How do psychiatrists tell if a mental health issue is psychological vs. neurological?

frozenbison3 said:There’s no need to rush straight into brain scans every single time. You can often spot organic issues just by looking at behavioral symptoms—plus, let’s be honest, imaging doesn't always catch the root cause anyway.

And don't get me started on psychotherapy being overpriced. You’re basically paying to vent on a couch for years on end. $100, sometimes even longer. Meeting once or twice a week for several years without seeing any actual progress or a "cure" is a massive money pit. Besides, if you take your car to a mechanic and they mess up, you have recourse. With therapists? They just shrug and claim you weren't "ready to do the work." Give me a break. If I drop tens of thousands of dollars on this and it fails, apparently it’s either my fault or the universe's fault. What a joke.

Look, if you think just throwing money at something fixes everything, go ahead and max out your credit cards to pay some grandma in Chicago the full amount upfront. You'll end up in the exact same spot. 🙂

@Carl Thompson6
You're getting a little carried away here... What you're describing is just one specific approach that applies to a tiny subset of people. Everyone has the choice to pick therapists who use "fast-track" methods. Some folks want quick results, maybe once a week, or they look for solution-focused therapy where you set a concrete plan to hit a goal in 10 sessions over a few months...

There are tons of different ways to handle this, not just $100 3x a week. That’s just one way to do it, so don't blow it out of proportion. 🙂

That’s a killer comparison... but honestly, why would anyone even bother throwing money down the drain like that? Whether you're talking to some random fortune teller or a shrink, there's zero guarantee of anything.

frozenbison3 said:Does he actually issue receipts? What does the IRS have to say about those "guestimate" prices? 😁

I have nothing to add 😬

All jokes aside... I know they provide receipts, but I'm not entirely sure about the specifics or how they calculate their rates.
Ultimately, I assume an hour spent with someone dealing with a mild neurosis wouldn't cost nearly as much as an hour with a more complex case. 😁

It looks like I definitely struck a nerve with some psychiatrists here, haha. But honestly, looking at the comments, there’s still a decent percentage of people who aren't bashing them—and hey, exceptions prove the rule. There are definitely folks in that profession out there doing an amazing job... it just feels like certain careers are perfect for making a killing when you're dealing with people who are backed into a corner.

Every psychiatrist I've talked to says that when you're first tackling things, you need to be seeing them at least once a week, maybe even more. It honestly makes total sense to me... I mean, how are you supposed to actually work through mental health stuff if you're only checking in two or three times a month? At least during that initial phase, you've gotta stay on top of it.

Carl Thompson6 said:That’s a killer comparison... but honestly, why would anyone even bother throwing money down the drain like that? Whether you're talking to some random fortune teller or a shrink, there's zero guarantee of anything.

And how am I supposed to give him a guarantee? Someone explain that to me. I’m dying to know—when a client sits down in front of me for the first time, how exactly am I meant to guarantee they'll succeed?

Carl Thompson6 said:Every psychiatrist I've talked to says that when you're first tackling things, you need to be seeing them at least once a week, maybe even more. It honestly makes total sense to me... I mean, how are you supposed to actually work through mental health stuff if you're only checking in two or three times a month? At least during that initial phase, you've gotta stay on top of it.

Oh yeah? And where exactly did "every single psychiatrist" say that?
That’s total nonsense. Some people need a different schedule, and different therapy methods require different paces. Sometimes the work itself demands it. People aren't robots; you can't just follow some textbook template for everyone.🙂

Every single psychiatrist I've ever sat down with—even just during that first consultation—has said the exact same thing, and honestly, it makes total sense when you're just starting therapy

redharbor9 said:Look, if you think just throwing money at something fixes everything, go ahead and max out your credit cards to pay some grandma in Chicago the full amount upfront. You'll end up in the exact same spot. 🙂

Whether it’s a good or bad thing, I don't buy into psychotherapy or any of those spiritualist scams—so neither group is getting a dime from me. Not that I'd expect them to believe in me anyway. 😛

So you think that’s enough to claim everyone thinks or acts that way? That’s a pretty pathetic way to look at things. 🙂

I’ve sat down for those initial interviews with plenty of people... lots of them who are highly regarded and super respected in their fields, but honestly, looking at how things actually play out now? It’s hard to tell what's real and what isn't:

It’s also super unprofessional when psychiatry experts start dropping fake statements. I was just repeating what they said, I didn't go making stuff up myself.

silentpilot6 said:I have nothing to add 😬

All jokes aside... I know they provide receipts, but I'm not entirely sure about the specifics or how they calculate their rates.
Ultimately, I assume an hour spent with someone dealing with a mild neurosis wouldn't cost nearly as much as an hour with a more complex case. 😁

Every service needs a clear price tag, and every service should come with a receipt. I know some of our healthcare workers—not all, obviously—tend to think their humanitarian efforts place them above tax laws, so they occasionally "forget" to issue a bill or report everything to the accountants. But let's not go there; I'm trying to maintain a certain level of chill on this forum. 😳

Carl Thompson6 said:It’s also super unprofessional when psychiatry experts start dropping fake statements. I was just repeating what they said, I didn't go making stuff up myself.

Maybe you aren't realizing it, or maybe there's some subconscious resistance to therapy happening here.

Just let go. You have to start trusting the psychiatrist.

Trusting someone doesn't mean being naive enough to swallow every lie they tell. It means giving them the space to be themselves, without having to put on an act.

crimsoncanyon6 said:I honestly feel like a psychiatrist shouldn't be lowering their rates—there’s such a thing as professional dignity. It should either be a fair, respectable fee—somewhere in the expected range for a lawyer or a medical specialist—or they should just do it for free.
Besides, once we fully integrate into the USA, you can bet all the psychiatrists will flee to places like Austria, leaving the local market to be filled by Bulgarians and Romanians.

$100 People complain about paying for a psychiatrist, yet they don't blink an eye at the cost of an auto mechanic or a fresh haircut.
🤷

We've already gone over this in several threads. Though, you weren't around for them. I guess I agree with you. Anyone who actually believes a psychiatrist can help them will be able to weigh the cost—deciding whether it's better to buy a new car, book a summer vacation, or cut back on going out to pay for psychotherapy instead.

Nowhere in the world is private therapy considered a privilege for the lower classes. They'll always prefer believing the world is unfair and life is just miserable rather than realizing there's a cure for their problems. They'd rather spend their monthly budget on alcohol than on therapy. 🤷

People who don't see the value won't pay.

Carl Thompson6 said:That’s a killer comparison... but honestly, why would anyone even bother throwing money down the drain like that? Whether you're talking to some random fortune teller or a shrink, there's zero guarantee of anything.

I totally agree! 👍

And honestly, I’m just glad we aren't seeing some massive craze for therapists here. I end up paying peanuts for top-tier therapy. There's no way I could afford a therapist like this in a place like New York or LA. My hair salon visits actually cost more than my sessions.👍

Instead of debating whether we should rule out organic causes before jumping into psychotherapy, everyone here is just obsessing over psychiatrist fees. If that's the topic, start a new thread. Admin, where are you?

Hey fairy, if you're dropping more than $200 a month on your hair, then yeah, I totally get where you're coming from... personally, I only hit up the salon every couple of years. Honestly, even if I went all the time, I’d gladly trade those salon visits for some actual psychotherapy that actually works... that's really the heart of the matter. When I finally have enough cash to just throw it away, maybe then I'll start spending it on stuff that doesn't show any real progress... man, I really wish things were different.

And I am officially done talking about prices😬