My Wellbeing Course Journey.

[Banjoman]

Hello Everyone,

Some of you may know I have been struggling, with no luck,
to find a bulk billing psychologist in my area. The other week some helpful
members from this very forum suggest I try getting in contact with the MindSopt
Clinic -- a free service for Australian adults who are experiencing difficulties
with anxiety, stress, depression and low mood.

After completing an online test on the MindSpot website I
received a phone call from a psychologist who talked about my results, asked me
further questions, and offered me a place in an online course for people with
depression, low mood, and anxiety.

This week I enrolled and started The Wellbeing Course online.
The course aims to provide information and teach skills for managing symptoms
and keeping our emotional well-being within the healthy range. I would like to
share my journey through this week by week course, mainly regarding what I am
learning. I hope that some of the information I share may be helpful, interesting,
to some of you or even inspire a conversation. Sharing will also, I believe,
help me install the lessons I am learning.

Feel free to ask me any questions and I will try my best to answer.

[Banjoman]

Hello Mrs. D.

Thank you for the kind comments.

I have found memorising the steps, 1 Recognise the Thought, 2 Examining the Thought and 3 Do Something Helpful has helped me work this out in my mind. Preferably, if I was at home I would of written it down in dot points to help me through it, but I was on my feet at work so I stopped for a moment to do some basic leg and arm stretches (recommend by our work OHS policy) and thought about my anxiety with the task at hand and I did the steps in my head.

The box items was not there, it was out of stock. I phoned the store up and told them I had a good look but it looks as if we are out of stock. My co-worker thanked me for checking and the customer was happy to wait another week for the stock to come in again.

I felt my anxiety was lifted after experiencing the opposite of what my negative thought was telling me. All that doom and gloom never transpired into fact.

I know I may have this unhelpful thought again but if I keep up with these steps, keep realising and experiencing the opposite of what my thought was was telling me, I believe, as psychological researcher has proven, that this unhelpful thought will no longer have power over me.

Thank you again for asking, Mrs. D. It helps me revise over my lesson and experiences when people ask questions or just make a general reflection.

[Doolhof]

Hi Banjoman,

You have done extremely well with these different steps to helping with your wellbeing. One of my problems is that I forget what the steps are. Ha. Ha.

Maybe I don't need to remember the actual points, just the general idea, that I have a choice of interacting negatively with my thoughts or can listen to them and deal with them effectively.

Once we have a few victories using strategies that work for us and are helpful, it can certainly make life a little easier.

Remembering them in time of greater trials is very beneficial.

Thanks again for sharing your journey and achievements with us.

Cheers to you and everyone, from Mrs. D.

[Guest_554]

I just read lesson 3 of the ccourse. Very helpful session, regarding physical symptoms and how to manage them.

The controlled breathing exercises is a good one.

Breathe on for 3 seconds

Breathe out for 3 seconds

Breathing this way for 3 minutes.

Breathing from your diaphragm, not your chest.

Mind you, have done that tonight, but my anxiety was already at a high point, so the exercise did nit take good effect as it should

Shortly I will play Medwyn Goodalls " Temple journey".

I love that music and very relaxing in bed before sleep.

Cheers

🙂

[Guest_128]

Hey Banjo,

Whats doing? You ok?

Later

[Banjoman]

Hi everyone,

I apologise for my absence, life really has kicked me down this past week.

Last Sunday, I was let go from my main warehouse job due to company cuts. The following Monday morning I got a call from my second part-time job employer informing me that my position has been adsorbed by current full times employees. It goes to say without great detail that I was devastated by the news. I had major anxiety attack, followed by a few sleepless nights, by the time It was Thursday I contracted a flu.

I have been useless, laying in bed all the time. I will hopefully write something today.

Thank you,

[Guest_128]

Oh Banjo,

Thats just to much,you poor bugger.

Just rest write whenever you feel up to it.

I am sorry to here that all those things have happened.

Later

[Doolhof]

Hi Banjoman,

I agree with Later, that really sucks. I'm so sorry this has happened and then feeling physically ill on top.

You probably don't want to hear it, but now is the time to really put that stuff you have been learning into practice. Not an easy thing to do, I understand that.

Hopefully you will be feeling better physically soon and that will help a little with your mental health as well.

Take care of yourself in every way. Not sure if you are into virtual hugs at all, I will send you one anwya. If you don't want it that is okay.

Wish I had the words to share to help you through this time. My thoughts are with you.

Cheers doesn't sound right, so I wish you all the best with your health, from Mrs. D.

[Banjoman]

Hi Later and Mrs. D.

Thank you guys for all your kind words and the hugs, it does mean a lot to me.

I don't believe I will be writing anything soon, I tried, but life is a bit hectic now. I have to put most of my energy in finding work again, writing cover letters, writing selection criteria, editing resumes. It really takes it out of me.

I will still continue to do the Wellbeing course in my spare time and keep up with DIY guides.

Feel free to add your experience with the course in this thread, if you like. I will read them.

Thank you guys.

[Guest_128]

Well hey Banjo,I am so excited and happy to hear from you.

oh man,you have the best soul, that's ok if you are full up and can't write a big post.

Do what you have to do. But please check in every now and then so we know you are ok.

I am a bit emotional so if I don't hear from you, just a line so we know your ok,I will come belt your bum!

Take care,special one.

Later,ok.

[Guest_554]

Gee, hope things pick up for you banjo. Take care. 🙂