High-functioning depression/anxiety

[rosa_noir]

Hi!

I've been researching a lot of symptoms and feelings I've been having. A lot of it seems to point in the direction of high functioning depression/anxiety. By all means, I am not self-diagnosing at all. Just wanting to find answers on how to improve my quality of life. I feel like GPs I've seen in the past haven't really been able to help in the mental health department as much -- maybe that's not their primary focus. I just want to know how I should approach a GP with getting a referral to someone who can really help me.

My life is manageable, I get by. But, I'm not sure if I'm really happy a lot of time and just kinda going with the flow, keeping things together.

[Guest_9809]

Hi Rosa_noir, and welcome to the Beyondblue Forums. Well done on joining and posting here too, as it can be a daunting process for many.

You may well be experiencing what you suspect. The problem with high-functioning illnesses is that symptoms can so easily be overlooked. We can convince themselves that everything is fine. Because you're able to function pretty well, diagnosis is often not made, and symptoms go undetected by sufferers, family, friends, and even medical professionals. This means that treatment needed to help, is often not forthcoming.

Its really good that you have recognised that you may be experiencing some form of MI, because receiving no treatment often worsens the issue. The good news is that there are many methods to help people with anxiety and depression. Thiss ranges from therapy, medication and natural remedies. Although high-functioning illnesses can often be silent or unnoticeable to others, it does not mean they are not felt by you.

To seek treatment is both a preventative measure to ensure symptoms do not get worse, but also a proactive way to improve your long term quality of life. Your ability to manage depression and anxiety is most definitely achievable with the right help.

I would recommend that you have a look in "The Facts" section of the Beyond Blue website above. Select "Depression" and find out more. This will take you to a section which includes what is called a K10 Depression test. I would suggest you take that on-line test. Be completely honest in your answers, and probably take the test a couple of times over the next day or two. If the test comes back with a score which indicates either Depression or Anxiety - print out the test. Make a long appointment with your GP and take a copy of the test with you. This provides a perfect opportunity to bring up the subject with your GP.

If they feel you would benefit from seeing a psychologist your GP may put you on a Mental Health Care Plan which would enable you to get up to 10 Medicare subsidised sessions with a psychologist which your GP can refer you to.

Please get back to us and let us know how you go.

All the best.

Taurus

[startingnew]

HI there and welcome to Beyond Blue.

Taurus has given some great advice here.

Also just a note if your not finding your gp as useful as you would like, is it possible to email or ring a few of your local psychologists and ask about just paying the gap fee. im in a similar thing now where i pay the gap fee and the psychologist claims back through medicare themselves rather than you pay the full amount and you claiming back.

just a suggestion 🙂

[geoff]

hi Rosa_noir, high functioning anxiety/depression makes your life pretty tough because it's very complicated and would make it difficult for a doctor to even know where to begin.
Taurus, as usual, has replied with an excellent response and to follow on from her comments if you click onto 'Get Support' there will a link to 'find a professional'.
These doctors are aligned with BB and deal mainly with MI, so one maybe close to you, but again it's trial and error, however when you have found the person you can relate to then that's your most important first step towards getting the help you need.
From what you are saying it does seem as though you're pretending to be happy a lot of the time, and don't about this because most of us have been through exactly the same circumstances. Geoff.