How to find help

What are some resources to help me find treatment? I was diagnosed about 3 years ago at a training clinic my college offered but i have not sought treatment since. Its come to a point where I clearly need professional help but can't seem to find the right option. From doing some basic research ive found that psychiatrists are not always recommended because they tend to use medication as a treatment. However it is extremely important to me not to be placed on medication. I also would not be able to afford a psychiatrist. I've also found that I want to find someone who will use certain treatment methods but im not sure what those treatment methods are or how to search for people that use them. I would also like to be able to use my health insurance but im almost certain it does not cover mental health services anyway. Initially I was going to see my family doctor but that will cost over 150$ just for the visit and Im pretty sure they will just force me to use a psychiatrist. There is obviously a lot to consider when finding treatment for this disorder and its extremely important to me that I find the best care possible based on cost and form of treatment. Can anyone recommend a solution to this issue?

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I struggled to find appropriate help for a long time. I bounced between psychiatrists and counsellors, unable to find someone suitable. I have gone down the medication road- I have a rather complicated diagnosis, so that helps keep me stable and helps me, but everyone is different.

I have managed to find a suitably qualified psychologist (a clinical psychologist) to help me- therapy, specifically cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT is often helpful to people with AvPD. Seeing your family doctor could be a good starting point if you wanted to go that way- they can provide you with a referral to see someone (a therapist rather than a psychiatrist) and may be able to recommend someone who might be suitable in your area. Often your family doctor may want to send you to a psychiatrist- mainly for diagnosis, as GP's are often don't have the specific knowledge re MH issues- depression or anxiety they might be able to help you, but to manage but a PD is a bit more tricky. Otherwise you could also search on your own. When contacting them, asking things like do they work with specific groups (eg. some may only deal with specific age groups or issues), do they know anything about AvPD can be helpful.

And importantly, if you go along and don't feel like it's a good fit with them, it's ok to say so and ask to see someone else.