How To Get Mental Health Support In A Small Town

Mental health is all about your psychological, emotional, as well as social well-being. Your mental health affects how you feel, think, and act. It also has a major role in handling stress, making choices in life, and connecting with others. Mental health is one of the most important issues in today’s lives, and getting it treated is even more important.

However, receiving treatment for mental health can get quite difficult in small towns compared to large cities. First of all, the number of mental healthcare providers in a small town is not as high as in large cities. Secondly, people living in a small town know each other quite well. Therefore, one wouldn’t want to disclose their deteriorating mental health to anyone. But there are ways through which you can get mental health support in a small town.

Discuss Your Mental Health with Your Primary Care Physician

You can get good guidance from your primary care physician and get an idea of what kind of treatment should be suitable for you. Your primary care physician or PCP may prescribe medication for your symptoms or refer you to an experienced therapist. Fix an appointment with your PCP and communicate everything in detail.

Ask Your PCP If Medication Will Suit You

Your primary care physician can prescribe the appropriate medication for the kind of mental health condition you are going through if you are having difficulty finding a therapist. Let your PCP know the symptoms you are experiencing and what results you are expecting from the treatment. If you have PTSD, ADHD, anxiety, or depression, your doctor will prescribe some medication or advise you to consult a therapist side by side.

You Can Search Online

If you are not comfortable discussing with your primary care physician, you can find a therapist online. You can either carry out a general search through Google or any other search engine you like or log on to Psychology Today. This website has a complete list of psychologists from every region.

Get Referral from Your PCP

Sharing your issues with your PCP can help you in a lot of ways. They might help you seek out a therapist who is located close to your town. If your town has a therapist, nothing can be better. But there is a probability that your primary care physician would recommend someone from outside the town.

Talk to your PCP and ask him for a referral. If you are wondering why would a doctor refer you to a therapist, then note that this is just a part of a PCP’s job. They should have no problems in helping you out. So, you don’t need to worry about bothering them for a referral.

Ask for Transportation

Suppose you have to visit a therapist outside your town and you don’t have reliable transportation. This can prove to be a big barrier when you want to receive treatment. You can avail of transportation services from some clinics. If not, then you can ask a neighbor or your friend to take you there if possible. It might be somewhat embarrassing for you to ask someone whether they can drive you to your therapist. However, seeing a therapist is of utmost importance. So, approach someone you can trust.

Sign Up for a Telehealth Counseling Service

If you have bought an insurance plan, you can call your insurance provider or visit their website to find a telehealth provider listed with them. You can also carry out an online search to figure out if a telehealth provider is close to your area. Another option is to enroll in a counseling app such as Talkspace or Betterhelp.

Through counseling apps, you can send messages or questions to your therapist and be sure that they will reply. If you can avail of this service, make sure that you use it for extra care.

Check for a Home-Based Counseling

Everyone knows that mental health services are rare in small towns. However, you can look out for home-based counseling programs to send a therapist over to your home. You can ask your doctor and verify whether you can avail of such services in your locality. Your primary care physician might help you get enrolled in the service. Your PCP can provide you with the referral you need to join the program.