Hi, need some resources

[mike_in_ny]

Hi all,
I've come to this group looking for a little guidance and reassurance. I am 26, and I think I have just discovered that I have Atypical Depression, and probably first developed symptoms about 10 years ago. Of course, I didn't know it at the time - I wrote off my symptoms as a normal consequence of stress, be it high school stress, college stress, job stress, what have you.

But now that I've finished graduate school, my symptoms have worsened. The job search is particularly hard on me. I have always been wickedly smart, knowledgeable, and pretty personable, but some kind of deep-seated self doubt is utterly paralyzing me. I think I'm ready to go see a professional, but I don't have any income. I only have a couple of months of savings left before I won't be able to pay my rent. I know there are supposed to be ways for low-income people to get counseling, but those resources are not easy to find. Anyone know where I can look?

I moved to NYC to go to grad school, and don't have much of a network here, especially not the kind of network that can help me with a sensitive issue like this.

Anyway, I guess that covers the basics. Thanks in advance for your support.

[hollyann]

Hi. New York has a lot of resources for things like this. I'd say I'd start at the county clinic there. Either the health clinic or the mental health clinic, depending on if theirs is the same of different. Most of those places offer help on the sliding scale. Where you can see a doctor, get meds, and a counselor little or no cost. Probably nothing since you are not working. It depends on what they think when you tell them you have savings. But it should still be pretty cheap. But probably different if youd pay the rent now, ahead of time, get it out of the way. So its not showing that you have that money and count it as if you are eligible to pay or not. Also some of those places make you wait a while, sometimes if you call a crisis line, explain what is going on, they can get you a referal so that you can be seen even quicker, or if you can go to a regular doctor they can too. Its important not to give up. And keep trying if one place says they can't help you, you ask them to point you in the right place. And you'll find someone willing to help you. In the mean time, thank you for sharing and wish you the best. Don't give up. Help is out there.

Holly