Getting mental help without work or insurance knowing?

Please seek help quickly, and use your insurance. There is no benefit to going incognito for a mental health problem.

If your workplace is anything like the many places I have worked, literally half the staff are currently in treatment for some type of mental health problem, or have had treatment in the past. You are very far from alone.

As a Psych NP, I am very open about the fact that I have sought therapy and taken medication for anxiety. It helped. I wouldn't be where I am today without it.

HIPAA protects your medical records from your employer. The only way they will know is if you wait to long to see someone and your employer mandates it as a condition of your continued employment.

Ive never been a big therapy person, despite having tried it a few times. I tend toward heavy weights in the gym and meditation.

But dont be afraid of getting the help you need.

I would highly suggest getting help now *voluntarily* before it becomes an issue where it's no longer voluntary.

If you do not wish to use your insurance, you may be able to seek help through an employee assistance program if your workplace has one. In larger companies, the EAP is usually contracted out, and provides short-term counseling for single issues. This service is almost always free, confidential, and the topics discussed are not passed along to the employer. It's a great benefit that people should really use more often.

If, however, the problem is more involved than something that can be addressed by a brief round of therapy, use your insurance and see a therapist. As previous posters mentioned, HIPAA covers your privacy.

Having untreated mental health concerns is like leaving your dog in the house when you go on vacation: when you come home, the place is covered in poo, and the dog is acting up. You can take your dog out of the house and for a walk and then it's happy again, but there's still all that poo left behind that still has to get cleaned up. That is to say, you can take yourself out of traumatic situations and feel better, but that underlying issue is still going to be there until it gets cleaned up.

My experience is if u go thru EAP Employer Assistance Program, they ended up telling my boss everything personal. The EAP counselor, my ICU manager, and VP of HR all had a meeting without me and without my knowledge. I ended up forced on FMLA, even tho it was an on the job work injury.

My advice, if u r able and it is just for counseling self pay. Boss or HR may request proof. But truthfully, even if u use ur health insurance for counseling, psychiatrist etc boss should not be in the know unless HR demands a letter from counselor saying u r in counseling. Otherwise u r covered under HIPPA, but AVOID the EAP! EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. HIPPA was violated big time ! I never felt so violated.