No one knows what to do with me

[llamalover23]

Basically what the title says. I’ve had severe depression And anxiety for about 4 years And have been trying to treat it for over 3.

absolutely nothing works. I continually ask for help and no one knows what to do with me.

i’ve gone to several gps. I’ve found one that I get on with but it seems like he doesn’t know what to do with me. I’ve been on 4 different medications and they never made any difference to my mood, some made it even worse. I’m not willing to try any SSRIs or SNRIs due to the risk of PSSD, and alternative antidepressants are outrageously expensive and haven’t worked for me.

I’ve been in and out of counselling for years. I saw a uni counsellor but after a few sessions they told me I was too severe and referred me to private psychs I couldn’t afford. I had 10 sessions with headspace this year through my MHCP and it was an absolute disaster. I never made any progress and I wasn’t given a discharge plan. I’ve tried contacting a few organisations but I’m never elligible or they aren’t taking on new clients. Seeing a psychologist might be useful but it’s not something I can afford to do privately.

i actively exercise and have made diet changes, I meditate and do mindfulness, I have to do lists, I keep busy, I leave the house and socialise with others. I don’t do drugs and I cut down alcohol. I’ve also tried just about every online CBT program there is and they never make any difference. I have no history of trauma and no ongoing environmental issues at all.

I’m constantly anxious and always miserable. I just want somebody to help me. There’s this narrative in society that if mentally ill people just ‘reached out’ they’d get better, and it’s a complete lie. I have reached out to people thousands of times, and no one knows how to help me. I only get told ‘good job’ for trying and that if ‘i keep it up things will improve’. It’s a lie and it never gets better even after several years.

i guess I’m just looking for some help and advice from you guys, because I’m certainly not getting any from the mental healthcare system.

[Chicken_little]

Hi Llamalover,

In your sessions with headspace was it talk therapy or did you do CBT?

also, did you know that the government had doubled the annual allowance of sessions with a psychologist in response to covid, you may be eligible for 10 more sessions.

ive had anxiety and depressions for 20 years. I’m on an SSRI but I did find some techniques from CBT helped me understand why I am the way I am, which in turn has helped me as anxiety and depression present themselves day to day.

I guess which techniques will work for you depend on whether you’re looking for tools for depression or anxiety.

for example, one that worked for me for anxiety was setting aside a time to worry and keeping a worry notebook. As you think of thoughts that cause you anxiety, write them down

[Chicken_little]

At the end of the day set aside a time to go through your notes. Some things may not longer feel worth worrying about. But you also may find a pattern, or recognise triggers or something you can work on specifically.

if you don’t want to see someone in person there are free cbt courses online. The centre clinical interventions in WA has a bunch of free workbooks and reading on their website based on a heap of different issues related to anxiety and depression

[Just Ken]

It may be possible to receive treatment in the public system. My psychiatrist is in both private practice and in the public health system. he probably spends a lot of time supervising registrars and they will be the ones that treat you, but it is probably better than your GP. I hadn't heard of PPSD but it sounds awful, but is probably very uncommon. This is something you need to discuss with a psychiatrist.

[Linda_S_]

Hi. Find out the reason why are you depressed . Is there a specific reason YOU feel depressed

[llamalover23]

I don’t have a specific reason.

[therising]

Hi llamalover

Considering you've reformed your self in a number of ways, when it comes to taking care of yourself, I'm wondering about a form of reformation you don't have on your list. It is one that can actually feel almost impossible to achieve in this world...

First, what does the circle of people in your life look like? No need to answer, just raising this thought. Do you have people who know how to bring out the best in you? Do you have a circle of folk who inspire you to raise your consciousness (perhaps a few philosophers and deep thinkers, triggering you to wonder and 'What ifs')? What about people who trigger you to be your natural self?

I recall someone telling me that whenever we enter a new phase in life, it is natural to gravitate away from most of the people in our old circle. If we don't begin to form a new circle of people or we stay with the old, we can feel stuck, uninspired, lonely and even depressed. One of the things that can make this search for a new lot of people feel like mission impossible involves having to first know who you are and what you need, otherwise you don't know the kind of people you're actually looking for.

In speaking of a circle, this doesn't mean just friends. Give you a scenario:

Say your circle of 'go to' people involves a psyche that is no help at all, work colleagues who are abusive or complaining, GPs who keep putting you through the hell of antidepressants that don't work (without strategically helping you manage the disappointment), friends that do the same thing every time you catch up with them (as opposed to doing what's challenging), the same people within the same 4 walls and exercise equipment you experience at the gym every day and the same family members who offer no helpful advice or inspiration that has the ability to trigger you in constructive ways. This would be more of a circle of torture than anything else.

Looking back at my years in depression, I can honestly say that while people were basically caring and helpful, I needed more than basic care and help, in order to get out of my depression. Basic was what kept me in my depression until I found a circle of people who made the difference. I woke up to the fact no one had been making any significant difference. This circle only lasted 6 weeks (group therapy) but it proved to be enough time to make that difference. In this case it was the quality (of time), not the quantity.

I believe it's always important to look at the people around us.

🙂

[Linda_S_]

If there isnt any specific reason..what we need to find is that are we happy in a group or alone. We have to change the whole thing of our mind that we are not happy and this depression wasnt there earlier..try to give lots of time to urself ..help some 1 in need and feel happy that ur of benefit to others. Cook a meal and send it to ur neighbour ..and feel that there are ppl who thank u for bein there..take a nice walk in the morning explore how nature speaks..try these and there are many more things when u get busy with this whole thinking of feeling depressed will be fadin away. For this we need lots of Patience. There is a purpose of our existence that god has sent us to this world. ..try to make a smile on other face it makes us happy that some1 smiled coz of us.