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PATIENT TESTIMONIAL

In my past I have attempted suicide three times that required extensive surgery for one attempt. Since I have been in psychotherapy treatments I require the necessary treatments to prevent such occurrences from happening again. Also since I have been under my doctors care on a weekly basis I have have made no attempts to commit suicide.

-V

“I am writing to you today because I am very concerned about the Ontario government threatening to limit the availability of psychotherapy to patients. I have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, major depressive disorder and social anxiety disorder. I currently see my doctor on a weekly basis which has become essential to my mental health and well being. My mood changes often and I require the weekly treatments to help stabilize regularity in my life.

In my past I have attempted suicide three times that required extensive surgery for one attempt. Since I have been in psychotherapy treatments I require the necessary treatments to prevent such occurrences from happening again. Also since I have been under my doctors care on a weekly basis I have have made no attempts to commit suicide. As I said above I suffer from depression and borderline personality disorder that creates issues such as self harm. These occurrences and changes of moods must be monitored very closely by my doctor.

In addition with social anxiety disorder I need constant therapy to continue to live out my daily routines in my day to day life. I need support to continue to work my full time job and avoid being on disability. I need support to acquire the daily essentials of life (groceries, prescriptions, attending appointments, and other specialized appointments.

Thank you for taking the time to review this letter in concerning my case for necessary treatments.”

-Patient “V”

Hamilton, Ontario

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PATIENT TESTIMONIAL

To say “I suffer from depression and anxiety” out loud and then fully accept those words, are two totally different things. I knew that I was struggling for a very long time, but it wasn’t until about two and a half years into seeing my doctor who practices psychotherapy, for weekly sessions, that I fully accepted those words.

I am 25 years old. I work full time earning just over minimum wage. I have been coming to my doctor who practices psychotherapy for weekly sessions for close to 4 years. I didn’t know how much I really did need therapy until I started to see her. I have spent most of my life feeling like a burden. Feeling like I cannot do anything right. Being surrounded by a whole group of people who love and care about me but feeling completely alone. I have gone through my life not knowing how to love myself.
I remember sitting outside, under a tree at recess, in the 6th grade, all by myself, crying because I did not think I was good enough. I have a family who loves me, supports me and shows they care about me, so why do I still feel this way?

Last year, was one of the most difficult years of my life. I had a friend who was demanding my time, taking advantage of my selflessness and making me feel guilty anytime she didn’t get her way. I had a boss who didn’t treat me like a human being. I felt more like a slave than an assistant. I gave more than I had to give everyday, worked overtime, for nothing extra, and stressed myself out to the point of getting anxiety attacks on the way to work. There was never any thank you or any type of appreciation. I also had a boyfriend with mental illness. Even though he was on medication, he still did not know how to find the additional proper medical treatment for his mental illness -  psychotherapy.  This resulted in him being very irrational and getting mad and upset with me all the time. I got to a point that I would question if my life is really worth it. If I can’t make anyone happy then why am I here? I got to such a low point that I really did not want to be on this earth anymore. I remember driving home on the busy highway, crying, and hoping that the big transport truck behind me would just keep going and not stop when I did.

To say “I suffer from depression and anxiety” out loud and then fully accept those words, are two totally different things. I knew that I was struggling for a very long time, but it wasn’t until about two and a half years into seeing my doctor who practices psychotherapy, for weekly sessions, that I fully accepted those words. I am beyond proud of the progress I have made throughout the years since I started psychotherapy. I wake up and am thankful every single day that I live in a country that allows me to go to psychotherapy, once a week, and have it covered by OHIP. With the way the economy is these days, I would not be able to afford this help on my own.

Even though I have come a long way, I know that I still have a long way to go. It is so important to me, to be able to see a doctor I trust and talk about what is going on in my life. Someone who is a third party and someone I know will not judge me for anything I say. If people say “time heals everything” then why are we trying to rush something that is so important? Why is someone telling me that I have to “fix my problem” in a certain time frame? I can say, with 100% confidence, that if OHIP only covered a certain amount of psychotherapy sessions, I would not be able to pay for more sessions and I cannot tell you where I would be today.

I hope that this has shed some light on the importance of ongoing, long term psychotherapy because I honestly do not know what I would do without it and I am sure I am not the only one.
Thank you,

 A.

 Ontario

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PATIENT TESTIMONIAL

I know that I would not be sitting here writing this today without my doctor's help whom I see weekly for psychotherapy sessions. I was in a very dark place for a long time and didn't want to go on living anymore.

I have PTSD from childhood trauma and depression, which has affected my whole life.

I know that I would not be sitting here writing this today without my doctor's help whom I see weekly for psychotherapy sessions. I was in a very dark place for a long time and didn't want to go on living anymore. I am so grateful to my family doctor for understanding that I needed professional help from a physician providing psychotherapy and for the referral she made.

 I know the government is considering cutbacks in long term psychotherapy funding but this would be a huge mistake. I can honestly say from personal experience that psychotherapy cannot be allotted a set number of sessions. It is an ongoing process and each person is different, depending on their situation. I truly hope the government will see the importance of psychotherapy for mental health and not consider or implement cutbacks.

 LR, Burlington Ontario