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redgirl-blackdog scared of memories
  • replies: 7

I haven't been here for a couple of months so I hope everyone is well. I've had about 7 sessions with a psychologist & we've gone thru lots of stuff including mindfulness, he's even got me to try pacing so my arm/neck/ shoulder doesn't hurt so much, ... View more

I haven't been here for a couple of months so I hope everyone is well. I've had about 7 sessions with a psychologist & we've gone thru lots of stuff including mindfulness, he's even got me to try pacing so my arm/neck/ shoulder doesn't hurt so much, like I haven't tried a thousand different ways over the past few years, but anyhow now he wants me to try rewind therapy, even the thought of having to re-live the crash on purpose sends me into panic mode, I don't understand how doing this will stop/fix the pain in my neck, I've done everything else he's asked but I don't think I can do this. He doesn't seem to get that I'm in pain 24/7 & that's why I'm upset & depressed & all the talk in the world is not going to stop or fix the nerve damage & ongoing pain. Even now, the thought of the crash, I have sweaty palms & my heart is racing, why would I do this over & over, it's bad enough waking from a nightmare, sorry I ranting but its really freaking me out, has anyone had any experience with rewind therapy & how did it go for them because I'm sceptical on this one. Thanks for your help, Carey

pinkfloyd33 Starting medication again
  • replies: 2

Hello all, so I recently posted on the anxiety column of my anxiety. I am really struggling to the point where I want to give up for good as I see no hope and no end to this dreadful anxiety. I have taken on board strategies my anxiety but my mind go... View more

Hello all, so I recently posted on the anxiety column of my anxiety. I am really struggling to the point where I want to give up for good as I see no hope and no end to this dreadful anxiety. I have taken on board strategies my anxiety but my mind goes back to the negative, it's like an addiction like I'm soul searching and feeding into anxiety. I love to sketch and listen to classic music but even that doesn't change my thought process. I went for a walk today as I am also exercising for my anxiety and also to lose weight as I've out on 20 kilos in 2 years, as I was walking i was still thinking about my problems... so bad it was that I started to cry in public, then I decided I am going to book an appointment with my doctor on Monday and try out medication again. I have looked up reviews of a type of medication that sounds promising, I want to try meds now because I feel like my thought process won't change and I will continue to allow those cortisols running through my body. Can anyone please share their experiences or advice on medication? I am so desperate and I feel like it will be too late. Thank you so much

MoonWings Anxiety when visiting the Psychologist
  • replies: 5

Hello, In the past three days, there have been major changes going on within my life. I came out as suicidal to my mother, who quickly booked me in to see a psychologist so I had someone to talk to the same day. However, as I reached the appointment ... View more

Hello, In the past three days, there have been major changes going on within my life. I came out as suicidal to my mother, who quickly booked me in to see a psychologist so I had someone to talk to the same day. However, as I reached the appointment I was completely unable to get out of the car. I could feel my heart pounding and I couldn't bring myself to get out. I thought that maybe it was just because I'd had a full on day. My mother spoke to the psychologist and she said that she wanted to see me ASAP, and booked an appointment for the next day as she would be busy for the next week. The exact same thing happened when we arrived at the next appointment. I couldn't get out of the car, even though I knew I needed to. I could feel my anxiety levels shoot through the roof and I was unable to get them them under control. I have another appointment booked for next week, and I need to get into the next one. Anyone have some tips on how I can get myself in there? Also, can psychologists admit patients to hospitals? I'm extremely worried that I'll start talking and I'll say something that warrants her needing to send me to a hospital. Thanks, Moon.

james1 Hospital
  • replies: 29

Hello all So the gp made me go to hospital and ive been there for the last few days and finally out again. Now that I'm out it feels like I'm left alone again to fend for myself. I liked the peace while there. Did anyone else feel the same? I didn't ... View more

Hello all So the gp made me go to hospital and ive been there for the last few days and finally out again. Now that I'm out it feels like I'm left alone again to fend for myself. I liked the peace while there. Did anyone else feel the same? I didn't really want to leave to be honest. James

bubblestar Help with getting help
  • replies: 4

Hi, 10 months ago my mother fell very ill and almost passed away. Since then I have been distraught. I have flashbacks and when she's feeling unwell I completely freak out and have visions of going back to the hospital etc, I have panic attacks so ba... View more

Hi, 10 months ago my mother fell very ill and almost passed away. Since then I have been distraught. I have flashbacks and when she's feeling unwell I completely freak out and have visions of going back to the hospital etc, I have panic attacks so bad I can't breathe (previously diagnosed with anxiety and depression) as well as a whole other bunch of things. I've looked up numerous websites with symptoms for PTSD and I have close to almost all the symptoms. I see a psychologist, and am also seeing my doctor next week. I want to ask him if I do have PTSD but I don't know how to go about it. Do you ask a doctor if you have it? Is there a way to ask? I would really appreciate some words to help me in seeking help from my doctor but I just don't know how to go about it. Thank you

PM29 ABOUT TO START MEDICATION - VERY SCARED!
  • replies: 5

I've spent the last three weeks scrolling through these forums seeking for comfort through other people's questions/answers - so I thought it might be time to start my own... I am a 29 year old female and about 4 weeks ago I started to feel the follo... View more

