need help

[driftwood]

I feel someone here may empathise or be able to help.I think I have suffered depression for years. From my own perception  I thought i could handle things ok - but I am a  very lonely person without really any friend to talk or engage with. Its been like this for about 10 years and im just over 50. Before that life wasnt as bad but I  never  seemed happy. I dont have a close family to draw upon. I generally keep myself busy but often one day just vanishes into the next without really talking with anyone. I felt quite marginalised at work where I just didnt seem to fit in with the others and recently was made redundant. This opens a whole world of pain as I have so many financial commitments so its hard to fathom a way out. If there is a way back  id like to know where to start because right now im very scared -inactive and withdrawn- Ive been to a GP  twice in the last week and each time he gives me a few names of people to see - but if I want a rebate I have to be on a program- which is why I thought I went to him the second time. Apparently that requires a 30 min appointment .Why does it seem that when your in a crisis you just seem to get deflected and cant find the help you need. I want to change things- I want to connect with others and have a support network-I dont want to keep drifting further out to sea. If anyone has any positive ideas please let me know. Im at crisis point and cant think clearly.I have a partner and she is lovely but she cant absorb all this on her own and I want to be better for her if I am to offer her a future. Ive use alcohol recently way too much as pain relief- but it never helps and just makes situations much worse-  I feel embarrassed and ashamed of where im at now at this point in my life.  I feel scared I dont want to lose my home and whatever I have acquired-to this aweful abyss that im in.

[geoff]

dear Driftwood, sorry I have only found your post, and I would email BB if you want to and ask them to transfer your post to an area where people continually view, they will be able to do this for you, because it takes time to go through the first three sections, however to become redundant creates major financial problems, and it seems as though everything just piles on top of each other.

When you are referred to a psych. by your doctor you are entitled to 10 free visits, which are paid for by medicare, which would be a good start for you as lack of money is a problem. I believe that you maybe able to extend this period in desperate need, but I'm not exactly sure, so you can check with your psych. about this, or somebody else may have an answer for this.

Join 'The Men's Shed', where a group of chaps participate in events, plus it's a way being able to chat with them as well, plus they would also have some ideas for you.

I would also go to centrelink and fill out the forms required, so that you will be able to receive some income from them, just by telling them that you have become redundant.

Contact Anglicare who I often refer to for other people struggling with finances,and explain to them about any loans, credit cards, car loans and anything else, that have trouble coping with, then they can stop any hassles from creditors who delight in ringing you up and annoying the hell out of you.

Some of us have also used alcohol when in depression, but this can prove to be a concern with your wife, as it was with my ex, I can only suggest this to you, but it's your decision.

You are no different to how the rest of us feel, sure embarrassed, guilty to a certain extend, and this leads onto full depression where we don't really care anymore, so we have to climb out from the black hole, where the demons and those big black spiders crawl all over us, and the demons poke spears into us so that we think everything in a negative way.

I hope that you are still here because after two weeks you might have given up looking for a reply. Geoff.