Hi Lowyatian,

Any one working as an psychiatrist or have experience of getting any mental health in Malaysia?
I went to KLCC today and saw an advertisement about Bipolar disorder, which then after that I googled about it, found out that I have most of the symptoms, then I went to google about an online screening , basically a quiz that ask you a few question and advice if you have bipolar disorder, it suggested me that I am highly suspected to be having bipolar disorder.

Anyway, question I wanted to ask : -

1. I am not 5 digit income group , would like to ask if mental health treatment is expensive?

2. Anyway I can seek to get advice on if I've really has Bipolar Disorder?

3. Am I only scaring myself? What should I do?

Advice is really appreciated

Please be serious , I read some article about this illness is pretty critical.

Go c specialist , Klinik pakar John Tan at NSK kuchai lama

enjoice the queue, https://psychiatry-malaysia.com/public/list...nment-hospital/

Good to get initial assessment, on the condition from psychiatrist. This would confirm and remove any doubts you have. Yes sessions with them can be few hundreds . First sessions or initial sessions would be longer. Subsequent sessions is just updates once a month to see how the meds are working and how your coping.

Meds are slightly expensive as well for depression. Cant get it over counter and needs proper prescription for it. Might take a months to 2 for your body to adjust and get used of the drugs..

When consulting, be open with them as their are here to help. Provide info to what you see are triggering points...

Sounds like the high traffic location advertisment is well placed and effective..

There are private centers where u can choose to talk to trainee psychologists instead. Prices are definitely more affordable compared to licensed psychologist. There's MMHA and Aloemind at the top of my mind, pretty sure there are other centers which are the same. If you're worried about the competence level of trainees, they usually have a supervisor whom they'll discuss cases with.

kuchai lama is not far , but issit expensive?

rm200 per visit per hour

Depend , if talk longer time thn ma expensive lur .
1st time shd be around thousand , it is veli pack , appointment i think need wait month

Government hospital has long queue?
is there lot of mental health issues personnel in malaysia?

I think u can go UMMC. Last time before pandemic, they allowed walk in. Cheaper than any private specialist. And best of all, u will get the best treatment in a top University in Malaysia

Government hospital need go early to get appointment fast but usually takes about 1 hour waiting time also depends on which hospital.

Like take PPUM for example to register is RM 30 then after that every visit is RM 5 (Not including the medicines) but they see 11 patients a day.

But if you want go Government hospital you need a referral letter from clinic ( any local clinic or government clinic).

UMSC, detail should still be accurate. Prepare to swipe 300 buck deposit before consultation (call them to get a booking). Your first bill could be 400+ (just my exp, I dont know what they would ask you to take). Give it a shot, it it worries you, it wouldnt break any bank for 1 consultation.

yes ,kinda long queue last time but now should be ok

my experience need go to kilink 001 then get letter pap to 102

normal jealous and dengki at other people, normal

I ask those government nurses they said any klinik will do just need that refferal letter oh I forgot to add that you must state which hospital you want to go see.

Yes, mental disorder can get really serious until your brain control you.

It's definitely not like the normal stress feeling from work or money shortage. This one is just the starting.

If it got worse, really need help, it's no joke or anything.

hallucination, delusion, hearing voices, thinking you are spied is going to be the worst thing you will experience at the peak of mental disorder and by that time, it's hard to save you.

never be too late to seek help. just take the medication if you really cannot handle it.

otherwise, it's going to be unbearable when you are out of touch with the world. it's haunting

This post has been edited by hellothere131495: Mar 24 2022, 07:33 PM

i directly do in hospital lagi senang everything pao

Mental health is very expensive. Asked before, got one like rm500 per session which I think 1 hour only. Someone need to see every week. Crazy

TS, maybe google the nearest pusat kesihatan mental masyarakat (Mentari) and start from there. I think they can refer you to gov hospital if there is a need. Private session will cost few hundreds per session.

Someone mentioned John Tan. This guy has some fame but not really the kind of doctor that clicks with me.

His old clinic in Taman OUG is really rundown. I guess he probably do not have enough to maintain it as his charges are overall lower.

What kind of symptoms do you have? I have some experiences with bipolar people.

The Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA)
TTDI Plaza, Block A Unit 2-8,
Jalan Wan Kadir 3, Taman Tun Dr Ismail,
60000, Kuala Lumpur.

Getting help is the most important first step in overcoming any form of mental health challenge.
Here are some very important contact details to seek help.

