How are you coping?

[Sawyer]

Hi everybody,

Just a quick post to see how everyone is doing? Lifes been pretty hectic for me lately with uni and work, and i've regretted not being online on these forums more. I'm looking forward to being available more once my thesis is submitted, but in the mean time i'm going to do my best to set aside some more time to come onto the forums and be available to anyone who would like to talk through whats going on with you, coping strategies, or advice. 

I'm not yet a professional clinician, but I have a degree in psychology, am working towards a clinical masters and I'm willing to help in any way I can. So on that note, how are we all going? lets talk about what's going on for you.

Cheers,

Sawyer

[Doolhof]

Hi Sparkles,

It is wonderful you have a supportive psych who has helped you so much. I made an appointment for a lady I chat with the other day and forgot to write down the time on my appointment card so I will have to phone her office to check out the time! Ha. Ha.

I can well understand you not having been on the forum much if you have been feeling unwell. I don't have asthma but have suffered from bronchitis a lot in the past. Now sinus problems seem to be my thing! I never realised how much blocked and infected sinus could affect a person! Living here in the country it seems like there are pollens in the air all year round. Ha. Ha.

The changing seasons are so evident here. It is lovely to observe the differences in the landscape all through the year.

This afternoon we went for a walk in a National Park and saw one of the largest Buck kangaroos I have ever seen in my life. In the old language, it would have been well over 6 foot! Not that I wanted to get close enough to it to measure it!

It is difficult when we don't sleep well. Have you ever looked up "Sleep Hygiene" on the web? I don't know who came up with that term, it sounds a little weird to me, but some of the information available is interesting. Taking a bucket load of medication can sometimes feel like we are a walking pharmacy. I know I don't cope well without so am thankful my pills are available!

If you feel like sharing, where are you off to on your holiday? Not long to go now!

Cheers for now from Mrs. Dools

[Sparkles183]

Thanks Mrs Dools 

i had another appointment with my psych today it was great and I am starting to see how my mind works having a good psych who is willing to work along side you instead telling you what to do makes the world of difference. 

I hope your appointment goes well and you find someone you like. 

Thanks for suggesting sleep hygiene for me I have tried it in the the pass but it did not work. So I have to keep on finding other methods my psych has been going through tapping therepy with me and I have found when I do a 10 min session of tapping by myself at night it tends to relax me.

you are so lucky that you went to national park I really do love getting out in nature and find it calms me down. 

So I will be going on a cruise in 6 weeks to the pacific islands yay... It will be my first cruise so I am really looking forward to it but the only prob is as I discussed with my psych today I have only got something short term to look forward to at the moment and I need a reason long term to be able to get out of bed in the morning so that is something I am working on now.

anyway I hope u have a good week 

take care 

sparkles 

[Doolhof]

Hi Sparkles,

We went on our first cruise a couple of years ago and really loved it. You can do as much or as little as you like! The food is excellent also. I joined the exercise group in the mornings as well and learnt some new stretches for my back which was very beneficial. I enjoyed all the places we stopped at.

You mentioned you like National Parks and being in nature. How about you set yourself up a project. Have a look on a map or Google all the National Parks and reserves in your area, or ones that are accessible to you. You could contact your local council to see what is in your area.

Then one by one you can go to these places. The great thing is that during the year you will experience different climates within the same park. Now it is spring, a lot of bushes and trees are in bloom. In winter after a rain everything is so refreshed and the colours are different.

Do you have any hobbies or interests? You could create a larger project that will take time and planning to complete. I have plenty of things like that...Ha. Ha. Just look in the cupboard and you will see a few sewing projects I have started and not yet finished!

I don't recall if you are working or not, could you participate in some volunteer work at all? Our local library has a wall of pamphlets displaying a multitude of volunteer places in our region. It is so diverse! If I had some spare time I would take up a few of the options myself.

All the best with your appointments with the psych! It is wonderful you feel like you are making progress!

Cheers for now from Mrs. Dools

[Guest_9466]

Dear Mrs Doors

How lovely of you to reply. It is such a kind thing to do and I do appreciate the sharing of titbit of our lives. It reminds me that even though we are survivors of depression, we still strived to live in a 'normal' world and most times it can be so challenging. 

Regarding selling up and travel around Australia, my humble opinion is that it is comforting to know that you have a base/home to come back to after awhile. Four months of travel has taught me this much. The last time I travelled for that length of time was when I was 22 years of age. The travel was planned for six months but it went for approximately 18+ months. I was looking for a place to call home but I found a home when I met hubby in cob (country of birth). Some may consider a house/unit a structure. I used to think that, but now that I am older and hopefully wiser, home is more than that to me. It is a place that you surround yourself with the little things in life that matters, our dogs, our three birds, the lovely garden that hubby tended to with loving care, our community e.g. our gym (and through it the members we meet and socialise), some of our neighbours that we grew old together, etc. I used to think of our house as an investment, our superannuation when we retired but now, that we are retired, my feeling towards my home has changed. Walking around the neighbourhood, I realised how lucky we are to live in such a lovely neighbourhood and most of all, not to have to live in a concrete jungle. So, why not lease your place for a year and using the rental, do a spot of travelling knowing that you have a home to come back to me, when living out of a suitcase becomes too much after awhile. To me that is the best solution.

