Treatments, health professionals and therapies

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cassandra1988xx new to anxiety medication please help
  • replies: 3

Hi guys,I've had anxiety for quite a while but after not coping at work and it worsening I decided to discuss options with my doctor. I'm on my 5th day of taking medication and my anxiety has been worse and i feel sick. Does it get worse before it ge... View more

Hi guys,I've had anxiety for quite a while but after not coping at work and it worsening I decided to discuss options with my doctor. I'm on my 5th day of taking medication and my anxiety has been worse and i feel sick. Does it get worse before it gets better. I also feel foggy. I want to go back to the doctor tomorrow as this is just terrible. Please help

cassandra1988xx please help
  • replies: 8

I'm not sure if my last post went through. I started anti depressants 5 days ago and my anxiety is so extremely high. Does it get worse before it gets better?

I'm not sure if my last post went through. I started anti depressants 5 days ago and my anxiety is so extremely high. Does it get worse before it gets better?

sociallyawks Why do I have to go to a GP first?
  • replies: 2

Hi, From my research everything is telling me I am supposed to go to a GP first to tell them my concerns. My issue is I don't have a GP that I am comfortable with and they are always booked which makes seeing the doc a pain in the backside and usuall... View more

Hi, From my research everything is telling me I am supposed to go to a GP first to tell them my concerns. My issue is I don't have a GP that I am comfortable with and they are always booked which makes seeing the doc a pain in the backside and usually requires time off work. if I see one near work in the city they wont know any of my history. My question is why do I have to go to GP and tell them my story then to have to go and do it all again to a specialist? I already am hesitant talking to anyone but having to go and do it several times makes me not want to at all

jjac Doctor didn't help
  • replies: 4

I made a double appointment. He said i'd need to come back and see someone else for a mental health plan. I then asked for just a referral and no plan and i'd pay, he said "next time." but that he recommends a psychologist referral. But didn't give m... View more

I made a double appointment. He said i'd need to come back and see someone else for a mental health plan. I then asked for just a referral and no plan and i'd pay, he said "next time." but that he recommends a psychologist referral. But didn't give me one. He then charged me $110 when the usual rate is $93 for a longer appointment. I got a blood test, that he didn't even want to give me because they cost $60 (for the government, mind you) and they "don't like to give every second patient those tests." I tried but getting this guy blocking my path made me snap. I was rude and upset. My throat seized up and my voice started to go. He just said "ok. Calm down." Turns out he has been a doctor for six weeks. He needs a lot more training before he'll be of any use. I've struggled for years, after a decade on my own I decided it was time. The decided it wasn't. Now I have to take more time off work and book with someone else. No doctor at this office has discussed my mental health, does that mean they can all knock me back? What was I supposed to do?

Lind779 Medication and anxiety. Your feedback
  • replies: 8

Hi guys, I have posted a few times on here and have appreciated the support. I have acknowledged to myself that I actually have anxiety. I couldnt really believe that all the nausea, heart pulpitations and loss of appetite over the last 3 months was ... View more

Hi guys, I have posted a few times on here and have appreciated the support. I have acknowledged to myself that I actually have anxiety. I couldnt really believe that all the nausea, heart pulpitations and loss of appetite over the last 3 months was all due to this. But... I witnessed myself the on and off switch in my head 2 days ago and thats when I realised it was. I was vomitting all morning - of course nothing was coming back up and then driving in the car with my husband talking about anxiety and then POW! No sickness, got hungry and no heart pulpitations. It was like the anxiety disappeared. Of courses this only lasted till the next day and back to feeling sick but I realised at that moment it was all anxiety. I've accepted the fact that I need help. My brain is stuck in a vicious loop that I cant get out of on my own. Started anti-depressants and just seen a psychologists. I've been on the anti-depressants for just under 2 weeks and still no change. Probably a little more anxious and nauseated since being on them. My question is, how long were you on meds before you started to feel better and how? I only want to hear the good stories as I dont think I could handle anything negative right now. I NEED HOPE. Thanks guys

Marcsa Psychologist Misunderstanding Adoption Concepts
  • replies: 20

Hi, I've stuck my toe in and out of the forums for the last couple of months, sometimes finding bits that are relevant to my situation. Lately I've come to realize that in the treatment of my depression and anxiety, the gulf between my psychologist a... View more

Hi, I've stuck my toe in and out of the forums for the last couple of months, sometimes finding bits that are relevant to my situation. Lately I've come to realize that in the treatment of my depression and anxiety, the gulf between my psychologist and myself is widening. I just don't think she 'gets' it. I feel really frustrated because i have invested quite some time in coming to this point. I am a late discovery Adoptee, which means I didn't find out that I was an Adopted Person until the age of 41. My Adoptive Mother died before I found out and the relationship between us was never great. I certainly feel betrayed and cheated by her. My Adoptive Father was the one who told me, but said it was not a topic he particularly wanted to discuss - so we never did. He died two years later and we had become progressively distant both after my Adoptive Mother had died and because of his relationship with another lady. Not only did my parents not tell me my entire life, just about everyone around me - of my parents generation and older - knew I was adopted. My Grandparents, my Godmother, parents friends. When I spoke to my Godmother , she said "We thought you knew". How can I talk and show i know about something when I never knew about it ?! Anyhow, I feel as if the above is relevant to my current issues with my son and the relationship between us. I feel as if (and my psychologist has pointed this out to me ) how I was parented, is how I have learned to parent my son. I guess I am shifting some of the blame, but I just think that there is something to be said for a child who was taken/removed/given up by their biological mother and given to parents who do not reflect back the same and anticipated nurturing of the biological mother. There are a lot of issues that come out of Adoption and i really think that my psychologist doesn't give them a place in our sessions. So ultimately , do I give up on this psychologist? Do I keep pushing this perspective, which I have (in a feeble way) ? If I find a new psychologist, will I start over, from the beginning, once again taking years to maybe get to this same point? Two of my girlfriends have suggested that I find a new psychologist, but I am reluctant. Because it's change, because it is another failure added to all the others strewn through my life. Thoughts appreciated.

