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Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

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Whazp Protracted discontinuation syndrome
  • replies: 12

Hi, I usually post on another forum that specializes in this but am keen to know if anyone here is or has suffered from protracted discontinuation syndrome. I stopped a SNRI anti depressant 11 months ago that i had been on for 15 years and have since... View more

Hi, I usually post on another forum that specializes in this but am keen to know if anyone here is or has suffered from protracted discontinuation syndrome. I stopped a SNRI anti depressant 11 months ago that i had been on for 15 years and have since experienced an array of disturbing physical and physiological symptoms that did not exist pre medication. Didn't realize it at first but later discovered i was suffering from protracted withdrawal after discovering many other people describing very similar experiences after ceasing antidepressants. I'm thoroughly over talking to doctors and the psychiatrist about it as all they want to do is prescribe more drugs including benzos and don't believe discontinuation syndrome is serious or long lasting. They think its all just anxiety and its all in my head. Interestingly Public Health England has ordered a review into antidepressants at the request of parliament members to look at withdrawal and dependence due to significant anecdotal and professional reports of serious harm & long lasting severe withdrawal. I'm hoping that this will lead to better out comes for those of us suffering & prevent others from going through this.

Shaunoh Health Anxiety and Constant Pounding Pulse
  • replies: 5

For about 2.5 years now, I have experienced similar symptoms, hearing that I'm not the only one is reassuring. But I still worry. I have a constant pounding pulse, my heart rate always seems ok, but very strong. I can feel it all over my body, promin... View more

For about 2.5 years now, I have experienced similar symptoms, hearing that I'm not the only one is reassuring. But I still worry. I have a constant pounding pulse, my heart rate always seems ok, but very strong. I can feel it all over my body, prominently in my chest, stomach and neck. It rocks my body when sitting and standing and I can physically see my stomach and neck pulsing. This is also accompanied with regular back and chest pains/aches. I've always had back issues and often think this may be the cause, nerve pressure or something. I have had several tests, echocardiogram, stress test, ultrasound, holter monitor, EKG, blood tests, blood pressure etc, always coming back ok. I'm always told it's anxiety, but even when I'm not as anxious about it all, it's always there. I do definitely feel that I have developed bad health anxiety over the last 4-5 years though. I constantly fear Im going to have a heart attack or something and hate being a far distance from a hospital or home, even though I haven't yet panicked myself into going to ER nor needed to go to the hospital or anything that drastic. I do believe the doctors when I'm told the tests come back ok, but I can't help but think something is missed. I can't remember the last time I've felt relaxed. If I try mindfulness excersises, all it does is make me even more aware of my pulse which also effects breathing excersises. I find it particularly worse after eating or after standing up etc. I take medication daily and I've tried psychologists a few times, but when I mention these physical symptoms they look confused and I feel like I'm the only one who suffers from them by their reaction. It's effecting my every day life more and more as I avoid vigorous excersise and doing things I used to enjoy, particularly going away for holidays or camping, wakeboarding or just going to the gym. I worry that if I exacerbate the symptoms something will happen or I worry that if I'm away from home or work I won't have as easy access to medical services etc. I know deep down this all sounds silly, but no matter what I tell myself or try to do, it's always a problem. Thanks.

Richju Passive agression
  • replies: 7

Hi Everyone,I wonder if anyone has overcome the tendancy of being passive agressive rather than expressing anger?When I have conflict with others, I tend initially, to try to understand their point of view then, usually when I'm alone, I begin to fee... View more

Hi Everyone,I wonder if anyone has overcome the tendancy of being passive agressive rather than expressing anger?When I have conflict with others, I tend initially, to try to understand their point of view then, usually when I'm alone, I begin to feel angry and will often verbalise what I would like to have said to the person. But I'm too afraid of expressing my anger to others in case I panic and forget what I want to say or begin to shake and burst into tears.I really want to change this behaviour and learn to express ny anger more appropriately.Any suggestions would be most welcome.Regards Richju