Psychological Therapy & Support Services
Helpline / Contact Numbers : +603-27806803 / +6017-6133039
Email : admin@mmha.org.my
Office Hours : Mondays to Fridays, 9 am to 5 pm
Helpline Hours : Daily, 9 am to 9 pm
www.mmha.org.my

Can do ONLINE TEST here

They used to be in PJ Old Town before.
Good luck TS

This post has been edited by g0ldeneye: Mar 24 2022, 08:36 PM

My aunt goes to government hospital of her bipolar disorder problem. Not sure if the queue is long. But she often visit Hospital Selayang for her treatment.

1. It is expensive if you go to private hospital for consultation which would cost u hundreds for few minutes session. i am a mental patient (anxiety disorder) myself and my consultation only cost me rm5 at GH.

2. you can seek advice and opinion to whom that are willing to listen. but be aware and know who you shares your problem with because not many people are open with mental health issue which they think mental illness is made up. i shared my problem once with one of my colleague and he tells everyone.

3. no you are not. you should seek help regardless, for your own good.

Hi TS, seeking professional help and improving your life is the best thing you can ever do for yourself. Totally understandable that the cost is high, but it is the best thing you can spend on right now to get better.

All the best!

Go to Klink Kesihatan, get yourself checked first by normal doctor. If the Dr deemed you need mental health checked, they will write you a referral letter.

The government hospital do have mental health clinics. If you live near a hospital with plenty patients, yes the queue can be long but I can say the treatment are as professional as the private.

You can see Dr Rabin at Gleneagles. Bi polar can be cured and controlled with medications.

I live with someone with mental challenges, but one made fll recovery and one is working towards normal life. Yes that's two in the family. Nothing to be ashamed off.

To be honest,
I would have got even depressed with almost say 1.5 K going to the doctor getting treated for something they themselves have. Most psychiatrist who treat you are sick themselves.

My advice is, you need to change your perspective in life. Seek Christ. I know lots of people are going to whack me .

But think about this, you are going to see a doctor whereby they cannot even help themselves with the advices they give others.

Only "you" can help yourself by changing your perspective of this world.

Charges are not that expensive about RM120 for 15 minutes session. 1st consultation might be longer. Medications are not expensive. You must take the medicine for a while before it takes effect

like this ?

1. Mental health treatment itself is not very expensive. Visiting doctor probably cost around RM200 per visit/month, and medication probably another RM100/month if needed. The costly part of this sickness if not well treated is it will affect your daily life, your relationship and possibly your job. So get treatment early certainly help.

2. Sunway hospital has a very good doctor, by the name Dr Phang Cheng Kar. You can try visiting him to get professional treatment.

3. Mental health sickness is very common nowadays, don't be surprised if many ppl around you also have mental health issue.

If you need further advise, can pm me because i do self study a lot on this area.

Hope everything is well for you TS.

U can go ppum serdang
Rm30 per session

But need wait for appointment which could be quite long

This post has been edited by smokey: Mar 24 2022, 10:22 PM

It is, I've see the same ad at KLCC trying to destigmatize mental illness while working out at the gym in Avenue K.

Yes very expensive.

Maybe you can try government hospital ?

But beware, beware of insurance company.

If record of your bipolar found out by insurance company, they may nullify your future claims if you don't declare.

Got one case of a woman kena cancer, but she did not declare to insurance co of her last time psychiatric visit, the insurance co nullify her claim.

She later sued, and won the case.

But what has psychiatric problem got to do with cancer ?

After reading all the advices , I found that going to agh is the best option I have now , for low cost treatment, for a longer queue in exchange. I don’t wanna get in to private clinic / specialist and get knifed even that I don’t really have mental illness / mild mental issues cause they just wanted to earn my money.

Understand that mental illness can be serious as I have read some of the articles , hopefully I’m just scaring myself or I’m just having mild symptoms.

You seem pretty sound to be honest. Why waste your time and money to go see a psychiatrist when you just need to change your mindset.

Remember, there is no turning back once you are on those meds. Remember, if those meds are so effective, everyone will be taking them to remove their anxiety.

Mental sickness is a disease, due to some chemical imbalance in the brain. Changing mindset is helpful, but may not work very effectively once it has reached sickness level.

I was once getting hit by OCD/Anxiety Disorder and is now recovering. Few advices for you:

1. Try not to google your symptoms. Seek doctor's advice if you have any doubt.

2. Get help from professional like psychiatrist asap.

3. Ignore those who tell you not to think too much or tell you to change your mindset instead of seeking help from doctors. They do not understand what is the feeling of getting mental health issue because they never experienced it. I do not blame them.

