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Blooming_Bel Anitdepressant withdrawals
  • replies: 4

Hi all,I'm new here but was wondering if anyone can help me I'm weaning off antidepressants recently and am going through hell to say the least...working full time and trying to deal with the horrible side effects! The nausea, pain, headaches and emo... View more

Hi all,I'm new here but was wondering if anyone can help me I'm weaning off antidepressants recently and am going through hell to say the least...working full time and trying to deal with the horrible side effects! The nausea, pain, headaches and emotions. I currently am on a weeks holiday, my first in a year, yet have been run off my feet. Keeping the house clean and seeing family who are all so keen to catch up but I am exhausted:(Has anyone been through the weaning off antidepressant experience? My husband is driving me insane and has been awful to me for a week and wont talk to me...he wants me off pills but doesn't understand what its doing to me. Don't get me wrong, it was my decision to come off but how do I get him to understand its gonna hurt me in the meantime? He thinks I'm being silly and making it worse than it is. Its not that easy, it's a slow process. I wish he would understand he thinks I am a hypochondriac. And crazy I think. I am suffering soooo bad, he has chosen the worst time to ignore me and treat me like crap!!! Advice please?? How do I make the withdrawals easier and how long will they last??

Guest_2350 Changing psychologists?
  • replies: 3

Sometimes I need to write things down and ask for another opinion to ensure I make the right decision. I have been with my current psychologist for a few months and it has been pretty rough at times as this is the first time I am opening up about my ... View more

Sometimes I need to write things down and ask for another opinion to ensure I make the right decision. I have been with my current psychologist for a few months and it has been pretty rough at times as this is the first time I am opening up about my past. I have been on and off thinking about changing psychs and also discussed this here and with my GP and psych and there are some reasons. I agreed with my GP to give it a go for another few months but now I am not so sure. I am worried about the timing and that I might be on long waiting lists again and that I might not find a better psych... but I don't feel safe. My psych has offered me support (sms, email, Skype) and does not follow through when I send messages. This frightens me as I have been spiraling at times when I go down memory lane. My psych also considered a treatment that he is new to and I don't want to be the guinea pig - I have too much to lose. I don't feel I get the support to learn new techniques, getting a link to a website is not sufficient - I was overwhelmed looking at the website and was not able to read through the long content. I am struggling to identify feelings and don't think I can learn reflecting techniques on my own - they scare me and I just don't do them. Communication between my GP and my psych is non existent. I get on well with my GP and hope to bridge the time until I can find a new psych with my GP. I am currently having to deal with it all on my own anyway, as I am traveling and I think I can just try and bottle it all up for a little longer as I have done for decades. I am worried about starting all over again and I am also worried that I might just be closing up again - I start feeling like I am shutting the world out. Am I wrong to think this way? How can I ensure to find a psych that is a better fit? Am I just trying to talk myself out of this journey?

Emmy. Tired
  • replies: 6

Have had to start taking anti depressants again (been on them for a week now) and feel really tired. Is that a normal side effect? Has anyone else experienced that too and if so, how long did it last? Thanks

Have had to start taking anti depressants again (been on them for a week now) and feel really tired. Is that a normal side effect? Has anyone else experienced that too and if so, how long did it last? Thanks

JJ69 Mess or no meds? Help!
  • replies: 5

I think I have had depression/anxiety for 4-5 years now. long story but it stems apparently from my environment. the father of my child has been emotionally abusive for the last 5 years and I think it's taken its toll on me. i don't feel like the per... View more

I think I have had depression/anxiety for 4-5 years now. long story but it stems apparently from my environment. the father of my child has been emotionally abusive for the last 5 years and I think it's taken its toll on me. i don't feel like the person I was before, which was a really happy bubbly person with lots of friends and very sociable. i feel like I have become very sinical and in social able. I have no patience anymore and I'm scared of everything. i never socialise anymore and I have to convince myself to go to work when I feel like just giving up on everything. i have my own small business which I started when I broke up with my sons dad 3-4 years ago. i don't feel like I deserve to be happy and be in a new relationship. i know this is bad to by feeling like this and I do see a psychologist. but I really don't tell her exactly how I feel. i worry about everything and feel ashamed to say I am a single mum as I feel like a failure. im embarrassed that not married and I'm currently living with my parents. i cant believe my life has turned out like this. i know my life is not as bad as other people's but my mind just cannot accept or change the horrible way I feel all the time. so my question is should I take medication? i have tried it before and it was working but I got ringing of the ears which I still have so scared to take medication again. plus i have tried so many and the only ones that worked gave me tinnitus. help!!

L-G How are you supposed to feel when starting on Meds? HELP!!!!
  • replies: 3

Struggled for 8 years with stress, anxiety and depression and always thought myself to strong to accept help Got to much for me last week, so I went to see the GP and broke down in surgery. I have alot of stress in my life. I have now accepted help a... View more

Struggled for 8 years with stress, anxiety and depression and always thought myself to strong to accept help Got to much for me last week, so I went to see the GP and broke down in surgery. I have alot of stress in my life. I have now accepted help and will go back in 3 weeks to see him, get a mental heath plan done and will start to see a Psych. He wants me on meds for 12 months. Dr Started me on 20mg meds taken at night last Friday with dinner, today is Tuesday and I feel terrible. He said 20mg is he lowest dose to start on, this is big for me as I dont even take a panadol if I get a headache. First few days and nights were kind of OK but last night I felt like I was on another planet. I feel out of touch, tired, slow, a little confused and forgetful and really spaced out, just overall weird and really odd. How long will this last for, will it get better, I want to stop taking them Any feedback you can share with me? I dont know how I am supposed to feel and wonder how I will ever function properly again? Is it worth it?

