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There are currently 13 responses to “Is the economic crisis affecting your recovery?”

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1. 1 On October 10th, 2008, Carrie said:

   It’s not affecting me in terms of treatment directly- I’m still trying to find a therapist after my move. But it is affecting my recovery by adding stress, by making my leg tap a little more, a litte longer. By making me feel guiltier for buying nourishing, fun food.

   Good topic. I know you read the Well blog, and TPP had an interesting post earlier this week about how a recession can make you healthier. Thought-provoking.

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 10:18 am

2. 2 On October 10th, 2008, Rachel said:

   Yes, I did see that, Carrie. I think her larger point is that during boom times, people are more apt to eat out and eat in excess and enjoy pleasurable things. During harder times, they tend to fix dinners at home more and walk or bike to conserve gas. So, while I think it might make the general population healthier, it doesn’t really do much for people with an eating disorder.

   I don’t currently see a therapist although I have been going for twice-weekly visits with my psychiatrist since last fall until just a few months ago. I changed health insurance companies (employer requirement) and my old doctor is out-of-network. I was able to go back to seeing my former psychiatrist from a few years ago who I absolutely adore, but she doesn’t do therapy, only med management. I see her about once every three months now. I am considering finding a therapist, but it can be hard to get in to see one and I am very picky about who I see. Plus, my new health insurance company is more reluctant to authorize mental health visits than my old one.

   My husband and I have no kids and were pretty well off before the recession struck, plus we try to live sustainably in general, so the economic crisis hasn’t affected my recovery or our lives much. I have noticed that health care is more expensive. My insurance premiums are more expensive than previous years and I find that I’m being charged more for lab work not covered by my insurance policy. My medication prices have also risen, but luckily I do mail order through my prescription plan group and get a discount. My total med prices come out to about $120 a month, which I can afford now, but probably would have strained my budget back when I was single and financially independent. If I were single, I probably wouldn’t be able to afford seeing a therapist twice a month, either, at $40 a copay.

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 11:07 am

3. 3 On October 10th, 2008, Christina said:

   Everytime I look at a newspaper that says we’re in The Great Depression: The Sequel, I think, “I should be a well-informed citizen,” but my own depression says, “Oh no you don’t.”

   I feel like an infant.

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 11:10 am

4. 4 On October 10th, 2008, Me said:

   Shoot, this economy GAVE me an E.D., pretty much!!

   I had to go 2-3 days w/o eating at a time so my kids could have enough and as I’ve said numerous times all around here that the less I ate, the more compliments I SEEMED to get. It’s not right, but that’s our society and I can’t decide if I like it or not b/c I’m a major ppl pleaser/semi-perfectionist (if such a thing exsits).

   Not to be a trigger but that’s my life and putting my 2 cents in, appreciate it!

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 11:43 am

5. 5 On October 10th, 2008, Rachel said:

   Me: Are there any local food banks or churches that can help you in the area you live in?

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 12:20 pm

6. 6 On October 10th, 2008, Bronwyn said:

   This whole economic downturn thing is definitely affecting my eating disorder badly; I’ve already gone off my meds because they are just too expensive, and even though right this moment I”m not feeling the “effects” so to speak, I’m definitely worried and I already feel guilty enough buying the food I, well, NEED to keep myself eating decently… If things get worse I don’t honestly know what I’m going to do.

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

7. 7 On October 10th, 2008, Carrie said:

   Rachel,

   Sorry- I didn’t mean to imply that the Well blog had anything to say about EDs. Just that it was something I hadn’t thought of.

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

8. 8 On October 10th, 2008, Rachel said:

   Oh, agreed, Carrie. I found it rather interesting as well. Certainly a counterintuitive conclusion.

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 3:32 pm

9. 9 On October 10th, 2008, Stephanie said:

   I’m not actually in therapy at the moment, but considering that the original reason I went off Zoloft was due to lack of funds and lack of health insurance (neither of which I have right now, either, but the lack of funds is due to a choice I made [I wanted a big wedding reception] and the lack of health insurance is getting remedied Nov. 1st), I can say that if I were on Zoloft right now, I wouldn’t be able to afford it.

   However, the economic situation hasn’t actually affected my income (yet), my savings (again, yet — but my bank seems OK), or my yoga studio (the only form of therapy I have at the moment), so I count myself as remarkably OK.

   Also, my fiance works (not because he wants to) in the sole industry that loves this situation: collections. (*sigh*)

   posted on October 10th, 2008 at 5:57 pm

10. 10 On October 10th, 2008, Cindy said:

    It hasn’t. Not yet. My partner and I sat down recentlyy and did a really honest budget workshop. We want to be out of debt in three years — except for the mortgage.

    But the last three years have been very stressful for me and I’ve noticed some of the compulsion coming back around — an amplified preoccupation with forbidden foods, which I thought weren’t forbidden anymore.

    posted on October 10th, 2008 at 9:18 pm

11. 11 On October 10th, 2008, Michelle said:

    It’s been terrible for me, and nothing in our finances has changed (yet.) But watching my parent’s retirement account vanish has been agonizing, and the stress is driving me back into all sorts of behaviors that I thought I had left behind.

    posted on October 10th, 2008 at 11:38 pm

12. 12 On October 12th, 2008, Branwyn said:

    It hasn’t affected me yet, but it almost did. It was just the good luck of my husband’s employer getting a better insurance plan than they had that kept me being able to see my psychologist.

    I went from a sliding fee scale of $50 (and yes, that was his lowest fee) to a $15 copay. Without that $15 copay, I’d not be able to keep going.

    I’ve got the rest of this year, and the first four months of next year for $15 visits. After that, well, I hope we’re in a better place, financially.

    posted on October 12th, 2008 at 2:34 pm

13. 13 On October 13th, 2008, Magazines said:

    My friends are buying less medication because the govt in Canada reduced health care support and coupons as a result of the upcoming recession.

    posted on October 13th, 2008 at 12:28 pm

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