123cats Stuggling along
  • replies: 5

Hi Hope everyone has managed through Christmas ok ! I actually had a good Christmas Day and even though it was low key I enjoyed it, I even went for a swim in the ocean which was so nice and the first I had done so in years. For reasons I can only gu... View more

Hi Hope everyone has managed through Christmas ok ! I actually had a good Christmas Day and even though it was low key I enjoyed it, I even went for a swim in the ocean which was so nice and the first I had done so in years. For reasons I can only guess at from Boxing Day onwards I’ve felt very low again mood wise and anxiety has ramped up again. I’ve resorted back to taking just one day at a time and trying to get through that day. I might list one or two things I need to do and just try to achieve those things but Im mostly just reading to pass time. I also have been making myself do a meditation or positive affirmations each day and trying to keep my exercise routine going which is strength trying 3 times a week and a 45min walk the other days. I’ve got myself back onto a mostly clean diet after some derailing over Christmas. Basically I’m trying to think of and do anything I can do to help myself through this. I have to admit though it’s really like I’ve taken 10steps backwards at the moment and I get really scared I’m going to go right back to square one. I’m trying to practice radical acceptance of the current situation … embracing & welcoming my old friends depression and anxiety with open arms in an attempt to roll with it more so than fight up against it…. that doesn’t come naturally though so it’s trying to keep reminding myself. Trying to find a solid piece of your own mind to stand on is a real drag. Anyway I’m just venting mainly … usually I journal but today I thought I’d share on here. Cheers D

justcant PMS Induced Anxiety B6 Supplement?
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone ☺️ Sorry to be a bit TMI but does anyone take Vitamin B6 supplements for anxiety or PMS? If so, is it effective? How effective? How long to be effective? Any side effects experienced? My doctor recommended it to me today to try and reduce... View more

Hi everyone ☺️ Sorry to be a bit TMI but does anyone take Vitamin B6 supplements for anxiety or PMS? If so, is it effective? How effective? How long to be effective? Any side effects experienced? My doctor recommended it to me today to try and reduce my PMS symptoms which include terrible anxiety. Thank you for any insights Sarah.

justcant Help me
  • replies: 7

Hello everyone. I’m Sarah and just joined the forum. I’ll get to it. I need help. I feel like I am losing my mind and myself. I have no joy and my soul is exhausted. I haven’t even smiled on the last three days. I am being completely ruined by my dri... View more

Hello everyone. I’m Sarah and just joined the forum. I’ll get to it. I need help. I feel like I am losing my mind and myself. I have no joy and my soul is exhausted. I haven’t even smiled on the last three days. I am being completely ruined by my driving anxiety. A bit of background, I’ve suffered with depression and anxiety and been under the care of a psychiatrist since I was fifteen up until three years ago when she retired. We ended on a good note. My medications were working well, I was feeling good and stable. I did go to see a new psychiatrist but that quickly ended after she repeatedly body shamed me (that’s for another time). There have been big changes in the past few years along with all the Covid going’s on. My mother’s health has worsened and I’m a carer for her to a degree, there’s been terrible financial pressures, I’ve recently lost a lot of weight (48kgs) which is great but has come with it’s a challenges. I’ve lost three pets. All I wanted this year was for me and everyone I love to have a nice Christmas. Four of my loved ones were in hospital this Christmas and my dad (who suffers from untreated depression himself) was unwell Christmas Day with this. I hold very little hope for the new year. My stress is causing me to have very bad panic attacks while driving. I might start out fine and then I feel like I can’t go above 50km because I’m going to lose control and want to break and stop. I have driven for years and this has never happened before. It got so bad today that I couldn’t pick up my husband (who doesn’t drive) from work and he had to Uber home and I had to drive at a snails pace home. The worst it’s ever been. I have an appointment to see my GP for help this coming Wednesday as the clinic is closed for new year. In the mean time, can anyone help me? I feel as low as I can go. I feel trapped. Thank you for reading this

burntlibraryofalexandria Should I Consider Getting A Therapist?
  • replies: 6

Every year around this time I get a huge existential crisis which makes me anxious and overly emotional. Currently I've lost my appetite and feel empty. At some point I get over my existential crisis and my anxiety about dying and my family dying but... View more