I've spent the last three weeks scrolling through these forums seeking for comfort through other people's questions/answers - so I thought it might be time to start my own... I am a 29 year old female and about 4 weeks ago I started to feel the following symptoms 24/7: dizziness, short of breath, tightness to my upper shoulder, insomnia, and the overall feeling like I was about to either pass out or that my heart was going to give in. I have since been in and out of the docs getting all the tests done imaginable, with everything coming back normal. In the end, my doc has put it down to Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and as it stands, I have both "long term" and "short term" medications prescribed from my GP, staring at me as I type, however, I can't help but be totally frightened about taking either of these options. Whilst I find comfort in the success stories (people who have stuck it out with long-term meds and have come out the other side), I can't help but also be frightened of the horror stories out there (about side effects, addictions, difficulty to withdraw). Aside from these two options with meds, I'm also booked in to see a psychiatrists to hopefully start to help manage whatever underlying issue may be causing this in my life. I have also started meditation and deep breathing exercises every day. All that's left to put in place is to decide whether or not I should go down this medication path. I would love to hear some feedback from the Beyond Blue community on their own experience with either contemplating, starting, struggling, and successes with medications. I look forward to all your thoughts.

Berenice In debt, unable to work or afford mental health care. So lost, don't know what to do...
  • replies: 2

I've been diagnosed with depression for 14 years now and anxiety for 10 years. Recently, things have become really difficult for me. Due to severe anxiety and terrible panic attacks, I was forced to resign from a new job (had only been there 7 weeks)... View more

I've been diagnosed with depression for 14 years now and anxiety for 10 years. Recently, things have become really difficult for me. Due to severe anxiety and terrible panic attacks, I was forced to resign from a new job (had only been there 7 weeks) in December last year and I am now relying on my partner to support me while I try to get better. The problem is, I found out after I resigned that my partner is in quite significant debt and so despite him earning very good money, we are struggling to make ends meet and getting down to the last dollar every fortnight just to get enough groceries for meals. This is extremely stressful for both of us but I have always been one to hate being in debt, never had credit card debt, paid off my car loan early etc. so I find it really stressful and depressing, like I am trapped and powerless to help in my current situation. I don't know what to do or how to get help. Previously I was seeing a new psychiatrist as I moved across town and also did not click with my old psych but I've been unable to go back and continue the work to receive an updated diagnosis (was diagnosed last October with Borderline Personality Disorder but another psychologist said I was "borderline borderline" which was not helpful being in limbo about what is wrong with me) but we can no longer afford it and things continue to get harder and harder. I want to earn money but I can't work. The thought of being forced back into work makes me so panicky and sick to the stomach. My old psych was happy to do up the paperwork for the disability pension but because my partner earns too much (despite his debt), I am unable to access this for myself. It is very frustrating and bewildering. I am so down and I really don't know what to do. I could really use some advice

Desperate101 When a Psychiatrist Isn't a Good Fit for Your Family Member
  • replies: 3

I have a sibling who has been under the care of her current psychiatrist for about 12 months and the family feel very frustrated with him as we have no improvement with her - in fact things are getting worse. She is seen in a psychiatric clinic and t... View more

I have a sibling who has been under the care of her current psychiatrist for about 12 months and the family feel very frustrated with him as we have no improvement with her - in fact things are getting worse. She is seen in a psychiatric clinic and the place is just one revolving door with her now so medicated that she is out of it a lot of the time. She also has a substance abuse issue mixed with anxiety and depression so her issues are three-fold. He has now allegedly told her not to listen to her family (we want her to seek treatment at another location with a longer term residential structure). The problem that we have is that the psych only knows what she tells him which is undeniably quite different to how things are for her family when she returns to her own environment and her behaviours return in a matter of days. If we don't intervene and get her back into the psych hospital, she would die as all she cares about is wiping herself out. Isn't there a code that psychiatrists have to adhere to which would mean that if they are not seeing an improvement in their patient over a period of time, that they refer them on? What can a family do? Genuine advice sought please.

topsy_ Coherence Therapy??
  • replies: 4

Hi My psychologist would like to do Coherence Therapy with me. I'm not super clear on what it entails but apparently I'll be "back there" (in the years of every type of abuse). Somehow being right back in those awful times is supposed to enable new n... View more

Hi My psychologist would like to do Coherence Therapy with me. I'm not super clear on what it entails but apparently I'll be "back there" (in the years of every type of abuse). Somehow being right back in those awful times is supposed to enable new neural pathways to be formed. For example, I've always believed that all the abuse was my fault & that it happened because I'm bad. I think the aim is to challenge & alter those beliefs that were formed when I was so young. The thing is the psych warned me it will be really rough. And there are no guarantees I'll feel any better in the long run. I find it incredibly difficult to go back "there". I've spent my life avoiding doing that. So my question is does anyone know anything about this therapy? I would be more inclined to try it if I were younger, say 30 - 40, because there would still be enough life left to live to make it worth it. However at 60 that's not the case. The abuse, PTSD & depression have all influenced my previous years so much that I don't want to fill my remaining years with more angst. I'm not sure I'm being entirely logical & I do know the thought of this therapy fills me with terror. And, not feeling very brave, I'd rather avoid that. So if anyone has any thoughts, experience or advice I would be very grateful. Thank you, Lyn.

Trent89 Good GP in WA
  • replies: 2

Hi, Does anybody know or recommend a good GP in WA.?. Most GPS here simply refer you to a psychologist and won't give out Meds thus making my life a hell. thanks.

Hi, Does anybody know or recommend a good GP in WA.?. Most GPS here simply refer you to a psychologist and won't give out Meds thus making my life a hell. thanks.