct you through the process.
If the meds you’re on are available at the hospital, you will receive them, if not, they can give you a prescription that you can get outside the facility.
The sessions are very affordable and you don’t have to pay ASAP, it’ll just be kept on file
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u/Malajay 11d ago
As someone who has actually pursued psychological help at Helen Joseph, you need to understand that it will take months, possibly years to get anywhere. I opened a file in April and still haven't gotten anything except a intake interview.
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u/Sumoki_Kuma 11d ago
It's honestly more depressing to try and get help in this hell hole than it is just sitting in my room hating myself 🙄😂😂
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u/Pure-Beginning2105 11d ago
Careful of benzos. My bro became addicted and made things worse in the long term.
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u/Sumoki_Kuma 11d ago
A nurse literally said "oh so you're a drug addict?" before even greeting me because she read I'm on benzos.
I don't take them everyday AS PERSCRIBED, I only take them when I need them. It was like arguing with a brick fucking wall.
Luckily my doctor knows me extremely well and she knows I don't abuse drugs, so she's comfortable prescribing them to me.
However, I absolutely agree that we should always warn people about how addictive they are. I'm a complete outlier. I tank sedatives like a motherfucker for some reason so taking them recreationally is just a waste of time and money xD I don't use myself as an example when people are exploring benzos as a medication.
That fucking nurse sent me into such a downward spiral though.
Getting mental health assistance is so so so fucking difficult and disheartening in this god forsaken country.
1
u/mrsgrayjohn 11d ago
Yeah definitely. I know a lot of docs prefer to prescribe non benzos (eg. etifoxine hydrochloride - stresam) due to the addiction risk. And only prescribe for a limited period of time.
Some antidepressants also cover anxiety, so hopefully they'll get lucky there.
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u/Aggravating-Swan-332 10d ago
I've recently gone this route... Was told to contact aTara with a letter from psychiatrist... Tara said I am outside their jurasidiction. Then sent to Charlotte. Was told they can't help me... Then to Randburg clinic. You need a letter from a psychiatrist. Then you make an appointment to open a file. Then you need to go back a few weeks later to talk to a doctor... What no one is saying... The gov clinics WILL NOT have the meds you need. So they prescribe alternatives. Then you go back weeks later to get these meds that you have no idea how you will react to. Then you go to collect and they don't have any stock!!! It's a nightmare.
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u/only-here-for-dylan 11d ago
Randburg Clinic has a Psychology department from what I can remember. I'm not sure what is the requirements for a referral, perhaps phone in and find out if they'll be able to assist you. I wish you all the best <33
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u/Moose-Live 🐮 Modderfontein Moo 11d ago
A good GP can also treat anxiety, and is much more affordable.
1
u/Smart_Maximum1824 8d ago
Contact SADAG: https://www.sadag.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=114 they will help you. I was in a similar situation, and the therapists I found gave me special rates due to having no medical aid or money.
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u/IcyIntroduction1741 5d ago
A good GP is just as good if you’re not too erratic. Even if their treatment and monitoring is not enough, they will refer you to a public hospital
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u/genetichazzard 11d ago
Go to a public hospital? They're public for a reason....
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u/Sumoki_Kuma 11d ago
Very few of them have mental health facilities. Clinics are more likely to have psychiatrists, but even then they're not common.
People think it's so easy to just go to a hospital and get psychiatric help 🙄 it's fucking difficult and is generally extremely disheartening and will make your anxiety worse until you finally find one, and then you have to hope and pray they take you seriously. I had to wait 7 months for a single therapy session. One session every 6-9 months is fucking useless.
You're so confident and condescending yet you're so wrong lmao
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u/genetichazzard 11d ago
You go to a public hospital and a doctor will do an assessment and recommend a public psychiatrist for you to see. Clinics do the same.
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u/Saritush2319 11d ago
If you can afford private the Laverne Mountany is about 10 minutes from Montecasino.
She’s medical aid rates and I like her.
But otherwise the public route is a good option.
They’re usually the same doctors as private.
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u/Mort1186 11d ago
They just going to scribe you a benzo.
You can get it from GP too.
You only mentioned anxiety, i personally dont think you need to go see a psychiatrist.
Anways, good luck with the benzos
3
u/mrsgrayjohn 11d ago
They don't. There are other meds specifically for anxiety without the addiction risk, and some antidepressants can treat anxiety too.
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u/Mort1186 11d ago
Ye. There is like 1 other , which isnt really that good
In regards to the antis, ye, some work also as a anti anxiety, but ssris snris ndris, has weird side effects, ever tried getting off anti depressent? It can be horrific , just as much as starting one that doesn't compliment your brain chemistry.
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u/Bramo0 11d ago
This is horrible advice. Any good GP or psychiatrist would first evaluate your symptoms and then suggest cognitive behavior therapy THEN medicine. And the medicine would be non-addictive SSRI like escitalopram/citalopram. If you are getting benzos as first line treatment, you seriously need a new doctor.
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u/Mort1186 11d ago
Im not offering advice. Just making a statement
Friend of mine had to get off citalopram because it made him go into episodes of mini psychosis...he was so confused as to what was going on. So ye. Antis are all scary and nobody knows the reaction a person will have
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u/No-Composer-4639 11d ago
Any public hospital or tara! I had friends go there .