A (Literal) Mental Health Break

April 23, 2012

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I have Severe ADHD as well as Bipolar disorder. I have had to be off my medication for four months now due to lack of insurance.

The cost of the healthcare we have in this country is disgusting. I can’t afford hundreds of dollars a month in coverage. You also don’t quality for medicaid in the state of Ohio unless you have children for at least 51% of the time (my ex and I are doing joint custody).

I don’t want much. Just to accomplish something productive each day and not want to curl up in a ball and cry from time to time. I just want to feel as great as I felt when I was on my medication this past fall and winter. I felt great mentally.

I’m doing everything I can. I’m eating super well (HELLO, I’m a gluten free vegan. Can’t eat much better than that!). I’ve started working out and I’ve lost 25 pounds. However, that’s not enough when you have a mental illness. I’ve wound up in a cycle, the illness has crippled me so much that I can’t get much work done, which includes fighting for help. But I can’t pay for my own insurance because I can’t get it together enough to work.

I’ve been fighting to get covered through state funded insurance. It’s been difficult to get the same answer from two different people and to understand how the regulations work one way for one person but another way for me. I FINALLY found someone who could help me out last week and she provided a suggestion that just might work out. But I have to wait for the paper trail to reach the proper entities and hopefully within a week, I’ll have some insurance. (Then I’ll get to start the absolutely fun process of finding a doctor who accepts Medicaid and is actually taking new patients. This doesn’t happen very often. It will probably be easier for me to drive the 2 hour trip back home to see the doctor I was seeing before I moved in September.)

Due to my mental struggles, I have let my classes slip. I’m behind on my reading and I have an exam coming up this week that I’m not prepared for. I have also failed to due most of my freelance writing for this month and I’m just sick over it. Not writing means no pay checks. That is not good for me at all. (This is where the cycle starts to take control of both my mental and physical state.)

The point of this entire post is to say that blogging is going to have to take a back burner. I have never been one to post daily. This just isn’t the type of blog that I feel needs to be updated daily. The posts start to become forced and lose their authenticity (I’ve seen it with so many other blogs.). So you probably won’t really notice my lack of blog posts.

I’m also going to stay clear of Twitter and Facebook for a bit. I really need to pull it together and focus on the jobs that are the most important.

This break may only last a couple of days, or it may last a few weeks but whatever it is, I have to rally here and home and pull it together. If I don’t do it now, I know that the disease that festers inside of my brain will win and I just can’t let that happen.

 

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12 Responses to A (Literal) Mental Health Break

  1. Trish on April 23, 2012 at 7:05 pm

    I feel for you. I took myself off my anti-depression meds for a few months and it was a nightmare. And I too, was doing everything “right”: eating well, exercising, in therapy. There are some things that only medication can help. The state of health care and insurance companies in this country to pathetic. Hang in there!

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  2. Aaron on April 23, 2012 at 7:14 pm

    Pulling for you Jessica. Depression is tough.. and can make it very difficult to function without the proper “vitamins” for the brain. Keep fighting. ;)

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  3. John @ Married (with Debt) on April 24, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    Good luck – we’ll miss you!

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  4. Elizabeth on April 24, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    You’ve come so far, I know you can make it through this time as well.
    You started me thinking this morning and I ended up posting about emotional health and finances today.

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  5. Jai Catalano on April 24, 2012 at 3:44 pm

    I wish you the best on your break. I think you are doing the right thing. Take care of you first and it will all be here when you get back.

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  6. Marie Rossiter on April 25, 2012 at 10:51 am

    While I don’t have ADHD, I do struggle with depression. Thank you for this beautiful, honest post. I wish you didn’t have to write it in the first place, though. Positive thoughts and prayers are headed your way! Take care of you!

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  7. This Aggie Saves on April 25, 2012 at 11:59 am

    Take care, I know what you’re going through and it’s tough!

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  8. AverageJoe on April 26, 2012 at 9:16 am

    Good luck, Jessica! We’re thinking about you here.

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  9. Andie on April 26, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    Holy hell! You poor thing. My heart goes out to you!

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  10. Dannielle @ Odd Cents
    Twitter:
    on May 3, 2012 at 6:36 am

    Best of luck on your break. It’s hard to see a healthcare system that is not helping the people. Meds and health services should be more affordable and so should health insurance. When ridiculous stipulations (51%???) are put in place, it sends the message that people don’t give a damn.

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  11. Edward Harris on May 7, 2012 at 1:48 pm

    Hang in there Jessica. Maybe one of Ohio’s programs can help. I actually live just North of Cincinnati. Check with your County to see if there are any programs.

    I’m sure somehow, you will pull through.

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