4. Talk to your family/friend that you trust. Don't feel ashamed.

5. If medication is required, just take it.

All the best to you.

This post has been edited by kcy1606: Mar 25 2022, 05:10 PM

It does not make sense to get help from people who cannot help themselves.

If you look at my earlier comments you know what I mean.

So it is a coincidence that those psychiatrist that suddenly got mental sickness also suffer from chemical imbalances?

the med for mental also expensive.. cut throat..

Hm, since TS never responded to anything beside the opening. I'm just going to leave it here:
a) those that responded with very precise steps (which specialist hospital, what price estimate) these people know their stuff
b) those that just straight up say expensive most likely never even had a first session, most likely unker with their hearsay info
c) those with even crazier comment that their psychiatrist is depressed (very unlikely that a professional thats working on a client will tell that, they are not your friend), you can straight up ignore as dumbass writing fanfic

Thats all.

Why not just get diagnosed first or get it ruled out? Can go to govt hospital for that. Take it one step at a time.

Well said bro

what symptom you are referring to?
everyone of us would have some mental issue, i believe
perhaps you can share a bit.

in any case, rather than keep thinking gov hospital long queue or not, and not sure if private is very expensive.
just find one day go gov hospital dulu...
usually need go general clinic (in hospital) dulu baru they will refer you to specialist department on another day.

see what date they give. if really too long, while waiting, decide next steps. whether try to improve the condition yourself or seek private treatment.

don't know how ts worked out but can try counsellor. no need to eat meds. 1 hour 150.

i had depression, autism and panic attack

i went 10 times counsellor and 1 time psychiatrist, counsellor works better on me because they teach me how to trace out the root of these symtoms and how to face and accept them. it takes time (been 1 year i still discovering new roots of these symtoms that happened on me in the past) but once it's solved its gone.

anxiety meds tend to super effective just for short period of time and can get addicted and dependent quite easily. they (psychiatrist) asked me to consume with strict sleeping time and exercise. i feel i can just adjust myself without eating the meds and stopped revisiting.

This post has been edited by NoobHacker: Mar 27 2022, 09:52 AM

do more exercise will help, don always stay at home, go jogging

nowadays many ppl get mental issue due to stress..

I was diagnosed with bipolar back in 2012.

My advice, skip the trainees and even government hospital psychiatrists.

Just go to a specialist. It costs more but at least they don't misdiagnose or prescribe unsuitable medications to help with the condition.

I've been going to a specialist in Kg. Pandan at Klinik Rawatan Pakar Dr. Mahmud. He is one of the best.

Regarding costs, a session with him costs less than RM 150, while the meds, at most I have spent is about RM10 daily. Now switched to cheaper alternatives since that particular med is no longer brought in due to low demand and high cost.

For serious cases, you might need to be admitted to what I call rehab, and that cost a minimum of RM10k for a 6 week course.

Hope I'm able to help. Feel free to PM me for more info. I'll help in whichever way I could.

This is based on my personal experience.

not expensive, normal consultation at a relatively famous psychiatrist cost about RM300 per session. this is not inclusive of medication. after awhile you can be referred to govt

I've been watching the thread buy i am still in probation , so my replies are limited 3 per day.
Anyway, i understand what you mean , thanks a lot but i am thanksful for everyone that willing to give advice though.

yeah, i guess maybe i really should take a day off and go to GH first and check what's happening to me.

Thanks for the info , an hour for 150 seems fine i guess? normally how long is per session? but spending 2 hours per month for me is kindda like need to start planning my spending for the month already , you know la now-a-days 3-4k salary is nothing.

yeap , did try this it works for sometimes but mostly cause of laziness haha , i understand saying no time is a bs.

hard to imagine in Malaysia also got these issues already.

sorry to hear, thanks for the advice. You mind me to ask why did you go for diagnose at first? what kindda symptoms that leads you into checking yourself out?

FYI, you can refer to this thread for info:
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/5213442

Having a close network of family members, friends and colleagues help to maintain robust mental health. Take time to socialize with them instead of being a social recluse. Interacting with online friends you have never met before don't help with your mental health.

If only a person can just "switch their mindset" to overcome mental health issues. Sadly, our brain is not like a switch which we can just flip and all our problems magically disappear.

thanks for the information , i have checked it , i have yet act anything since busy at work. already schedule a work leave to check plan it out though.

