Sometimes a few counseling sessions may be enough to discuss why you are currently not feeling well psychologically and to clarify what you can do yourself. However, if you decide to seek psychotherapy, the following information may be helpful:

If you have decided to seek professional help in the form of psychotherapy, there are various ways to find a therapy place. Using the portal of the Rhineland-Palatinate Chamber of Psychotherapists (LPK RLP), you can use a search mask to find psychotherapists in your chosen area who are registered with a health insurance fund. A "Kassensitz" means that the respective therapist is allowed to bill the health insurance companies for psychotherapy, i.e. you do not have to pay for the therapy out of your own pocket. You can find more information about psychotherapy on the website of the Rhineland-Palatinate Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. You can also search for doctors and psychotherapists here, where you will also find the relevant telephone consultation times and other information. As the waiting times for a psychotherapy place can currently be very long (there are always exceptions!), it is worth calling several psychotherapists and having them put you on the waiting list. If you do not want to call the individual therapy practices individually, there is also the possibility of finding a psychotherapy place centrally via the 116117 patient service (unfortunately, there is still no guarantee of a therapy place here either).

Calling alone can be a big hurdle, as you may not really know what to say or what you will be asked as soon as the other person picks up the phone. It is enough to briefly tell them your name and that you are looking for a place in therapy. If you are asked what the issue is, briefly outline your problem. It can be worth making a few brief notes before the phone call and thinking about what you want to say. This gives you a little more confidence. As a rule, however, the other person will only want to find out more about you and your issues in the first call, so don't worry! (Unfortunately, such an "initial consultation" does not mean that you will get a permanent place in therapy).

Not being able to reach anyone or being constantly put off can cause feelings of frustration and is certainly not helpful if you are already mentally at the end of your tether. It is therefore best to ask a friend or family member for support! You may also know someone who has already undergone psychotherapy and can ask them for help.

The waiting time for a psychotherapy place can sometimes take several months. To bridge this time or to accompany psychotherapy, online therapy can also be an option. However, it is advisable to consult a medical or psychotherapeutic specialist beforehand to clarify whether online therapy is advisable. This often depends on the condition of the person affected and the severity of the depression.

Selfapy offers free online courses for sufferers on prescription for the following disorders: Depression, binge eating, bulimia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and chronic pain. The costs are usually covered by health insurance companies. The aim is to provide flexible access to psychological support for everyone. The progress of the course and the development of symptoms are monitored by psychologists. The depression course comprises 12 lessons spread over 12 weeks and is based on the principles of behavioral therapy.

MindDoc also offers online psychotherapy for depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and eating disorders. The sessions take place weekly via video calls and are led by psychotherapists. Between sessions, the MindDoc app supplements the everyday life of those affected. Here too, costs can be covered by many private and statutory health insurance companies. Before you use MindDoc, please check whether your health insurance will cover the costs!

The online therapy program Deprexis serves to support the therapeutic process. It facilitates the transfer of the content learned in the therapy sessions through reminders. Topics such as cognitive aspects, behavioral activation, social skills and problem solving are taught. This also requires a doctor's prescription and an activation code from the insured health insurance company. The website provides detailed information on the procedure.

Psychotherapy is not always necessary. Sometimes it is enough to make one or more appointments at a psychological counseling center to find the right solutions. You can find some options for the Landau and Kaiserslautern area under the heading Immediate help and contact points. Nevertheless, it is always advisable to consult a specialist, such as your family doctor, to clarify which course of action is appropriate for your symptoms. In some cases, depressive symptoms can also have a physical origin and need to be treated with medication, such as an underactive thyroid. Conversely, depressive illnesses can go hand in hand with physical illnesses (e.g. cardiovascular diseases) or exacerbate them. In this case too, a doctor is a good first port of call, although it is important to note that not every GP is generally trained to make psychological diagnoses. This should therefore be asked or found out in advance.

Self-help groups now exist for a wide range of topics, both for those affected and for relatives. They can be useful as a supplement to psychotherapy, but also on their own. For some self-help groups, it is necessary to have a diagnosis confirmed by a specialist. You can usually find out whether this is the case or not from the group leader. The great advantage of self-help groups is that, as a rule, all participants have had similar experiences and therefore also have similar feelings and thoughts that can be shared in a safe, trusting environment. Thoughts that you may have previously felt alone and misunderstood with may suddenly be met with a lot of encouragement and like-minded people in a self-help group. Furthermore, you have the opportunity to be shown other perspectives and opinions on your own problems and you in turn have the chance to offer other people possible solutions that the person in question may not have been aware of until then.

Information on self-help groups in Kaiserslautern: https://www.kaiserslautern.de/sozial_leben_wohnen/gesundheit/gesundheitsfoerderung/selbsthilfe/index.html.de

Information on self-help groups in Landau and the surrounding area: https://www.selbsthilfe-rlp.de/kiss-pfalz/selbsthilfegruppen-a-z