Every year around this time I get a huge existential crisis which makes me anxious and overly emotional. Currently I've lost my appetite and feel empty. At some point I get over my existential crisis and my anxiety about dying and my family dying but due to the fact it occurs every year around the same time leads me to think that I should communicate my issues to a professional. There have been other instances in my life where I also cut off people in my life and become a shut-in by not communicating my own issues to the people around me, and I think it'd be best for me to begin trying to get better at communication. A therapist would probably help with this but I've had a therapist before and I found that after the first session that I found it hard to actually vocalise my issues, but in these instances that are unrelated to my yearly existential crises, these were cycles of me bottling up my feelings and then upon irrationally acting on these feelings that I find myself not bothered by them anymore.

Fairmaiden64 Just a rant
  • replies: 2

I've been in bed mostly since Christmas day. I hate this time of year. It impacts my MH greatly. Making today worse, I have yet another rental inspection. These really take their toll on my OCD. Because I'm so anal, it can take me more than a full da... View more

I've been in bed mostly since Christmas day. I hate this time of year. It impacts my MH greatly. Making today worse, I have yet another rental inspection. These really take their toll on my OCD. Because I'm so anal, it can take me more than a full day to do just one room, I can't let go of one hair, a piece of lint, dust etc and don't get me started on when a beam of sunlight shines and I can the dust again. I have had nervous breakdowns in the past due to this. The rental inspections went to 6 monthly and now have randomly started at 3 monthly again. I am at breaking point when it can take me 2 weeks to get everything to what my brain accepts as reasonable, inside and outside of the house for these. It just seems like that's all I do. The agent's comments and the owner's comments are always wonderful on how my house is, but I wish it could go to a year or not at all anymore. 13 months ago, I fell off a ladder and broke my wrist and 3 ribs and damaged my skull, 2 hours before inspection. I stayed for inspection because I don't want strangers in my home when I'm not there going through my things. Then I went to the hospital. Unfortunately, I was about to start a job, after living off my savings and Centrelink while studying up, until I broke my wrist and ribs. The timing was bad and while the physical aspects have finally healed, my MH has deteriorated significantly i that time. I think it is getting much worse as I get older actually and the PTSD is debilitating now. Still, I was once again preparing to go out there because I can't live on Centrelink. The entire amount is almost my rent now. Yet, as soon as I think of attempting this, here comes another rental inspection to mess with my OCD again. Thanks for listening to my rant guys

chicken_1 Self doubt
  • replies: 3

I’m currently struggling mentally again, I did really well not caring what other people thought about me and all of a sudden something triggered me again and I know longer feel good enough in anything I do.

I’m currently struggling mentally again, I did really well not caring what other people thought about me and all of a sudden something triggered me again and I know longer feel good enough in anything I do.

sanmmi I have extreme astraphobia (fear of thunder & lightening)
  • replies: 8

I have extreme astraphobia (fear of thunder & lightening), theres a thunderstorm at the moment and im like deathly afraid of thunder and lightening so im listening to music which is turned all the way up and i have all my blinds closed and all my lig... View more

I have extreme astraphobia (fear of thunder & lightening), theres a thunderstorm at the moment and im like deathly afraid of thunder and lightening so im listening to music which is turned all the way up and i have all my blinds closed and all my lights turned on... i really want to get over this fear because its really ridiculous, i cancel plans if there is a storm coming and im always checking the weather. I dont want to be scared but i cant help it, ive had this fear since i was little (im turning 19 next month like its gone on for way too long) and im over it. Is there any way to get over this other than like therapy? and does anyone feel the same or am i not normal? Everyones always telling me how crazy i am because of this.