b_b_ Mental Health Care Plan - What to expect?
  • replies: 1

Hi there, I've been struggling with my mental health for almost 8 years now but have never formally spoken to a GP about it. I have made the step of booking an appointment to receive a mental health care plan, however, now I am stressing myself out a... View more

Hi there, I've been struggling with my mental health for almost 8 years now but have never formally spoken to a GP about it. I have made the step of booking an appointment to receive a mental health care plan, however, now I am stressing myself out about what to expect to the point of wanting to cancel the appointment. I know this is not a good idea and that I need to make the step even if it's something I'm nervous about doing. Normally when I find myself over-thinking things I find that the best way to reassure myself is to find out as much as possible about what makes me nervous in order to remove some of the scariness about it. I have looked at online resources but would appreciate some personal advice/accounts. So, in this spirit, I was wondering if anyone could give me a few tips about what to expect when seeing a GP about receiving a mental health care plan. What sort of questions do they ask? Things like that. Any help is very much appreciated. Thanks so much

Emmy. Back on anti depressants
  • replies: 2

Hi I suffer from panic attacks and a couple of months ago I came off my antidepressants (with the help of my GP) but soon after the panic attack returned and everything Id learnt from my psychologist couldnt help as they were so severe. Yesterday my ... View more

Hi I suffer from panic attacks and a couple of months ago I came off my antidepressants (with the help of my GP) but soon after the panic attack returned and everything Id learnt from my psychologist couldnt help as they were so severe. Yesterday my GP has put me back on the medication. I'm feeling really defeated. I was on them for 2 years (that seemed like a long time to me). I thought I was doing well

mercymaybe First time being hospitalised
  • replies: 6

hi everyone first post here!im a person who has had a life long experience with mental illness, I'm both a phyiscal trauma and child abuse survivor ive had ptsd since the age of four, and been dealing with major depression and anxiety, to the best of... View more

hi everyone first post here!im a person who has had a life long experience with mental illness, I'm both a phyiscal trauma and child abuse survivor ive had ptsd since the age of four, and been dealing with major depression and anxiety, to the best of my memory since I was 10. I turned 29 this year, so it's been a while. theres been some big ups and downs over the years but one of the things that has remained consistent is that I've had to manage the majority of my illness myself ive been off and on meds since I was 18, currently on, but I've never had consistent counselling because of a variety of reasons now, this current bad patch is as worse as I've been, unable to leave the house more then twice a week, severe anxiety, increasing sudden suicidal impulses that I have to tamp down, and I've begun the process of going into a mental health clinic as an inpatient I'm just scared, I guess. I've had to self manage, as best I could for all these years. I have supportive family and friends, but there's a difference between sharing my struggles with my loved ones versus authority figures. i would love to hear about other people's experiences with hospitalisation, especially your first time and how it went, the good and the bad!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.

Guest_2350 Medication for PTSD + Depression?
  • replies: 4

Hello All, I have started treatment with a psychologist and GP for PTSD and depression. Beside other treatments my GP recommends to take SSRIs to help me get through especially the treatment for the PTSD. I agreed with him that I will check out wheth... View more

Hello All, I have started treatment with a psychologist and GP for PTSD and depression. Beside other treatments my GP recommends to take SSRIs to help me get through especially the treatment for the PTSD. I agreed with him that I will check out whether I want to take medication. I am concerned about side effects - especially the very common side effects on the digestive and nervous system as well as the withdrawal. I do not like to take medication. I understand why he wants me to take it and start it soon, but I am just wondering if I cannot get through with alternatives. Have you tried to stay off meds and how did it affect you? Have you tried to get through with alternatives? I am already focussing on: healthy diet,exercise, getting out in the sun, massage I can also focus on: mindfulness meditation I am willing to try: bibliotherapy, moodgym, St.Johns wort, raja yoga - and I am definitely willing to try chocolate

Guest_2350 Mental health and eating disorder
  • replies: 2

Hello, I have developed a pattern where a mood slump triggers my old eating disorder to resurface. The last slump I had freightened me but it also jerked me out of the feeling, that someone can help me without me being my usual proactive self. I am a... View more

Hello, I have developed a pattern where a mood slump triggers my old eating disorder to resurface. The last slump I had freightened me but it also jerked me out of the feeling, that someone can help me without me being my usual proactive self. I am a fighter and I need a partner in this battle. A coach, a person who can guide me and sometimes catch me, but also someone who can push me. I also now know that I need to address my eating disorder - I cannot afford ED to lash out at me when I am supposed to cope with other mental health issues. It makes me weak and prone to sickness. All I ever wanted is to make everybody, who is not in this world anymore, proud of the life I live, that I have embraced the chance on this planet and that I am grateful for the time I am allowed to spend here. So many people have not been blessed with suffcient time here, or even the location where I was born, or with my talents, and I would just like to know that I did not waste this life. My eating disorder has always been in stark contrast to my believes and I still do not understand why I cannot control it. I have channelled it into being obsessive about healthy food and looking after my health, but since starting therapy the bad side is coming out again and again and gaining momentum every time. Are there people here who battle an eating disorder or is this the wrong support network?