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6 Tips For People Who Can't Afford Mental Health Care

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From hotlines and MusiCares to free clinics and telehealth services, try these less expensive ways to get mental health care services
Tim McPhate
MusiCares
May 17, 2018 - 4:48 pm

With the subject of health care, it's the pervasive elephant in the room: "I don't have insurance, but I need health care." Or maybe someone does have insurance and the issue is not being able to afford the typical high costs associated with health care.

Unfortunately, this conundrum also extends to mental health services. According to Mental Health America, 43 percent of people with mental health problems are more likely to have no insurance or to be on public insurance. And nearly 60 percent of adults struggling with a mental illness in 2017 did not receive treatment in the previous year.

The biggest barrier for these individuals? It's simple. They aren't able to pay for treatment, due to either high costs or inadequate insurance coverage.

However, there is a silver lining. For those individuals struggling with a mental illness who may not be able to pay for the higher costs associated with health care, there are options to find affordable — and sometimes free — counseling and other mental health care services. And it's actually "easier than you think," according to Alice Sanderlin, LPC-MHSP.

Instead of procrastinating or winding up in debt over pricey medical bills, try these six tips to procure affordable mental health care services.

1. Hotlines

When looking for a place to start for help, making a call can make all the difference. There are free hotlines spanning the mental health-related areas of depression, schizophrenia, suicide prevention, anxiety, and more. As a matter of fact, the National Alliance of Mental Illness has curated a listing of 25 hotline resources. And a Google search will yield even more results.

2. Employee Assistance Programs

Patients who are currently employed should inquire with their employer regarding Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services. An EAP is a work-based intervention program designed to identify and assist employees in resolving personal problems that may be adversely affecting the employee's performance. "These EAP services are often low cost or no cost for those covered by such programs," says Tennessee-based Frances Lea Perkins, LPC/MHSP. "Patients can also access a list of mental health providers in the community who are in-network with their insurance who can sometimes be seen for the cost of an office visit copay. Many counseling centers have staff who may offer sliding scale fees for those who qualify and are happy to discuss these options with potential patients."

3. Free Clinics & Community Mental Health Centers

Free mental health clinics are a viable option for those who do not have health insurance. You can find a free clinic in your area via the Partnership for Prescription Assitance website or through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources. The NAMI can also provide information on where to find treatment or mental health care in your area.  You may call them toll-free at 1-800-950-NAMI.

Additionally, community mental health centers are potential resources that provide free or low-cost therapy options and services. You can find a center through the Department of Human Services at your state's government website. And private nonprofit organizations such as the YMCA offers low-cost/sliding scale behavioral health and family services for children and adults.

Jacoby Shaddix quote for Mental Health Awareness Month 2018
Music Saved My Life: 2018 Mental Health Awareness Month

4. Find A Doctor … Online

Telehealth — the marriage of telecommunications technology and health care — is emerging as a legitimate option for someone seeking help with a mental illness, and it could save you a bundle of money. Telehealth doctors can diagnose, recommend treatment and even prescribe medication, if necessary. Apps such as Teladoc allows you to browse health care professionals at a fraction of the cost of a trip to the clinic. There's even therapy via text message available through portals such as Talkspace. Patients can also try group therapy via NAMI AIR, a free app that connects you with a community of people living with mental health conditions and their caregivers.

5. Seek Spiritual Advisors Or Community Leaders

For some seeking mental health care, religion and spirituality can play a big part in the healing process. If you're involved with an organized religious group, it's possible to find the help you need within your community circle. Inquire with your church about free support groups or retreats where you can connect with others in your situation. And try a conversation with your pastor or other leaders in the community who might offer free counseling.

6. MusiCares

If you're reading this, chances are you are a musician or work in the music community. Last but certainly not least there is MusiCares. MusiCares is a safety net for musicians, providing a range of programs and services for music people, including mental health assistance and referrals. If you are part of the music community and you require assistance for a mental health-related issue, contact MusiCares toll-free at 1.800.687.4227 (West), 1.877.626.2748 (South) or 1.877.303.6962 (East).

