Understanding costs and access – psychology, psychiatry and counselling
From the book – Chapter 2: Psychology, Psychiatry and Counselling
Costs and access
Cost and availability differ greatly between and within countries. Options include:
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Public or government clinics and hospitals
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Insurance-covered services
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Private practice
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University and training clinics (often lower cost, supervised by experts)
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Non-profit organisations and community centres
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Employer assistance programmes
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Telehealth (online or phone sessions), which can widen access
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Peer support groups, often free
TRY THIS: BUILD YOUR OWN HELP MAP
On a sheet of paper, draw three circles. In the first, write people you can talk to (friends, relatives, community members). In the second, write professionals near you (doctor, clinic, counsellor). In the third, write emergency contacts (emergency service, hospital, trusted person). Keep the page where you can find it. When a hard day arrives, you will not have to search for help from scratch.
VIDYA-DANA NOTE
Every helper in this chapter earns a living by skill, and rightly. Yet the oldest picture of a teacher and a healer is of someone who gave first and was supported by the community afterwards. Whenever you meet a professional who explains something kindly and clearly, you are meeting that old tradition at work. Pay fairly and thank sincerely.
If cost is a barrier, say so. Many professionals know of sliding-scale fees or low-cost options.
Read the full chapter – Chapter 2: Psychology, Psychiatry and Counselling
Stories from real life
- Who Should We See First? – Anita, twenty-six, had been having panic attacks on her commute to Bengaluru for three months. Her heart pounded, her hands tingled and she was sure she…
- A Door Closes, a Room Opens – Daniel was fifty-two, a regional manager in Nairobi, when his company closed its office and he was let go after twenty-three years. For weeks he told…
- The Man with the Guaranteed Cure – Sunita's twenty-year-old son Vikas had been hearing whispers and becoming suspicious of the neighbours. He stopped studying and stayed awake at night. Frightened, Sunita asked everyone…
- Second Opinions and Small Pills of Fear – Kwame, thirty, lived in Accra and had been through a long stretch of low mood, poor sleep and no appetite. His family doctor sent him to…
Shloks
- Bhagavad Gita 14.5 – Sattva, rajas, and tamas — qualities born of material nature (prakriti) — bind the eternal soul to the body, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
- Bhagavad Gita 4.34 – Know that by approaching with respect, by questioning, and by service. Those who see will teach you.
More on this topic: What is mental health? A simple guide to the mind and who can help
More questions
- Two companion verses — not a second subject – explained simply
- Who can prescribe psychiatric medicines?
- What is true: psychology is best defined as…?
- When should someone seek professional mental health help?
- What is true: clinical psychologists typically…?
- What is true: counselling is most helpful for…?
- What does Bhagavad Gita 14.5 mean for the mind?
- What does Bhagavad Gita 4.34 mean for the mind? (Chapter 2)
- What does Bhagavad Gita 2.47 mean for the mind? (Chapter 2)
- Who Should We See First? – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
- Psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor – what is the difference?
- Early warning signs of mental distress