This post is in partnership with Doctor On Demand. All opinions are my own.
The reason I keep writing about mental health is that talking about it makes me think about it. Thinking about my mental health is new for me.
I’m used to being depressed but ignoring it for years at a time. I’ve always carried around a nebulous awareness of the fact that I have depression and anxiety, but only truly acknowledged it when something traumatic amplified it — maybe a breakup or a stressful work situation. Today, I’m making an effort to be purposeful about not ignoring the way I feel, and that effort alone is helping me not be depressed. Does that make sense? I hope so.
Usually something pops up to remind me to take stock of my mental health. Sometimes it’s a rainy day that makes me feel blue, and I’ll think, “Oh yeah, have I been keeping up with my yoga?” Other times it’s simply the continuing presence of my gratitude journal that I write in nightly. But this month, my reminder was that May is Mental Health Month.
This month, I was able to book a free appointment with a doctor through Doctor On Demand, who sponsored this post. Because of Mental Health Month (and because I’m in tip-top physical health lately!) I decided to use the opportunity to discuss some concerns about anxiety during my appointment.
Booking the appointment was extremely easy. You can start by choosing a doctor that is board certified in your state, or you can start with an appointment time and see who’s available. You can make an appointment even if you don’t have insurance, and the cost of a standard visit is only $75.
This is a 180 degree difference from booking a regular appointment for healthcare — the average wait time for a doctor appointment is 18.5 days, while the average wait to see a psychologist or psychiatrist is 25 days. I only waited 1 day for my appointment, and that was just because I didn’t want to do it the same day I booked it!
When it was time for my appointment, I signed in, coffee in hand, and waited for my doctor.
My doctor was warm, professional, and thorough. I loved her! She helped me talk through a few anxiety-related concerns and together we decided to make a change to my medication to address them. She was able to send a prescription to my usual pharmacy, and I picked it up later the same day.
It’s really nice to be able to quickly see a doctor about mental health when you need it instead of making an appointment and suffering or worrying for weeks until the appointment comes. And if you need more in-depth mental health treatment, you can be referred to a Doctor On Demand psychologist or psychiatrist or just schedule an appointment yourself.
I could see Doctor On Demand being perfect for digital nomads, people who work long hours, and busy moms (read a report about moms & mental health here). Appointments can be done from a computer or there’s a Doctor On Demand app that allows you to be seen no matter where you are, for mental health or other medical concerns like allergies, cold/flu, acne, UTIs, etc.
For Mental Health Month, I encourage you to take the time to check in on your mental health like I did. Are you doing okay? Have you been prioritizing self-care? Are there concerns you’d like to discuss with a doctor? If there are, try Doctor On Demand and address them right away so you can get on with your life! Download the Doctor On Demand app here.