Moonstruck Should I nip this in the bud - or is it OK?
  • replies: 12

I have posted before about my GP saying No to prescribing daytime meds for anxiety.(which can spiral into panic attacks) She does give me sleepers which I make last a long time and don't abuse. ( I don't want anti depressants as I am not depressed! I... View more

I have posted before about my GP saying No to prescribing daytime meds for anxiety.(which can spiral into panic attacks) She does give me sleepers which I make last a long time and don't abuse. ( I don't want anti depressants as I am not depressed! I have also seen the horrible effects of trying to go off them....and going through bad times trying to find "the right one".....No way will I take anti depressants!!! ) I used to use alcohol for the anxiety over many years but left me with severe health problems which means I cannot drink...have been off grog for over 3 years. I have begun "dipping into" my sleeper meds....just biting off a sliver really (doesn't that sound desperate) on some days.....when I feel really stressed, shaky or consumed with fear....e.g. during the afternoon, early evening etc....(then usually take my usual amt when ready for sleep later). My GP is not aware I have begun doing this. It's a better alternative than alcohol which means a death sentence if I start again.. my question is this: I find myself now feeling emotional and mental relief that the meds are there...during the day..if I need them....and tending to reach for a tiny piece of one on more frequent days......am I headed for trouble here? I feel frustrated that GPs don't take into account, that grog is so readily available to me....i could easily go back to having a bottle or cask in the cupboard or fridge and slowly kill myself.....but a daytime med is still denied me. Is it OK if I continue to take my "tiny sliver" on really bad days......It really helps...it helps me function capably without falling apart and collapsing with panic on my bedroom floor! Which is the greater evil? Would welcome your thoughts.....thanks....Moonstruck

JustTheDoctor Doc wants to wean me off my meds...I'm absolutely terrified.
  • replies: 4

I've had a long history of depression, since mid teens, but the doc was hesitant to prescribe me anything through that whole time, preferring to send me to a myriad of mental health professionals. It was horrible, and completely useless. She finally ... View more

I've had a long history of depression, since mid teens, but the doc was hesitant to prescribe me anything through that whole time, preferring to send me to a myriad of mental health professionals. It was horrible, and completely useless. She finally gave in and I've been taking anti-ds for a while now. She wants to start reducing my dosage until I'm off them. I'm so scared of not taking them -- I don't ever want to go back to living inside the fog... Is it wrong to just say that I don't want to stop taking them? At the start, I stopped taking them myself because I went through a 'I can manage this by myself without meds' stage...worst two weeks ever. I don't want to stop taking them again, I don't ever remember feeling this good when I wasn't on them. I don't actually remember much at all from the darkest times... Advice? Is this even something to worry about? I don't know what to do, and my sister (also a depression sufferer) says that the doc tried to do the same to her and it was awful.. I can't go back there...

Thejokesonme The jokesonme
  • replies: 1

Hi all just thought I would just tell a small story about me. For the last few months my health starting to decline. Was not eating much and felt bad all the time. Slowly my panic attacks became unbearable, I thought I was going to die soon. Fortunat... View more

Hi all just thought I would just tell a small story about me. For the last few months my health starting to decline. Was not eating much and felt bad all the time. Slowly my panic attacks became unbearable, I thought I was going to die soon. Fortunately I just kept going to the doctor,the hospital more times than I can count in the end the hospital wouldn't treat me any more. I felt to frightened and alone,somehow I just kept on finally I was given ssri medication it took a while for the side effects to subside but still have ping lots of problems . The upshot of this story I have gone to a new doctor and now have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and thyroid problems. I suspect my anxiety and panic attacks may be linked to my thyroid. I just wanted to share this as it numerous trips and being told many times that it was just depression. I will keep you posted on how it ends up. Thank you for reading this long and hopefully not to boring a story.

ShadowCat1988 How to talk to someone?
  • replies: 4

So with the help of some friends I have recently decided to try to get some help for my depression, dealing with some of the issues in my life and trying to stop my self harming. I promised my friend that I would see my GP to get a referral to talk t... View more

So with the help of some friends I have recently decided to try to get some help for my depression, dealing with some of the issues in my life and trying to stop my self harming. I promised my friend that I would see my GP to get a referral to talk to a psych. I did just that, only my GP refused to give me one and wanted to prescribe me with stuff instead. It didn't help that he was also patronising. I'm not able to afford to pay the full rate for a psych but I can't get a referral to one, what am I meant to do? How does one actually get access to the people and services they need to sort their life out? And why is it so hard?beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.