Bad again

[Coco18-8]

Hi, I’ve gone through depressive episodes before but this one has been going on for nearly two months and it feels different. It’s heavier, everyday I get home and cry, I am not happy with my life, I cannot tell this to my parents, I have a psychologist but can’t see them till September. I’ve tried talking to a friend but it doesn’t make me feel better like it has previously. Plus I’m in year 12 and about to do the hsc, I am lost, sad and don’t know what to do. Each week seems harder to get through

[Croix]

Dear Coco18-8

Welcome back, you are certainly going though a particularly hard time at the moment and are not gettng the support you need. People do need support, it is so important and sadly you have not got that from your parents, and your therapist cancelled leaving you  with another 3 months or so to wait.

On top of that you have the HSC, which would worry most people. How do you think you are going?

I do think you are partly on the right track in talking about it, its a pity talking to your friend this time did not seem to ease the load like it has before. Of course that could be for all sorts of reasons - friends can have off days - and does not mean it won't help in the future

You've had depression for a while and I'm sure by now you know there are ups and downs, and not always for any reason we can point to (that's how it's been for me anyway). Do you remember any of the things that might have helped you in the past get though them? I've always felt better remembering I've come though in the past and things gets better.

I might suggest a couple of things if you don't mind, the first is see your GP and say what is going on and how you feel, you might get some help there.

The other is to web-chat the Kids Help Line or phone them on (1800 55 1800). They are very used to these sort of problems and I've heard some pretty good things from people that have contacted them.  Actually I find a human voice more comforting, but that's just me, many prefer web-chat, at least to start with.

I do hope you can come back and we talk some more

Croix

[Bob_22]

Hi Coco18-8,

Thank you for your post and I'm very to sorry to hear about the struggle you've been going through recently. It sounds like it has been a very difficult couple of months.

I know you mentioned that you don't see your psychologist until September, but as Croix mentioned above, it might be worth touching base with someone before then if you are struggling. I like to see my GP if I have a wait before seeing my psychologist just to debrief with someone, but if that isn't an option there are always online chats available. You are always welcome to chat one on one with clinicians here 24/7 over the phone or through webchat through this link. Kids Helpline is available (as Croix linked above) as well as Lifeline. I resource I would recommend also is headspace who offer one on one and over the phone counselling as well as online community webchats led by peers on different topics (including work and study). Some of the online chats can be found here. 

Regarding the hsc, year 12 is an incredibly stressful and turbulent period for young people. I hope you are being kind to yourself this year and please remember that the HSC isn't more important than your mental health. If you find that you are struggling, what I would do is set up a study group with a few friends doing similar subjects. I would ask the group to come up with questions and we could quiz each other during a session and try to keep things light/fun. I would also find it easier to study in the library as opposed to at home as this segmented the day a lot better and provided less chance for distraction. I also found I was more productive at the library as I knew I didn't have much time to spend there. 

Sorry I can't provide much more helpful advice. Please update us on how you're going. I hope that you can find some support here on the forums and that you can get relief for your depressive symptoms soon. 💙

Bob

[yggdrasil]

Hi Coco18-8,

I'm really sorry to hear about the challenging time you are going through. You should be proud of yourself for taking steps like booking another session with your psych and posting on this forum.

I also had a very challenging time during year 12. My mental health became very poor and I eventually dropped out. It wasn't the end of the world though. I tried again the next year, finished year 12, and eventually found a way into the science career I wanted. So there are other pathways toward whatever you want to do, and it's not a catastrophe if you're studies are affected this year - looking after mental health is more important as Bob_22 has said.

Do you have any non-intellectual hobbies you enjoy? Sport, dance, art - things like that? I think it can help to spread your energies over different areas of life so that if one becomes too much of a slog (e.g. study) there are other things in your life to help you maintain routines and life momentum. 

As others have said above, talking to counsellors on the phone can help you through the worst moments. I have called the Beyond Blue and Lifeline counsellors many times and always found them helpful. Another option to supplement your psych sessions is to talk with the school counsellor, or a teacher you trust. Is there anyone like that at your school?

I hope the coming week goes a bit smoother for you, and please feel free to post here as much as you like.

yggdrasil 

[Banksy92]

Hi Coco18-18

Sorry to hear you're feeling so persistently low recently, this must be awful for you. Is there a particular reason why you can't speak with your parents about this?

As others have touched on, I think it would be a great idea to use the Beyond Blue helpline or KidsLine to chat with someone about how you;re feeling while you await your next appointment. Maybe you could also send an email to your psych just so they have on record more detail about what's going on for you.

If HSC is a worry in your life, I understand this. It's such a busy and stressful time for many people. Maybe you could talk to a teacher you trust and see if they can help find ways to support you as well?

We're also here for you on the forums when you need, keep us in the loop if you can.