Nam, it kind of reminds me of a situation I faced a few years ago.

I've been going to counseling on and off for the last 15 years or so, but none really intense enough to get to the heart of the matter. I remember one time when I felt like I really needed to see a counselor but the insurance I had at the time required us to go through another company (Magellan Mental Health) for pre-approvals to see a counselor (yeah, go figure). I called around 4:50 pm - they closed at 5:00 - and was put on hold for about 5 minutes. By the time it was my turn, the girl who answered the phone wasn't in the mood to help me and basically said that if I didn't like the first appointment day/time she gave me, I'd have to call back the next day. Something happened during the short course of the conversation and we ended up getting disconnected and by that time it was after 5 and no one was answering the phone! My husband and I talked about how bad it would've been if I had been suicidal; that disaster of an attempt to get help would've probably put me over the edge if I was.

It amazes me how the mental health community often acts as if mental health problems only happen between 9 and 5...and they think if someone calls for an appointment, they can wait 3 or 4 weeks to get help. I don't know about anyone else on this board, but getting up the nerve to pick up the phone and actually admit I have something wrong with me to the point of needing a doctor is something that is very hard for me to do. If I have to wait 3 or 4 weeks, I probably won't keep the appointment, instead thinking how unimportant I am that I have to wait so long to be seen. I can be a very patient person with anyone but myself; if I ask for help and can't get it w/in a reasonable amount of time, I begin to climb into my pity-pot and think how unimportant I am and how unworthy of help I am.