No help for the desperate

[Marymag]

Hi, i realise this wont be posted straight away, im on hold to beyong blue trying to talk to somone, its been over 26 mins now, no time at all in other matters, i tried the mental health line and and lifeline first but couldnt wait past the 20 minute mark. Im still on hold to BB because i dont know what else to do. I know it will most lijely be too late to get help here but i have to try, as a last resort. My mood is extremely agistated. Over the top.
10/10 extreme.
Things ive tried to calm down.
ice water bath, really hot bath, bare feet outside in shorts and singlet, lavender oil, cups of chamomile tea, valarian, pacing and insividual muscle relaxation.
thai chi and breathing techniqyes got a look in too but just made me more aggitated.
this is sooo aweful.
Does anyone have the faintest clue how to relax when this agitated?
please

[Marymag]

Yes, i have a friend who’s a monk, well he has disrobed to work for a few years, he has been a teacher and guide, ive been practicing meditation for a good ten yrs now and until recently was meditating daily. However im in an altered or heightened state of anxiety, my stomach churning, chest tight pulse through the roof, so nothing as gentle as breathing or meditation is even touching the sides. Ice water baths, hot wax on the skin, extreme grounding techniques for extreme measures, i told i cant physically handle this for too much longer so hope i get to see a professional soon.

[Marymag]

Thanks, i have been racking my brains but cant find the trigger. I know my body has recognised or remembered something.
im in a really bad state right at this minute so i wont say too much. Just wanted to say thanks

[yggdrasil]

Hi Marymag,

I'm really sorry to hear you had a negative experience with the psych response in your area. I totally understand the way that feels, having experienced it myself a few years ago. I think the system is under extreme strain at the moment due to COVID, with a lot of staff quitting high COVID-risk settings like psych wards and emergency departments, and being replaced by less well trained/experienced staff. This is what my psychologist told me anyways.

One thing that came out of the Victorian mental health Royal Commision was the lack of acute, in-patient mental health care (that is not the emergency department.) I remember the RC authors describing on the radio a proposed model of something a bit like a PARC, where people could go to when they're in acute distress, where they are surrounded by not only trained and experienced professionals, but sympathetic peers going through similar things. I'm not sure if there has been any progress on implementing a model like this. I'd be curious how other countries handle acute mental health care.

I'm sorry again to hear you've had a negative experience with the system, and hope you're doing a little bit better today. It's a cliche, but if you hang in there and keep chipping away doing all the little things you find helpful, eventually you can turn the ship around. Wishing you all the best.