I do agreed but if you have a family problem which you would not get any help from family when needed or being back stabbed by your own families are not really helping.
Since the pandemic i've really cut off lot of social with friends though and most of them have families, they not really able to help a lot, life is now work and go home for me.

I totally agreed , it is not like exercise just switch your mindset and start the workout etc, can I say that i am mentally damaged / emotional damaged so we need help from proffesional?

I was cycling thru manic and depression 😅. Over time just have to learn how to manage stress better. And live with it.

Yup I guess you should get yourself checked out first at GH. It varies. Sometime it’s just a 15 minutes session. At most os half an hour. It’s not necessarily a monthly thing. My appointments now are 6 months apart. Initially, it might be more frequent, to monitor your psych kinda thing till it stabilises.

Not the end of the world though. 😬

This post has been edited by lucifrhun: Mar 30 2022, 09:52 PM

yeah actually for my case the phone call front liner check with what issue i have first, before proceeding further, not sure if you approach them can have simple check for free.

for your case, need the simple check first before knowing how to proceed. i think the best bet now is to checkup at GH as suggested by the others.

exercise do help in my case, tremendously, im not a doctor, it works in a way that when we have mental health issues our certain sensors get too sensitive so the anxiety and such can ramp up very quick. exercise help to slow that process down.

yeah some people overrate exercise as the golden cure for all mental issues. it helps but its not the main cure.

i dont like to exercise so i brought my ipad to gym and play with it while exercising. some people may critique me but i got my tshirt entirely wet before going home. now i exercise properly. i just feel very sticky on my skin if i didnt exercise for like 3 days.

dont take those people saying just change ur mind, keep thinking useless stuff and etc. this just not work. imagine u just go to mental hospital and tell everyone see they go suicide or not. if they all instantly cured in this way then all mental doctors lost their job already.

This post has been edited by NoobHacker: Apr 1 2022, 05:10 PM

Some say taking certain supplements like minerals or fish oil helps. Magnesium has calming effect. Sometimes deficiency can affect the brain too.

Yeah, i still have heavy insomnia attacking even started to exercise lightly , trying to change a bit the way of living see if anything helps though.
Don't know why I was dilemma to go to GH for check up, I will force my self to go on the next holiday, i took a leave thinking to go but in the end i was holding back.

No one will judge you how you wanna exercise, i guess, don't care about how people looking at you, you pay for it , do however you like right?
Anyway i am starting to have light exercise lately but still holding back from going to check-up YET, i have yet having the suicidal thought yet i guess i am still fine?
currently just insomnia , sometimes wake up in the morning but feels a bit hesitate to go out from the house , but works , has to force myself out, and i rarely communicate to collegue unless i have to or that strike any conversation first.

I did try to google , magnesium are great way to heal insomnia , i might try that.

Just go have a check up, even get some advice is good for you. you won't trouble people. they are established for this purpose. don't force yourself. consider it's good for your life. who knows you can change your life positively forever instead of living in stress forever.

i believe your body want you to go but something in your logic resists.

Yea i care more or less or just a tiny bit on how people judge me. but gym is fine since people do their own stuff.

Yet having suicidal thought is not equal to fine. I used to think like that, japanese go suicide so i can hold much longer because I didn't feel like want to suicide. Until my body giving issues then I start to take it seriously. I don't even feel anything wrong with my mental health back then.

I been afraid to sleep for many years. I feel like there is always a very big stone with dark scary energy haunting me. Recently i realize i have extreme mental self harm behavior. And I found who is the stone. It's the stress level i been using all time to gain higher excitement. i been in a very stressful state that i need to find some excitement beyond the stress threshold. I need to make my stress feeling numb to cope with the extreme stress from outside. i cant feel any excitement anymore, thus i need very extreme ones thats motivated by the stress. i even scold myself and cry and get excited from it, since the cry emotion can push the excitement further.

and I thought i was fine. because everything i mentioned been become normal and numb, but my body cant handle it. even my behavior start to become extreme and weird, blaming myself why i need friends, why i cannot lock in my room forever, why human need friends, i am so weak.

After I realize the stone, it vanishes. But when I look back the events (those i used to feel numb already), they are very scary. the emotions been accumulating and i been making myself more numb to the emotions. My unusual fluctuating blood pressure finally drops, and I feel like im a new self. I remember yesterday went mid valley to buy stuff, i look at the name on my credit card, i feel so unfamiliar, but it's a good thing. i gained new life.

This post has been edited by NoobHacker: Apr 13 2022, 11:02 PM