mixmastermatt

Hi guys,

I am looking for some advice. Last year, I was diagnosed with severe clinical depression. It turns out it is something I have had for most of my life but in the last couple of years has gotten progressively worse. I have completed a round of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and am currently taking Citalopram every day.

I, unfortunately, lost my job because of the depression. I have worked hard to improve my mental health, but still have a long way to go.

Upon losing my job I discovered about IEC and moving to North America has been something I have longed dreamed of - and is undeniably my aim in life before I am 30 (which is this summer).

What I am trying to ask is, does anyone have any experience of living in Canada with diagnosed depression? My case has been extremely severe and I am under no impression that moving to Canada is the answer to full control of it. I do, however, believe that moving to Canada will help in a small way as, without exaggerating, my goal has always been to move abroad to North America.

I am currently working out on whether I need more therapy and am still very much committed to my medication and don't want to come off of it just yet.

Does anyone have any experience of what it is like being a foreign national in Canada and seeking continued help with depression?

Any advice from anyone is hugely appreciated and I thank you for taking the time to read my post.

ExKiwilass

I'm not sure how you could continue seeking help with a mental illness on an IEC without paying out of pocket. So you would need to factor that cost in. As I understand it psychiatrists, at least here in Vancouver, are very hard to get into without a referral from a doctor and it can take weeks/months to see them, and I think it unlikely that you would get in over a citizen or PR.

So there's that.

There are however many social workers, counsellors etc who take private patients - normally around $90 CAD an hour.

Also, I'm concerned about you trying to get and hold a job on an IEC here with depression. It's a much more hire and fire work culture here, for starters. There is very little in the way of a social safety net here, compared to what you are used to. Being poor in Canada is no picnic.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I'm really sorry to hear about your mental illness, and I hope things look up for you soon.

mixmastermatt

Thanks Kiwilass.

I think I would be fine holding on to a job as I have managed to do so since losing my last one. Not to go in to too much detail, it was not actually my fault - I informed my employer of my illness, they saw that as a threat, ramped up my work level to cover 4 peoples jobs until I had a breakdown (which I have recovered from) and then sacked me because of it - they didn't even lie about it, they told me the truth about what they did because they were protected by law (I had worked for them for less than 2 years). That was the stigma in full effect - something which I am more aware of now, plus I know how better to handle situations and not to plow everything in to work.

If I need more therapy, I will hold off from going to Canada as I don't think that is a sensible option, but if I don't then I will move.

What is almost as useful as therapy are support groups. Are there any in the Toronto area which people are aware of and have used?

Donnykins

In the kindest possible way, I'm not sure how you would pass the visa medical for Canada. They are quite strict with mental health issues, especially ones that will put a greater financial burden on the health care system, above and beyond that of the average Canadian. My heart goes out to you, truly and wish you the best.

mixmastermatt

You don't need a visa medical for IEC.

beckiwoo

Sorry to hear about what you have been going through.

I've never been diagnosed with clinical depression but I have had CBT when I have left very low or had bad events in my life to deal with.

I've applied to go out on the IEC visa and hopefully this year I will be heading out as I want to take a risk and try to give it a go even if it fails badly and I need to come back (I'm 30 this year as well).

For yourself, do you have a good support network of people? On top of leaving (I assume the UK) will you be able to deal with homesickness if it comes up, which it may and further your depression? Have you got friends/family in Canada you can stay with or be near?

I am talking from some experience as I spent 6 months working in China with hardly any support there from my fellow Brits, I had to rely on friends and family in the UK, which was extremely difficult being in a different time zone and so far away, with Facebook, Skype and Internet being constantly blocked or down. Probably easier in Canada though as it is English speaking and they are more geared up to deal with mental illness and depression.

I am all for people following your dream, which I can see this is what you want to do but obviously the support and help you are getting in the UK would be cheaper and more accessible than in Canada.

On a separate topic, I cannot believe your job has done that as it's discrimination especially as you informed them. Are you sure you cannot take them to industrial tribunal (or whatever the legal term is) for unfair dismissal for assisting your breakdown? As other posters have said above it appears that there is little protection in Canada for non-citizens when it gets to being let go from a job so are you prepared for that?

You also said about moving to somewhere else if not Canada? Is that to another country or somewhere in the UK? This may be something to look into as you might find a better prospects and it may open up new opportunities for you.

