Budgeting For Ptsd

[RuthieJujube]

Hi everyone. I'm curious about your experiences with managing the monetary costs of treating PTSD. I am making my best effort to invest in myself by going to the doctor when I need to, visiting a therapist every week and taking medication (hopefully just for the time being!)

While I see the value in investing in my health, I can barely afford it! I have a great trauma therapist now, but she does not accept insurance (and my insurance wouldn't pay anyway!), so most of my costs right now are out of pocket. She has made some helpful suggestions for "next steps" but those steps involve more money, that I don't have! I find myself considering stopping treatment for a while so that I can get back on my feet again.

My therapist and I have been working up to doing EMDR for several months, for example, and now that I'm ready, I don't know how to pay for it! (She suggested I do the EMDR sessions in addition to the weekly talk therapy.) She also suggested I join a trauma support group, so that I can hear more about the experiences of others, which I am curious about. But the groups I have found in my area cost money.

So, how in the world have all of you kept your finances in check while working on your recovery?

 

[greenleaf]

Hi everyone. I'm curious about your experiences with managing the monetary costs of treating PTSD....

I can relate! I'm fortunate enough to be able to keep a job with benefits, too; I know some folks have to try to do this on the tiny disability-like programs that their countries offer, if that. I really really value keeping my job... I think my brain has seen it as a survival tool, correctly, though I've probably been viewing the alternatives with too much unacknowledged fear. Or something.

Some things that I've found that cost less or nothing: programs through local rape crisis / trauma centers (though a lot of us don't quite fit into whatever categories the professionals there are set up for -- but one can ask.)

Also, on the complementary, non-therapy side of things: "restorative" sorts of yoga and meditation that helps with breathing and calming is great and helps our "reptile brains" calm down for some. Plus we can practice outside the class. I go to a gym, I find stretching relaxing and getting aerobic exercise is de-stressing greatly for me. All these can cost money, but not as much as official therapy. Then there is walking in nature. Free! Talking to good people. Free! Petting cats: costs lots of cat treats.

 

[Friday]

At one point I had a spare $400 a month. Not really, it wasn't going begging or anything, I had about 10,000 uses I could have spent it on, and a few dozen places that were moderately urgent, but I decided to spend it (and an extra $80) on going to therapy once a week.

My (very new to me) trauma therapist sat me down and went over pragmatics with me early on. What he wanted was to see me 3x a week for awhile (he said prolly 6mo). No possible way @$120 a session. So he asked me what I used to spend my $480 a month on? Ammo. Okay, then this was his proposal: Spend half of that on ammo (he wanted me in the gun range, said it was better for me than weekly therapy, and I actually agreed there, although I argued it), and to come in every other week instead until I could get finances (and my life) stable enough to come in 3x per week.

Same token, when my car broke? He wanted me to pay to fix it (and skip therapy for a few weeks) instead of coming to therapy. I was spending 4-6 hours a day driving, and he wanted that in my life as much as he wanted the gun range.

As a matter of fact... These were the things HE prioritized higher than therapy:

Gun range, driving, martial arts, work. He wanted those things as regular components in my life, period. He firmly believe therapy should take a 2nd seat behind those things.

I didn't realize why, at the time, I do now: Stabilization.

At the time, those were sporadic components, and my life was rapidly flushing. I was desperately trying to get into therapy to stop that flushing. Nope. He wanted it the other way around. Shore up the supports in my life.

Smart man.

 

[dnp]

I go once every 2-3 weeks and when I run low on funds I stop until I have money saved up for it.

 

[Crow]

Ramen noodles, a tiny condo that cost less than my last car, very few trips and concerts. I used to think I was crazy spending about $13k a year that insurance doesn't cover. Besides the weekly (sometimes biweekly ) sessions with a trauma specialist, also have acupuncture and group. Gotta say it's finally paying off and I'm seeing light. I'm off all meds, I own outright my car and condo and my credit score is excellent for the first time ever.

 

[theshadowoftheliving]

This is a struggle for me, too. I can't afford the deductibles and copays and monthly premiums of the better insurance that would pay for services, and without the services I'm too paralyzed to work enough to afford them.

I'm currently choosing my apartment and my bills, for better or for worse, over more intensive trauma treatment. I'm trying to save money and hope to make it until summer when I'll have some time off from work to do a more specialized program.

I get so frustrated at how stuck the system keeps me in these regards. I feel your pain of wanting more but not being able to afford it.

 

[watundah]

I "retired" (lost my job and said ferk it, transitioning back to starving artist and photographer) this year, so no income but I try to not dwell on the $$ going out every week as I commit to healing because this is my one life and I am not yet whole. I consider the fact that the small inheritance I got from my parents is paying for it. So ultimately, they screwed me up and now they're fixing me.

I was surprised to see how many groups are 50 bucks a pop because they're facilitated by therapists in their own office. I'd love to add that but that's too much. I have tried ACoA meetings and in spite of not buying into 12 steps (atheist) there is some helpful fodder there. You may want to check it out as the messages are ubiquitous - not just for ACoAs. I've seen some healing groups on Meetup.com, interestingly enough.

Also, can you stagger therapy one week, EMDR the next?

 

[watundah]

Also does anyone know if the visits to a therapist count toward the medical deduction in the US tax system? That would be great.

 

[Crow]

Also does anyone know if the visits to a therapist count toward the medical deduction in the US tax system? That would be great.

yes yes yes! and your travel expenses to and from.