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Charlamagne Tha God's Quest To "Eradicate The Stigma Around Mental Health"

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How the radio host is working to "elevate the conversation of mental health in the black community" with his new book and beyond
Nate Hertweck
MusiCares
Oct 30, 2018 - 12:20 pm

Anyone keeping pace with the world of hip-hop knows the road to credibility and fame these days passes through "The Breakfast Club," Power 105.1's self-acclaimed "World's Most Dangerous Morning Show," hosted by DJ Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God. As a group, they've interviewed everybody who's anybody, and become known for their discussion topics, asking about anything and everything no matter who sits in the hot seat.

Of the three dynamic personalities, perhaps Charlamagne That God embodies honesty, frankness and audacity the most. Now, he is using that same voracity to take on mental health. His new book, Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks On Me, focuses on his personal experiences facing anxiety and unpacking the damage of traumatic events of his past.

"It's based off my own experiences with anxiety, going to therapy, realizing I got PTSD and even trauma from things that happened to me when I was younger," Charlamagne told Billboard about his book. "I definitely wanted to bring in an expert's opinion because I'm not an expert in anything….I had to go get Dr. Ish Major, who is a therapist that specializes in black mental health. So everything I describe in the book, he gives a clinical correlation for at the end of each chapter. It would just sound like I'm venting [without it]."

The book's title and subtitle pay ode to songs by Mobb Deep and Geto Boys respectively. Charlamagne describes the former's "Shook One" as, "Such a great [song] for our culture" and the latter's "Mind Playing Tricks On Me" as, "The greatest hip-hop song ever written about anxiety -- one of the greatest songs period ever written about anxiety." The message of the song is as powerful as it was when it was released in 1991, but some of the challenges have changed. Charlamage also addresses the mental health hurdles of today, namely how social media can affect mental health.

"With young kids from the hood, I see a lot of PTSD. Social media brings another whole level of anxiety that we're all dealing with," he said. Charlamagne admits that he's happy he didn't have to deal with social platforms growing up. He continues:

"I just thank God that I didn't have to grow up with social media in my formative years. I don't think I would've made it, to be honest with you. I talk about the fear of missing out in the book, and that's what social media does to you. I think social media is painting an unattainable picture of perfection. Social media is literally everyone's highlight reel. You don't see any mistakes, flaws, or struggle. The problem with that virtual reality is we're trying to bring that into our real world." 

Not only does he provide a candid and relevant perspective on an issue that isn't going away, but is creating a space for black men to talk about mental health. And is backing up his words with actions. The radio personality had scheduled an on-stage interview with Kanye West, who has openly spoken about dealing with bipolar disorder, but recently pulled out of it, sensing recent events might divert the conversation from being a constructive dialog about mental health.

“For what I’m trying to do, which is like elevate the conversation of mental health in the black community and you know, try to eradicate the stigma around mental health, I just didn’t think it’d be a good conversation,” he said. “It’d be a distraction.”

As more and more black rappers and members of the hip-hop community add their voices to the growing narrative of mental health in recent years, such as Logic, Vic Mensa, and Kid Cudi have, hopefully Charlamagne's efforts will finally reach a critical mass.

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Report: Musicians More Likely To Struggle With Mental Health & Substance Abuse

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The recent MIRA Survey of Musicians in the U.S. highlights the unique challenges they face, including a higher rate of depression, suicidal thoughts and substance use than the average American
Ana Yglesias
MusiCares
Aug 30, 2018 - 1:23 pm

The Music Industry Research Association (MIRA), in partnership with the Princeton University Survey Research Center and MusiCares, has released their inaugural study on musicians to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities they face working in the music industry. The findings of this survey show that, on average, musicians make less than the average American, face higher rates of discrimination and sexual harassment and disproportionally struggle with mental health and substance abuse. In light of these findings, the importance of discussing these struggles and offering outlets for support is clear.

Rapper Logic on mental health

The MIRA Survey of Musicians compared data from interviews with 1,227 musicians in the U.S. in 2018 with a larger survey of musicians and overall national data. The survey's finding highlight how some of the major challenges that the general population of individuals living in the U.S. face is amplified for those working as an artist in the music industry.