I really hope you make the best decision, if you decide to go to Canada and you feel you can do it, then go for it but remember your health and well being is the most important thing.

Good luck with everything, I wish you the very best

mixmastermatt

Thanks so much beckiwoo, that is an excellent post.

I also am aware that it may fail - and if it does, it does. And there is nothing that can be done about it. I firmly believe that things are meant to be.

Yes, I do have a great support network of people - better than anyone could wish for.

Homesickness has never been an issue so far. I used to work abroad a lot and spent 3 months in the US - which were probably the happiest 3 months of my life. Whilst I don't have any friends in Canada yet, I do have a lot in the USA and I always know how to find new people, I am very outgoing. Also, someone very close to me may also be moving this year, which if they do would be excellent.

I did look in to action against my former employer - and whilst it is possible, it's long and lengthy and I really don't want to spend 2 years of my life trying to sue them. I'd rather look at the better things in life than spend a large portion of it trying to get one back on a couple of a-holes. I didn't like it there that much and the way things worked out since I left, I wouldn't have found out about IEC or attempted to move abroad any time soon - silver linings and all that.

I feel I can do this, it fills me with excitement, which not an awful lot does at the moment.

caretaker

Best of luck Mixmastermatt, looking forward to welcoming you to Canada.

Alan2005

However bad you think it is for you now - it will be worse here unless you have $$$. Poor people with mental health issues have a shitty life in Canada. Staying in the UK will be much better for you.

Dorothy

While I don't usually agree with a lot of what Alan says, sadly I do agree with this. And I'm Canadian!

The cost of prescriptions, ongoing psychiatric care and the very real possibility of being unemployed are not a good combination. As others have said, Canada is not a good place to be poor and even worse to be poor with mental health issues.

scrubbedexpat091

The mental health system in Canada is over-crowded and difficult to get regular access to, in many places now its all based on where you live, so for example in BC Vancouver has a fairly decent mental health system but the waits can be long, I waited 6 months or so to see a psychiatrist and then it was just for 2 visits to get medications, and then care was switched over to a GP at a walk in clinic.

Psychiatrists don't have time to see patients on a regular basis for the most part, you generally see one a few times, then care is transferred over to a GP for ongoing prescriptions.

Unlike in some places, psychiatrists in Canada do practice any sort of therapy, counseling, type treatment, they use medications and they are basically just a medication dispensing doctor and nothing else. I don't find psychiatrists in Canada useful at all and no longer go to one, I just let the GP manage the medications.

There is no nationwide mental health system, its a patchwork of services that varies by province, and depending on province varies by the city you live in as well.

If you move from 1 city to another for example, expect another lengthy wait for services in the new city.

Medications can be pricey, but some provinces to offer assistance for medication, BC for example has a plan in place for psychiatric drugs, so patients can get them fully covered with no out of pocket cost. But you have to qualify for MSP in order to get the coverage.

Some provinces offer very little or no assistance at all for medications.

Hospitals are not much better, end up being hospitalized and you can end up sitting in a chair in the ER for days, once I sat in a chair for 4 days before I got a bed, trying to sleep in the ER is hard enough, add in no bed and sitting in a chair unable to go anywhere, its very miserable.

JamesM

How can anyone not usually agree with Alan2005!?

mixmastermatt

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I just want to make it clear that I am not coming to Canada for treatment. I am (hopefully) at the end of treatment (as far as I can tell/think/feel). I am on medication which I have time to ween myself off of (only on professional medical advice and assistance) which I will do in the UK and possibly the first couple of months in Canada as I can get up to 3 months allowance of medication in advance.

rivingtonpike

Hi. Only you know how you are feeling. If you feel mentally strong enough and you have the confidence for the adventure why not give it a go? Who knows, rather than looking at it negatively, it might all go swimmingly and you have the time of your life. Perhaps it's the change you need to move to the next more positive stage of your life.

I don't know what your profession is or what type of work you'd be seeking over here, but one thing I would look at in detail is the likelihood of securing work that will sustain you adequately. As has already been posted, Canada is not a good place to be out of work.

Worst case scenario - you return to the UK (I presume). Best case scenario - you have the time of your life and never look back!

Good luck either way.

beckiwoo

Totally agree