Too anxious to get help for my anxiety

[Jane22]

Hi. This is my first post. I really don’t know where else to go so I thought this might be a good place.
I have suffered anxiety for so long it’s hard to remember when it started. It’s friend depression likes to visit me too but not as often.
I have tried over the years to seek support but there always seems to be a roadblock that maybe sometimes I’m creating.
Anxiety has stopped me from living, unable to go do the things that I used to. It has broken up my marriage. I’m sure it has impacted my children’s lives. And it is debilitating and never ending.
I have sought gp’s. I was put on medication that made me gain weight very quickly and feel emotionless. I came off it. After coming off the medication I had my very first intrusive thoughts. I told me husband. He held me and told me things would be ok. I never went back to the gp because I didn’t want to be medicated again. Years went back with me trying to find new things to help. My husband was getting tired of supporting me. I sought another go and requesting something other than medication. I was sent to a dietician because by this time I was unable to eat if I had to leave the house as my anxiety would cause diarrhoea. The look my dietician gave me when I said I was still struggling to eat even if it was just to take my dog for a walk just reinforced that I was nuts and no one understood. I didn’t go back. At this time I was seeing a psychologist and things were starting to get quite bad and after one entire session of crying hysterically and finally admitting I was thinking of suicide the time was up and the psychologist said her next appointment wasn’t for a month. I had just told this lady that I wanted to die. I will never forget that day. It was devastating. Since then I have called lifeline on the worst nights. My husband has left. I am a single mother. I am lost and alone and I honestly don’t know where to go from here.

[Sophie_M]

Hey Jane,

Thanks for joining us here on the Beyond Blue forums. We really appreciate you sharing your experience with us and hope our community can offer their insight and words of support. We're very sorry to hear about your poor experiences receiving help in the past. We can imagine not having your feelings and thoughts of suicide adequately supported and acknowledged by your psychologist would have been so hurtful. 

Please remember to reach out when you're feeling overwhelmed and needing to talk it through. You're never alone. In these moments you can get in touch with our friends at the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467).

A foundation you may like to find more about is the Butterfly Foundation. Butterfly Foundation is the national charity for all Australians impacted by eating disorders and body image issues. You can find a number of really useful resources on their website here: https://butterfly.org.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/. You can also talk to a dedicated counsellor on their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673, online webchat or via email.

Thanks again for joining us here Jane and we hope to hear more from you.


 

[Petal22]

Hi Jane22,

Wellcome to our forums!

Im so sorry you have been feeling this way…

Firstly I’d like to say I think it’s fantastic you tried to get help well done but I’m really sorry you were treated the way you were treated that must have felt like you were let down…

I want to let you know not all health professionals treat their patients that way…

I understand anxiety I had severe anxiety OCD…. I have now recovered from this condition….. my condition was debilitating….. my road to recovery was seeing my very caring gp we did a mental health plan together this then enabled me to see a clinical psychologist…….. my gp put me on a antidepressant ( my antidepressant was one that didn’t make you gain weight) you can ask for one that’s not a weight gainer……..

My clinical psychologist gave me many strategies to help me to manage my anxiety…….

I also saw a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with OCD….. this then led me to a group therapy that specialised in OCD… I was given many tools to help me to manage this anxiety disorder….

im now free of the condition….. My condition consisted of many intrusive thoughts these thoughts would send my anxiety to severe levels…. It was such a scary time of my life I felt like I was living in an internal hell…… OCD for me was intrusive thoughts that seemed irrational but felt very real….

If I can recover there is HOPE that you can too!

How would you feel about seeing a gp again? You can discuss medication and maybe do a mental health plan together…… tell your gp how your anxiety is affecting your life….. I highly recommend you go back to your gp ………..

Next step would be a clinical phycologist so they can help you with strategies for your anxiety so you can learn to manage it…….. believe me you CAN learn to and your life will improve so much!

When you see a phycologist please ensure you see a clinical phycologist….. they are above a normal psychologist and can also diagnose……..

Im here for you and understand what you are going through , you aren’t alone…….

please chat to me any time

[geoff]

Hello Jane, and a warm welcome to the site.

What you have told us seems to be a very situation for you and I'm also very sorry, but can I ask you a question followed on by what Petal has said and wonder whether you know if or you haven't got OCD.

It's usually formed as a result of having anxiety but may help us in replying back to you.

Geoff.