Who can help?

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I've decided that whether or not I end up having AS, I need to seek some kind of professional help - I have a long history of emotional issues that would be easy to attribute to AS, or to other things, but I've been ignoring them rather than really solving them, which doesn't work forever. So my question is - what kind of specialist should I look for? Should I expect my medical benefits to help at all? I live in Atlanta, so I'm sure there are lots of potential choices, but I don't know the first thing about what's out there or what to look for. I'm sure there are a lot of quacks and whacks in this field and I need help avoiding them. Also any excuses that have worked for y'all as far as taking time off work or other things to get help would be appreciated, I really don't want to get into the gory details of how I'm a mental patient with just anyone

If you work for a large employer, they may offer an EAP, or employee assistance program, through which you can at least take a first step towards finding out what kind of help you need. It would be at no cost to you, and you could take the time without fear of losing your job. In addition, the counsellors or whomever you see are forbidden from discussing anything with your bosses or anyone else.

If not, check a local hospital, many of them have clinics which often have hours outside normal business hours, and may even be on a sliding scale. If it's a teaching hospital you can get the best of both worlds with usually a prominent doctor overlooking your care.

Many religious groups offer counselling that can be a starting point, and they could possibly refer you to the appropriate person.

Beyond that, call your insurance carrier, see how many visits they allow, and ask for a list of doctors, then check with your primary care doctor for a reference.

Whatever you do, do something.

Good luck.