Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
Getting Started
Signs of Depression: When It's More Than a Bad Day
Wondering whether what you're feeling needs attention? Here's how to get an evaluation at Southern Highlands in Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties, what it costs, and where to find trusted general information.
Everyone has bad days. Days when you don’t want to get out of bed, when everything feels hard, when you just want to be left alone.
If you’ve been searching for whether what you’re feeling is more than that, you’re asking a fair question. It’s also a question this page isn’t going to answer, and it’s worth being straight with you about why.
Why you won’t find a symptom checklist here
Southern Highlands is a treatment provider. Nobody at a keyboard can tell you what’s going on with you, and a list of signs on a website is not an evaluation. Checklists tend to do one of two things: convince people who need care that they don’t qualify, or convince people who are worried that they’ve diagnosed themselves. Neither one gets anybody an appointment.
Whether what you’re experiencing is depression is a question for a clinician. Southern Highlands provides evaluations at our Princeton, Welch, and Mullens clinics. Call (304) 425-9541 to schedule one.
If you want general, non-commercial information about depression written for the public, the National Institute of Mental Health publishes it at nimh.nih.gov.
Getting an evaluation at Southern Highlands
An evaluation is the thing that actually answers the question. Here’s what getting one involves.
Call (304) 425-9541. No referral is needed. You’ll be asked what county you live in, what insurance you have if any, and when you can come in.
Listed office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call (304) 425-9541 before coming to confirm walk-in intake availability, which may differ from office hours.
Bring, if you have them:
- Photo ID
- Insurance card
- A list of the medications you take
- Your primary care provider’s name and number
If you’re missing some of that, come anyway. It isn’t a reason to be turned away.
What happens: the assessment takes roughly an hour to an hour and a half. It’s a conversation with a clinician about what brought you in and what you’d like to be different. You leave with a plan for what you’re starting with and a next appointment scheduled.
You don’t need to have the right words ready. You can say “something’s off and I want to talk to somebody,” and that’s enough to start with.
Where we are
Southern Highlands serves Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties from six locations, including clinics in Princeton, Welch, and Mullens, plus a Children’s Clinic for ages 3 to 17.
Call (304) 425-9541 and ask which site is closest to you and what days services run there. Not everything is offered every day at every location, and that’s worth confirming before you drive.
What it costs
Southern Highlands accepts West Virginia Medicaid, Medicare, and most private insurance.
If you don’t have insurance, ask about the sliding fee scale, which is based on household income and household size. Billing staff can tell you what applies to you, and they can do it before your first appointment if you’d rather know in advance. Southern Highlands does not turn people away from care because of an inability to pay.
If you’re not sure whether your Medicaid coverage is still active, bring the card and let billing check it. That’s routine.
If getting here is the problem
Telehealth is available for many appointment types and is covered by West Virginia Medicaid. Request it when you schedule. If your internet is spotty, say so when you call rather than assuming it rules you out.
Transportation. If you have West Virginia Medicaid, ask our front office or your Medicaid plan about non-emergency medical transportation to covered appointments.
Scheduling. If you work shift work or share a vehicle, tell the scheduler when you book. It’s easier to find a time that fits a ride than to reschedule after a missed appointment.
The “push through it” problem in southern West Virginia
There’s a culture here of just dealing with things. “I’ve been through worse.” “Other people have it harder.” “I don’t have time to fall apart.”
That mindset keeps a lot of people from ever picking up the phone. It’s worth naming for what it is: a reason people don’t get evaluated, not evidence that they don’t need to be.
You don’t have to be at a breaking point to make an appointment. You don’t have to justify it to anyone, and nobody at the front desk is going to think less of you for walking in.
Privacy is part of this. In a place where people recognize each other’s trucks, being seen going into a clinic is a real concern. Your treatment here is confidential and protected under HIPAA. Staff are not permitted to disclose that you’re a patient, let alone what you talked about.
If you’re worried about someone else
You can call (304) 425-9541 with general questions about what services exist, where they are, hours, and what they cost. Because of privacy law, staff can’t discuss a specific person’s care without that person’s authorization, but nothing stops you from getting the practical information and passing it along.
The most useful thing you can usually hand someone is a phone number and the fact that no referral is required.
If you believe someone is in immediate danger, use the crisis contacts below.
Crisis contacts
These are numbers, not instructions. If you need help right now, use them.
Southern Highlands 24/7 Crisis Line: 1-800-615-0122 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org If someone is in immediate physical danger, call 911.
You can also walk into the Southern Highlands Crisis Stabilization Unit, which operates 24 hours a day. You do not have to be an existing patient to call the crisis line or to be seen there. If you’re unsure whether a situation counts, call 1-800-615-0122 and ask. That’s what the line is for.
Where to read general information
- National Institute of Mental Health — public information on mental health conditions: nimh.nih.gov
- SAMHSA — the federal behavioral health agency, including its national helpline and treatment locator: samhsa.gov
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 988lifeline.org
Churches, senior centers, and community organizations across the three counties also host peer and support groups. Our case management staff can tell you what’s currently meeting near you, which changes more often than a web page can track.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral to be seen?
No referral is needed. Call (304) 425-9541 to schedule. Listed office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; call first to confirm walk-in intake availability.
Do I need to know what’s wrong before I call?
No. Scheduling an assessment is how you find out. You don’t need a diagnosis to make an appointment.
Which counties do you serve?
Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming, from six locations.
Do you take my insurance?
We accept West Virginia Medicaid, Medicare, and most private plans. Bring your card and billing will verify it.
What if I can’t afford it?
Ask about the sliding fee scale, which is based on household income and household size. Southern Highlands does not turn people away from care because of an inability to pay.
Can I be seen from home?
Telehealth is available for many appointment types and is covered by West Virginia Medicaid. Ask for it when you schedule.
Is what I say confidential?
Yes. Your records and the fact that you’re a patient are protected under HIPAA. There are narrow legal exceptions and your clinician will explain them at intake.
Can I bring somebody with me?
Yes. Plenty of people bring a family member or friend to a first appointment. Tell the front desk when you arrive.
To schedule an appointment, call Southern Highlands at (304) 425-9541. Listed office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; call first to confirm walk-in intake availability. We serve Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties. No referral is needed.
This blog describes the services Southern Highlands provides. It is not clinical advice.