My little rainbow lorikeet is still sitting on the egg that was not fertilised. I wondered if we should remove the egg.  I think your attitude is best regarding your neighbour.......treat those who are unkind or discourteous with courtesy. It is her loss and not yours. I wish you a pleasant day.

I would like to travel either in Japan or Vietnam.

MG

[Guest_9466]

Hi Sparkles

 Going on a cruise, how lovely! I haven't been on one but those who enjoy going on cruises shared with me how much fun they had.

Regarding short term goal, I wish to add that sometimes it is best to set short term goal rather than the humongous  one. Best to take baby steps in recovery so that the process to success isn't overwhelming. You will find that you will start building up confidence once you start achieving successful outcomes. You know the old saying "Don't run before you can walk". It works well for me. Whenever, I get overwhelmed with the long term goal, I try to live in the moment. That helps too.

Good luck. 

 MG

[Sparkles183]

Thanks Mrs. Dools and Morning Glory...

i have so much to say to u both but I am not in great head space at the moment. I am glad I have My support group tonight as it gives me a place to be the person I truly am without wearing my mask and gives me a excuse to get out of the house.

i will get back to you both in a couple of days when I am in a better head space...

take care 

sparkles 

[Sparkles183]

Hi everyone thank you for your support 

at the moment things just keep getting worse for me. I feel so regected and alone and like I am fighting this battle alone. As I am aware I am now not in the right head space at the moment I am trying to hold off on making decisions, over the last few days I have had such thoughts like stopping my medication because in reality I don't know if the meds has made me worse or better and I have also thought of cancelling my cruise, but I know that is not the right thing to do as I been looking forward to it for such a long time. I also been spending about 18hrs a day sleeping and the rest either staring at the wall or on the Internet. 

I have a mental health review with my GP next week and then a appointment with my psych  a week after I know I need to hold on until then. and try my best to walk in the the opposite spirit to my thought life. But it just seems to hard at the moment.

thanks for listening 

sparkles 

[Guest_2350]

Dear Sparkles,

 sorry to hear you have been having a tough time. When is your cruise? I remember you trying to help me before my big trip to Europe, thank you. Please don't cancel your trip just yet. Can you wait until you have talked to your doctors? I hope you will be ok with your medication. Have you taken it a long time? I started meds only about 2 weeks before my trip to Europe and I had a few side effects and questions, but then I got used to the meds.

How are you feeling about the cruise? Are you excited or a little worried? Are you travelling on your own or in a group? I noticed that I was very nervous about the flight and also had a lot of anxiety before going to Europe. I would not say that I had the time of my life in Europe, but the break definitely helped me to get a different perspective. I am glad I did go to Europe.

I hope you are feeling better soon! Take care, Yggy

[Sparkles183]

Thanks Yiggy...

i am glad u got to go on your holiday.

i know although I feel like cancelling my cruise I can not as it is all I have to live for at the moment I have wanted to go on a cruise my whole life and now I finnily get to go I just wish I was in a better head space to go.

I have been on medication for over a year now and I saw a positive effect for about 3 months then everything went down hill again and last tim I went to the doctor she refused to change or take me off my meds which I respect her for that. 

I been trying to use this time of being board with life and and have no reason to get out of bed to discover my true self instead of the person evry one wants me to be. But I don't want to be that person anymore. I want to be my true self not the person every one else else expects me to be. The lies I have told about my self for so long even I have even started to believe... 

 Anyway thanks for listening 

take care 

sparkles 

[Guest_2350]

Dear Sparkles,

good to hear from you! A cruise must be very exciting for you! How long are you going for? Are you going with friends or on your own? You don't need to tell if you don't want to, I am just interested, as I have never been on a cruise. I am sure there will be plenty of new experiences and people to meet. What are your concerns with the cruise? My headspace was pretty bad at times before and when in Europe, but I am glad I went, because I had good moments as well and I would have had the bad times even if I stayed in Australia. I made a list of strategies to help me pull through bad times - they were all pretty general, like listening to music or going for a walk, but it has helped.

I can understand your comment about who you are and who you are expected to be. I often feel like that. I wonder where I have gone, since society moulded me. I have tried to bring back little bits and pieces, I have tried to start very small. I have thought of things that I loved doing when I was still in school, like crafts and just tried it again. I have tried to figure out what I loved about crafts. I colour in now, as I don't have the time to do crafts, but I enjoy the colours, I enjoy focussing on staying within the lines, I enjoy listening to music while I do it and I enjoy seeing the result - and I think I need that quiet time. I still feel ridiculous doing it, but I am getting past the point of caring. Is there something - even if it is a very little change - that you could try, something you enjoyed when you felt more like yourself?

I'm not sure if any of this makes sense or is any use for you, but I hope it does.

 Stay in touch. Take care, Yggy