Finding psychiatric care a joke in this county

A letter to the Santa Cruz California newpaper says:

Last June, I was diagnosed with panic disorder and tried to see a psychiatrist in Santa Cruz. My insurance list yielded 10 doctors in Santa Cruz County. Two have sanctions against them. Three have multiple negative reviews on them on Vitals.com. One is moonlighting a practice out of their basement. Four are not taking patients or returning calls. It was a similar story going out of network, but I would have to pay out of pocket.

As a taxpayer, I tried the county mental health building. I waited several hours to be treated like a junkie, asked what drug I was coming off, then lectured about how lucky I am that I have health insurance. This program is for people who don't have insurance. Luckily, we live in a town where alternative health care is widely spread because finding a good psychiatrist will likely cause you more anxiety.

Yes, we have plenty of unlicensed therapists, alternative medicine practitioners, and other quacks. Of course I think that most of the licensed psychiatrists and psychologists are quacks are crooks also. Many of them will make you worse off. You would probably be better off going to the public library and reading a self-help book.