The survey found that many musicians struggle to make a living in the industry, with the median musician in the U.S. earning just $20,000 to $25,000 a year, and 61 percent of those surveyed stating that their music-related income doesn't cover their living expenses. On the positive side, those surveyed "highlighted the opportunity for artistic expression, performing, and collaborating with others as the most preferred aspects of being a musician."

In addition to many artists finding it challenging to make ends meet in following their dreams, females face higher rate rates of discrimination, and women continue to be underrepresented in the music industry. Of the 35 percent of those surveyed by MIRA who identified as female, 72 percent said they have been discriminated against because of their sex and 67 percent report that they have been sexually harassed; these figures for U.S. women overall are still high, but much lower, at 28 percent and 42 percent, respectively.

The study also revealed barriers for non-white musicians as 63 percent said they faced racial discrimination, compared to 36 percent of non-white self-employed workers nationwide.

Perhaps not unrelated to the difficult challenges that many of those surveyed reported, many musicians also struggle with mental health and substance abuse, again, at higher rates than the average population. Fifty percent reported "feeling down, depressed or hopeless" for at least several days in the last two weeks, compared with less than 25 percent of the wider adult population. Unfortunately, 11.8 percent of musicians also reported having "thoughts that you would be better off dead or hurting yourself in some way" during at least several days in the last two weeks, compared with 3.4 percent for the general population.

Additionally, the study shows over 75 percent of musicians have at least one drink per week, while that number is under 50 percent for the general adult population. Musicians are also more likely to be frequent drinkers, with 12.7 percent reporting that they drink alcohol on at least four days out of the week, versus 6.2 percent for the overall population. Those surveyed also reported higher rates of illicit drug use than the average population, with 5.4% stating that they had used one or more illegal substance in the past month, versus just 1.8% for the average population.

If you or someone you know is also dealing with any of these challenges, it is important to know that you are not alone and there are resources where you can seek help, including the services of MusiCares. More and more artists in the music industry are speaking up about their personal struggles with mental health as a way to amplify the conversation.

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Learn How Exercise Helps To Reduce Anxiety

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In the U.S., 18 percent of adults 18 and older suffer from some sort of anxiety disorder, but research shows exercise can help
Jennifer Velez
MusiCares
Aug 23, 2018 - 3:29 pm

When it comes to the mental health state of the country, anxiety levels are high. Anxiety disorders affect 40 million U.S. adults making these some of the most common mental illnesses that affect Americans. In fact, 18 percent of adults 18 and older suffer from some sort of anxiety disorder-- from Generalized Anxiety Disorder to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – often associated with trauma.

Although anxiety disorders are treatable, only 36.9 percent of people get treated, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA.) And while anxiety can be treated medically, there are also natural treatments that don't require a visit to the doctor's office. Exercise, in particular, can help with anxiety and anxiety disorders in ways that medicine can research shows.

Rapper Pouya Talks Living With Anxiety

Why use exercise to cope with anxiety? While the connection between mental and physical activity may not be obvious to some, exercise is one way anxiety can be lowered quickly and has similar effects as medication. According to the ADAA, studies show that exercise can lift many people's depressed mood fast. Effects of exercise may be temporary, but a brisk walk, for example, is similar to taking aspirin for a headache, resulting in hours of relief.  Research shows exercise can improve mental health by helping the brain deal better with stress.

But according to the American Psychology Association (APA) exercise brings long-term effects, too. Researchers have found that people prone to anxiety who work out more become less likely to panic during flight or fight situations, as exercise produces the same physical reactions: heavy perspiration and increased heart rate.

"Exercise in many ways is like exposure treatment," one researcher, Jasper Smits, PhD, Co-Director of the Anxiety Research and Treatment Program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said. "People learn to associate the symptoms with safety instead of danger."

The APA noted another study in which researchers asked volunteers with different levels of anxiety sensitivity to go under a carbon-dioxide challenge test.. The test often gives the same symptoms people might experience during a panic attack including increased heart and respiratory rates, dizziness and dry mouth.  Researchers discovered that people with high anxiety sensitivity who reported high activity levels were less likely to panic than those did not exercise so often.

"Activity may be especially important for people at risk of developing anxiety disorder," Smits said.

