Next step a hurdle

[Ikvic]

I have fluctuating levels of anxiety that I have never talked to anyone about. I have recently been to my GP for a MHP but now I feel I may have made the questionnaire that I completed about my mental health- worse that it really is, and I'm not THAT bad, that I should just just get over how I feel, pick up my big girl pants and get on with life.

It took me about 3 months maybe even 6-12 months to talk to the GP, I'm afraid it's going to take me even longer to actually make an appointment with a Pyschologist. I saw that they only have appointments in my work times, and I'm not going to take time off work to go as I dont want to tell my boss or work mates.

Does anyone else feel like a fraud ? Has anyone else found it difficult to make that next step?

[Amanda2000]

Yes I'm with you totally! On my good days, I can use all sorts of self-help techniques to manage my condition. But on my bad days, I feel that I should get professional help right away. Unlike a physical illness where you can just get meds and rest to recover, and you know you WILL recover unless it's a terminal illness, there seems to be so much uncertainty/contingencies with mental health recovery. My worry is that the time and cost spent may not make me feel any better in the end. And then I would regret the lost time that I could have spent doing something I enjoy (but lately my head has been in such a mess that I can't even focus on watching tv).

Have you already decided on a psychologist? I can see many of them do online-consultation nowadays. Would this be more convenient for you?

[smallwolf]

hi and welcome.

I will tell you parts of my story and hope that it helps you a little.

There are times when like you I feel like a fraud... either because I am in a good mood for more than 1 day. But then something happens and go down again. Then there are times when I think that should be able to deal with it. And there are times when I think of my problems as 1st world only.

But...

The test or questionnaire or test you do is a snapshot of moments in time. I did K10 test on the website here and it suggested I chat with my GP. So I did that and the score was so so. She referred me to a psych for a 2nd opinion and at the end of that 1st session got a bit of a shock about major depression etc. and to go back to my GP for a mental health plan.

I guess for me, being able to have a name for how I was feeling was actually helpful.

At the same time it was a very difficult time when it came to tell my boss.

But what you tell those at work is up to you. You do not have to the tell them who you are seeing, unless there some some requirement?

My last comment... it probably took me about 5 years to see my GP if I am being serious. I say this because the feelings that would ultimately result in me seeing a psychologist I had for that long but I thought these were normal and everyone went through this. I was wrong.

I hope some of this makes sense.

You are not a fraud in any sense, the thoughts, feelings and worries you have real in the sense they come from somewhere. But they are also just thoughts. So you deserve to the get whatever help is needed to manage the negative thoughts.

Tim

[Ikvic]

Hi Tim,
No I don't have to tell my boss, it's just the pyshcologist I've been referred to by my GP only has appointments in work time. So to be able to go I'd need to ask for time off. Some of my anxiety is related to coping at work, but also it's work where I get my only social connections right now and where I keep my mind off my depressive syptoms.

It's nice to have validation that my feelings are real. My brains kinda telling me that I made the answers of the questionnaire look worse than they were so the GP will feel sorry for me, which is stupid really, because I'm not looking for that kind of attention. The GP asked me about my 'mental health' and the tears flow on there own.

It's just that extra part to asking for help ' ringing the pyschologist ' that I didn't relise would be a hurdle for me, I thought I'd feel better just talking to the GP. But I dont, I fact I think I'm worse 😞

[Ikvic]

Hi Tim%2c
%3cbr/%3eNo I don%27t have to tell my boss%2c it%27s just the pyshcologist I%27ve been referred to by my GP only has appointments in work time. So to be able to go I%27d need to ask for time off. Some of my anxiety is related to coping at work%2c but also it%27s work where I get my only social connections right now and where I keep my mind off my depressive syptoms.
%3cbr/%3e
%3cbr/%3eIt%27s nice to have validation that my feelings are real. My brains kinda telling me that I made the answers of the questionnaire look worse than they were so the GP will feel sorry for me%2c which is stupid really%2c because I%27m not looking for that kind of attention. The GP asked me about my %27mental health%27 and the tears flow on there own.
%3cbr/%3e
%3cbr/%3eIt%27s just that extra part to asking for help %27 ringing the pyschologist %27 that I didn%27t relise would be a hurdle for me%2c I thought I%27d feel better just talking to the GP. But I dont%2c I fact I think I%27m worse %3a%28

[Arabesque]

Hello lkvic. That first step is a doozy, isn't it. It took me a long time as well, and to be honest, it wasn't until my anxiety landed me in hospital in a cardiac emergency situation for the 4th time, that I admitted I needed help.

Just a thought. Is it possible to go back to your GP and ask for a referral to another psychologist who has times out of hours? It's possible that you will be seeing the psych a few times, and if you have to worry about getting time off work each visit it's not going to be easy.

[smallwolf]

it sounds like your GP is concerned about you from a mental health perspective - which is quite nice. I found a thread that also contains links elsewhere...

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/treatments-health-professionals-and-therapie...

you may find other pages searching for "getting courage to go to psychologist beyond blue" and read others stories in this area.I like Arabesque's suggestion of another psychologist or you might be able to locate one through this page...

https://www.psychology.org.au/Find-a-Psychologist

Good Luck.