Category Archives: Mental Health

Articles relating to mental health are in this category. Typically they will fall into one of two categories. Yours, or your child’s. Yes, your mental health is important.

Can I say that I am a little bit angry?

Bamboozler.We picked up David today from the mental health unit.

We were given two new prescriptions for him.

We traveled home.  I dropped the scripts off at the local pharmacy.

I asked to be notified if the insurance company gives them any trouble filling the prescription.

An hour later the pharmacy called.  Insurance needs preauthorization.  I asked how long that would take.

Three or four days.

So I called the hospital.  Doctor has left for the day.

Staff at the hospital said that they would get in touch with the doctor and see what we are supposed to do.

We are supposed to come off the new dose of the one medicine, go back to our old dose of that medicine until we get the authorization from the insurance company for the new medicine.

Yeah, because the human body is a yo-yo that likes this type of medication change.  Given that Monday is a holiday, I don’t expect the preauthorization to come until Thursday or Friday.

So, we can hope that the preauthorization comes through, that the insurance company allows the script to be filled and that they pay for the prescription instead of giving us the run around for another couple of months and forcing us to pay out of pocket for his medications.

Oh, David forgot his bag up at the hospital.  He also refused to eat lunch in the unit because he didn’t like what the hospital gave him.  An hour before supper he wants a snack.  (last time we went through this, I ended up with bruised ribs, and he ended up in the mental health unit)

I am so beyond frustrated.  Why do we have to fight for every single thing for this little guy?

The Story of Doubting Dad

Doubting Dad

Doubting Dad

Dear Why Not Fathers,

I know this dad.  He has a son who suffers from mental illness.  Really, the whole family suffers with the mental illness of the child.  No one person in the family is immune to the tragedy that is mental illness.

He and his family are literally doing everything that they can to help their son.

Yet, he continually doubts himself, thinking that he isn’t doing every thing that he can.

He spends his days looking for other ways to help his son. To help the rest of the family.

I keep telling him that he is doing every thing possible.  Yet the doubt still exists.

How do I convince him that he is really doing every thing that he can for his family?  That the fault in the system is not his to take blame for?

No amount of money can help this situation, other than maybe to pay out of pocket for a hospital mental health stay.  Or to purchase a smaller more fuel efficient car.  They are currently seeking placement in a long term facility, long-term by definition is typically 1 year.  At which point, the son will need to be transferred to another facility.

It is a situation where even if the family won the lottery, they would quickly eat through their winnings and savings to help their family. To help their son.

The dad is on disability, so the family income is limited to what the mom makes in her job.

Any advice for the Doubting Dad?

Did you really just ask me that???

Interesting conversation with the social worker where David is in care.

The solution that the social worker at the hospital gave me was to call the cops if he becomes aggressive.

I explained that the community depends on the Sheriff department for our police department and that they might have to come from their main office or further away.

So their response time could be delayed up to half an hour depending on the number of deputies on shift. She asked if there was any way I could get them to respond faster. So I mentioned the miles involved. 35 miles to the main office, 50 miles to the south border of the county, that kind of thing..

“Can you get them to respond faster???”  she asked.

I actually pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at incredulously… like maybe she could see the look on my face as it passed through the phone.

Then we had a discussion about things we are trying to put in place.

“What are you working on?” she asked.

“Placement, therapy, any thing that will help.” I replied.

“Like what?” she responded.

“Placement, therapy, any thing that will help.” I stated again.

“Like what?”  she droned again.

So I got specific.

“We are dedicating a room in our home for storage of knives, chemicals, medications, anything that could be used to harm another human being.” I stated with a bit of anger.

Her reply, “that must be a lot of work.”

I explained that we weren’t going to see David this evening but that we would call tonight and talk to him, since we had to finish getting our home secure.  Do you have any idea how many every day items can be used to hurt someone?  It is a lot more than you think.

As we ended the call, she asked, “what time are you going to pick him up tomorrow?”

I hedged a bit, since I want him there as long as possible, “between 1 and 2.”

Before the call ended, she replied in that tone all people who just don’t want to be doing what they are doing, “If there is anything I can do, please let us know.”

“Keep him for a couple of days or a week more.”  is my response, but by that time she had disconnected the call.