psychiatric support in BKK

[bencottrell]

Hi

 

I have a friend who urgently needs some psychatric support and possible prescription for depression.

 

Can anybody recommend any particular hospitals in BKK that offer this service?

 

counselling alone (at the present time) is not enough

 

any help greatly appreciated!

 

 

 

[inbangkok]

Bumrungrad has a psychiatric department.  Never been so I cannot comment on quality but I would imagine it is on par with the rest of the hospital which I have always been very satisfied with.  

 

You can always go for the appointment with the DR, and have your friend buy the meds at a pharmacy rather than the hospital to cut costs if it is a problem.  From my understanding, most psychiatric meds are available at most pharmacies in Bangkok.

Edited August 8, 2014 by inbangkok

[choochoo]

We are best psychiatrist you can get for FREE!

[Johnniey]

Samitivej is better than Bamrungrad IMO for psychiatry. 

[jackted]

First off all I`m sorry for your friend as depression is an all too common and terrible illness. I have suffered on and off with it all my life.

 

I can`t give you any professional advice, this is just from my own experience.

 

You say your friend is depressed so I presume a professional has actually diagnosed depression, as counselling is being given, if not, that`s the 1st thing to establish.

 

Depression varies in each patient and therefore so can the treatment. There are lots of meds over the counter or prescribed. From my experience most take between 4-6 weeks to have any effect. A few do not help at all.

 

You say your friend needs `urgent support`. He can see a Doctor now. But in most cases of depression it can take weeks if not months to start to get over depression.

 

I had depression years ago when I lived in BKK. I went to the Psychiatric Dept at Bumrungrad and though I`m sure well meant the help from that particular Doctor was poor. He prescribed some medicine and said see you in a month. My particular depression at that time merited better help. I can`t speak for the whole Dept, it was just one Dr that I saw.

 

There are many different ways of treating depression these days rather than just popping pills. CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) I have found to be very helpful. If you do a search for Bangkok you will find several places.

 

I do know a contact that is a based a few hours outside of Bangkok. He is extremely experienced in treating all aspects of depression. However as I do not know about your friends individual circumstances this contact may or may not be of help. Furthermore he is away from Thailand for the next 2 weeks and so that would not help with the `urgency`. But if you wish to know more then pm me and I will give you details. I have been recommended another contact in BKK for depression from a good friend whom I trust, though I have not used his services personally. I could easily get contact details.

 

Both professionals in the field of depression and laymen have often given very me basic self help advice whenever I`ve been depressed. All can help but depending on the severity of the depression can be impossible to do

*Avoid alcohol (It`s a depressant and will make your friend worse)

*Try and get a good nights sleep

*If your friend is working then try to keep working

*Exercise - even a little like a walk. It boosts a feel good factor, called endorphins, even for a short while

*Eat healthy

*If certain people / places have caused this depression then if possible avoid them

*Your friend will not just need professional help but help from friends / family. Whoever is able listen and be supportive

 

Hope some of that helps.

 

 

 

 

[Sheryl]

If your friend is already getting counseling, his therapist should be able to refer him to a psychiatrist for prescription. If counseling is just something s/he tried in the past, need to resume it. All the counselors I know of in Bkk have psychiatrists they refer to for prescriptions and this is definitely the way to go, as Thai pyschiatrists tend not to take enough time with patients to make the best determination of underlying problem. There are many antidepressants and some are better than others for specific patients; for example, in many patients (but not all) there is a mixture of anxiety and depression. This is the sort of thing the counselor will know and communicate to the pyschiatrist to take into account in prescribing.

 

In Bkk, I suggest either of these places:

 

NCS New Community Services
61/1 Soi Intamara 3
Sutisan Road
Phaya Thai (Sapan Kwai Area)
Tel.: 0-2279 8503
http://ncs-counseling.com/

OR

Psychological Services International
9/2 Sukhumvit Soi 43 (near Phrom Pong/Emporium)
Bangkok 10110,
Tel: 02-2591467
Fax: 02-2620505
http://www.psiadmin.com/

 

Both have standing arrangements with pyschiatrists for patients needing medication. In the case of NCS I believe the pyschiatrist is actually on their staff, nto sure about PSI.