Old Triggers coming back to haunt me
 

I am at the system I am having to return to due to finances. The so called Mental Health clinic which I dispise and going back there today to do an intake just triggered all the bad injustices I incurred there. Like how they just ignored my pleas for help when my husband and I were together and I was being abused. Today they tell me they cannot help me till I pay the $550 I owed when still with my husband. They don't care that my husband had kept me broke during that time but yet I am the one they expect to pay the bill. I don't have that kind of money. Society really sucks when there doesn't seem to be any incentive for an abused wife to make it on her own. Becasue my husband made good money I was charged a lot on the premise that it was my money also but yet I never saw my husband's money when married. Now that I'm divorced and on my own the clinic is still not much help.

befuddled2

Dear Befuddled,
You are amazing. You have whethered the stumbling blocks put in front of you. You will figure this out.

I agree that the whole thing stinks.
We need a new system or two or three.

Mari

Hi Mari,

Thanks for the compliment. I have decided that I will find another way. I am going to demand that the Dept. of Rehab. pay for my mental health while I am a client of theirs. It is not in my best interst to go back to the clinic. I really do not know where they get the people to work in these places. For one the people who work the crisis hot line are just comsumers like me who have had only 6 weeks training!

befuddled2

Dear Befuddled,
Good for you in coming up with an alternate plan.
I remember when you had lots of trouble with that clinic place. Maybe they were good for you at one time. I am glad that they are not your only option.

Mari

Dear BF - good for you, use all the resources that are out there for you.

Don't give up!


Nikko:hug:

That's good job of thinking up alternatives - :grouphug: and lost of luck to you:grouphug:

Hi all,

I wrote up an editoral tonight for one of the local T.V. stations and voiced my opinion on the Mental Health clinic and how badly they treated me when I was with my abusive husband. I slept mostly on and off till 6 tonight because I'm so depressed. I need to speak out and try to make a difference somehow. The clinic was abusive to me in their actions towards me during my abusive marraige. Like my shrink telling me to try to make my marriage work after my husband had forced himself on me.

befuddled2

You go for it Barb! I have also contacted my local media outlets to advocate for things I believe in. Especially health care. (I also do that with Best Buy but that is another story:D)
Be your own Advocate and make sure your voice is heard!

Hi Wendy,

I got no response from the news startion and it is sad becacuse no one seems to care at all about the issue of someone with a mental illness like me gets abused. It has me kind of dispondent lately. Like what's the use if people and places can get away with such awful things.

befuddled2

Barb

Keep working on it. You will be heard.

I'm proud of you for getting your story out there either way.

Donna

:hug:


give it time barbara. it can take weeks to hear back. don't give up. send it to all the local staions.

does your newspaper have a cheers or jeers section? or send a letter to the editor.

i am so proud of you for sticking up for yourself. :hug:

Thank you Curious. I plan to call the newspaper Monday.

befuddled2

Dear Befuddled,
 

Time to change your luck. Reading your posts leaves me feeling that you need more support. You seem to be running into mountains without a team to pull you up or even a toss you some old tools. Reach out more. Then do more again.

Can you find a group meeting? Would a group therapy type situation help you find other women who can talk about how they are coping with making changes in their lives? http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/happy/chat.gif

Do you have a drop in place? I recently found out that our county hospital has a drop in center for people with mental issues.

Or a group of single woman starting over?

Is your community college big enough to have lots of groups? sometimes they have groups than do women's empowerment. Heck, it could even be any group with people who can help you connect to them and to the way the system works and to the services available to you.

Highhatsize has found a great deal of personal satisfaction in his depression and bipolar support group.
I'm trying to think of other groups here.
How about a knitting group?
Political action group?
Swim class?
Volunteer at library to teach reading?

Well you know what I mean. You need more people in your life. At least that is my nonprofessional opinion ;)


:eek:

I read recently that a lot of DV and other type of counseling does not help the victim. It can actually makes the victim more compliant about the abuse. Pretty terrifying to think that in some cases no therapy might be better than crummy therapy.

Still, I am reminding you, in case you have forgotten, that you have come a long way and that you are doing amazing work for yourself. Keep going.


M.

PS
At one point in her life, my sister found amazing support in a Weight Watcher's group of all things. It was an amazing group with amazing chemistry and an amazing leader. Plus, my sister was probably at the right time of her life for that group. She lost weight, but, more importantly, she connected and learned lots from strong interesting woman. I think that she contributed lots too.
Just a thought.
Maybe you could find a group activity like this.

Hi Mari,

Any groups that I've come to know about are at night and I have night blindness. I do like to go to my scrabble club togethers though once a month. For those I have to pay a cab which can get expensive. Today I'm suppose to go see an Elvis impersonator show but have the worst headache. I don't know what I'd do without my DV counselor as if it were not for her Rehab would have givin up on me. Thank you for your compliment Mari.

Hugs to you.
befuddled2

YOu should see if one of those night support groups does transportation too.

Sometimes if you let the group leader now that you have night blindness and
can't drive. They will help you find transportation.

I know that NAMI in our area will help find transportation.

Donna