Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Clarabella]

I am interviewing with EPIK. When I get to SoKo I will need to find a psychiatrist and some medications. If I get care through a pscychiatrist there, will my employer be made aware or is this private? And does insurance normally cover psychiatric medications? How would I go about finding an MD who speaks and reads English?

[cruisemonkey]

I'm surprised you got to the interview stage if you truthfully answered the medical self-evaluation questionnaire.

If you are hired, be aware there is no doctor/patient privilege in K-land.

[Colorado]

If teaching in Korea is Plan A, I hope you also have a backup Plan B.
I'm not saying it's impossible to find an English speaking psychiatrist here who will prescribe your medication and keep this informaion from your employer, but it is unlikely.

[oldtactics]

Keep in mind that your employer pays 50% of your insurance and I hate to be cynical but I have no doubt that someone you work with will go out of their way to find out what medications you're purchasing.

That said, I'm sure that the international/English speaking clinics have experience dealing with mental health issues and if they won't prescribe, they'll likely be able to put you in touch with someone you can discuss things with.

[Taiwantroll]

Yeah I have to agree. I had a friend who was ADD or ADHD and here you need to see a psychiatrist for that to receive medication. He finally just gave up to avoid the embarassment.

I do not believe anything is kept private with regards to your insurance. But doctor confidentiality does exist except in matters related to your annual physical.

[Colorado]

But if you can get around all that, then yes your insurance should pay for your medication, or at least most of the cost.

[sojourner1]

To my understanding, psychietry is not a part of Korean culture nor is leaning on someone to discuss problems and differences in a counseling session, but I've heard on here that it can be had in Seoul. The thing most of us need is someone to talk with every now and then; not Paxil and Prozac since they screw your brain up and make you depdendent so you will finance a greedy corporation. About 8 years ago, when I became unemployed, I got very depressed about dire straights and tried Paxil, but it didn't cure my problem as only securing an income and doing something with my life would cure my problem. Consider why you're taking these drugs. Is it because you're unhappy with your situation or do you really have a brain chemical imbalance needing correction? There are no scientific based tests; you have to find out on your own why you're not functioning normally which is not hard once you can rationalize your situation objectively. It took a year for me to realize this on Paxil so I weaned myself off and did just fine after realizing what was going on with me in that my problem was poverty, not my brain. I was only dizzy for 2 weeks; not going into convulsions and trying to kill myself like those corporations want you to believe.

While most of us wouldn't go see a psychietrist, it's agreeable that counseling is a very healthy thing, but better if you can talk with a friend, best to be in Seoul if to have the greatest chances of including other people in your life. I would not expect the friendliest folks as they must all be very busy living city life and under a lot of pressure. I find I always had more friends in smalltowns vs. cities in Korea, America, and Germany while cities were offer entertainment and great shopping, but are the lonliest places to be and would necessitate psychiatric care after a year or two. Just kidding about that one.

If you can go without, then enjoy your newfound freedom of beating expensive chemical dependence. If you need these meds to make your brain function correctly, then live in Seoul to have access to services as needed. (I can't imagine what good deeds a substance engineered for the sole purpose of milking money out of average Mr. Knucklehead.) Yes, greedy corporations convinced America she is sick on an individual level and needs this stuff, but what they need are good jobs, education on practical living skills, healthy finances, and a well balanced lifestyle. Why else do they prescribe powerful chemicals without testing patients?

I hope you can manage to go enjoy your new life in Korea of saving money with that long sought after secure feeling of living below your means with money in the bank by escaping that prison of a system going on back home.

[Gimpokid]

^^^Scientologist^^^