Needing a break?

[JaeS]

Hi, so I have been dealing with Depression and Anxiety for about 5 years now, since I was 16. I am now a 21 year old male, my mental problems I had gotten under control pretty well for the past 3 or so years, still having occasional attacks. Recently, within the last month I have fallen back completely into my depression, sometimes not leaving my bed or bedroom for days straight. I have had my roommate/friends come wake me up cuz it was 4:30pm, I couldn't get to sleep all night, til 12pm that day.

What this post is about, is I just feel so lonely, stressed and depressed all the time. What I am wondering is, is it wrong of me to want to badly go into a mental rehab, only for a few weeks. Just so I can have a break? I don't want to have to worry about if I can afford to pay rent, or that 6 month over due bill. Or my career not going right, or the fact I can't go a day without drinking or getting high.. I started self harming again too.. Is it wrong of me to want to have this break? I have not been into a mental rehab as I hide my problems quite well. But I would think the people who visit are able to have a rest from life.. Again, is it wrong for me to want this..?

beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.

 

[CrashCoyote]

Hi JaeS,

Thank you for posting.

One of the hardest things for anyone needing treatment to do is find the will to seek it. The fact that you want to seek rehab is a sign of strength, not weakness. My eldest son is a few years older than you and chooses to smoke pot and drink all the time. My hardest battle is trying to gently nudge him towards rehab, because he knows it means not having his addictions.

The whole thing with rehab is that it is a "horse to water" thing. Forcing people into it doesn't work. Your wish to do it is admirable and gives you a very good chance of getting a lot of benefit from it.

You are a young man and although you may not see it now, have the chance for a long and very good life ahead of you. This is a hiccup in life, if you want it to be, something you can turn around and make a memory.

Have you gone to see your GP for a referral to see a psychiatrist? (If you are not already seeing one.) You should be able to get a Mental Health Plan allowing you treatment at the expense of Medicare. That would be the place to get the information on rehab. It sounds from your post that you have not been in rehab before.

I do not know your circumstances or if you have support or health insurance etc, but rehab can be expensive for some people. See what options you have because you may qualify for some rebate or financial support.

I'd be interested to hear how this goes if you feel like posting again.

Kind regards, John.

[geoff]

dear Jae, thanks for being brave to post your comment, because there are so many times when people have the thought 'will I or won't I',

I can understand your thoughts about wanting to go into rehab because you have hit a bad patch again, which I'm so sorry for, so can I ask you a question or 2, and please only answer if you want to: so are you seeking salvage because of your depression, which I would think so, but also because of your self-harm, as well as the drinking and smoking which perhaps you may want to stop.

There is a problem when going into rehab and I have mentioned it before, but it was on other comments that you may not have read, and this is the same as detox, and while we are in there is all good, we can stop all these vices, but as soon as we come back home there is a strong 50/50 % chance that we will take it up again, or we can be enticed into them again by a mate, who says 'come on Jae just have one you will be OK'.

I know that when I was in a private clinic, (one that workcover paid for) I was still able to go out and sneek a bottle of plonk, or another mate in there could always bring some alcohol back in when he went home for a week-end, but being in an hospital it wouldn't be that easy.

I am not denying you to have a break at all, but I would think that it wouldn't be quiet that easy, unless your doctor has stipulated to the hospital to admit you, but normally it's because someone is in danger of taking their life.

The fear of not paying rent or overdue bills aren't going to go away, because of various reasons, and once you come out your situation will be worse, so I'm not sure that this is a solution, but don't get me wrong depression has come back to haunt you, and we all know what this does to us.

I would try and do what John has suggested, but this doesn't stop you from contacting again. which we really hope you do. Geoff.