With that in mind, here are some tips from the ADAA on how to start to get started on an exercise routine:

  • 5 X 30: Jog, walk, bike, or dance three to five times a week for 30 minutes.
  • Set small daily goals and aim for daily consistency rather than perfect workouts. It's better to walk every day for 15-20 minutes than to wait until the weekend for a three-hour fitness marathon. Lots of scientific data suggests frequency is most important. 
  • Find forms of exercise that are fun or enjoyable. Extroverted people often like classes and group activities. People who are more introverted often prefer solo pursuits.
  • Distract yourself with an iPod or other portable media player to download audiobooks, podcasts, or music. Many people find it’s more fun to exercise while listening to something they enjoy.
  • Recruit an “exercise buddy.” It's often easier to stick to your exercise routine when you commit to a friend, partner, or colleague.
  • Be patient when you start a new exercise program. Most sedentary people require about four to eight weeks to feel coordinated and sufficiently in shape so that exercise feels easier.

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Mental Health Awareness Month: Yes, Mental Health Treatment Works

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As we close Mental Health Awareness Month this May, survey how treatment for mental illness can lead to hope and recovery
Renée Fabian
MusiCares
May 31, 2018 - 4:50 pm

Many times we tend to focus on the devastating impacts of mental illness — one in five U.S. citizens lives with a mental illness but more than 55 percent don't receive treatment in any given year. Often this focus helps expand on the breadth of the issue and initiates momentum to urge public officials to take action and to help organizations hone their services accordingly. But as we close Mental Health Awareness Month this May, it's also important to remember there's hope.

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According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 70 to 90 percent of those who have a mental illness experience improvement with treatment, including a reduction in symptoms and a better quality of life. This improvement can be accomplished through psychotherapy, medications or a combination of the two.

However, before a course of treatment can be successful, the first step is to know when to reach out for help.

As cited by the American Psychiatric Association, potential symptoms that could indicate someone is experiencing mental illness include withdrawal and isolation, having trouble at school or work, issues with concentration, a sense of having a "short fuse," apathy, feeling disconnected, persistent anxiety, unusual changes in behavior, mood or even habits such as sleeping and eating. Also be on the lookout for signs of an emergency, such as suicidal ideation, which requires immediate intervention.

"Sometimes the signs are obvious but at other times, something may feel slightly off and you can't figure out what it is," wrote psychologist David Sack in Psychology Today. "Contrary to popular misconception, you don't have to be 'crazy,' desperate or on the brink of a meltdown to go to therapy."

As Sack alludes to, the time to get help may be, perhaps surprisingly, before there is even anything noticeably wrong — preventative mental health care, if you will.

"I know this sounds strange, but I believe the best time to consider treatment is when things are going well," advises counselor Al Andrews, founder and executive director of Porter's Call. "Ninety-nine percent of the individuals who come into my office, arrive because they have a problem. … The Titanic has hit the iceberg and the ship is taking on water. ... What if people sought treatment when they heard there might be icebergs in the water ahead? The sooner that can be explored, the better that individual has to live a healthier life."

Jacoby Shaddix quote for Mental Health Awareness Month 2018
Music Saved My Life: 2018 Mental Health Awareness Month

If you're ready to seek out mental health resources, there are several places you can start. Try therapist directories such as the one at Psychology Today or through your insurance provider. Mental health helplines can also be a great source of local mental health information for all income levels. Reach out to friends for possible referrals, or if you're a musician or music industry professional, call MusiCares to talk about what resources may be available.

Regardless, never be afraid to reach out for support, whether you're not feeling like yourself or you want to make sure your mind stays in tip-top shape. Treatment for mental health is available, and when people stick with it, it's effective. There's hope for everyone struggling with their mental health, including you.

"I was struggling with anxiety that I never had before following the passing of my father and a recent breakup. I couldn't get on a flight, barely get on stage and my life felt like it was crumbling apart," said a MusiCares client. "My manager called MusiCares and they helped me with a psych evaluation, medication and psychotherapy. I'm beginning to feel better and know it's a long road but finally have hope when I didn't before."

6 Tips For People Who Can't Afford Mental Health Care