Support
Support

Treatments, health professionals and therapies

Information on a range of different areas, including managing relationships with GPs and psychologists, and finding the right services for you.

Start a conversation

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a conversation

All discussions

Start a conversation

rosiecat Dumped by my Psychiatrist
  • replies: 5

Has any one else been dumped by their doctor? Went to Psych today, feeling crap as usual and was told that I should look for someone else because he couldn't help me any more. I was in this huge rut and he didn't know how to help me, someone else mig... View more

Has any one else been dumped by their doctor? Went to Psych today, feeling crap as usual and was told that I should look for someone else because he couldn't help me any more. I was in this huge rut and he didn't know how to help me, someone else might. This is after nearly 10years. I feel terrible, sad, angry, hopeless and despairing. I'll get over this in a few days I suppose, when I can think a little clearer. All that is going through my head now is "what's wrong with me that nothing helps?"

Elizabeth CP How to make therapy sessions effective Rather than repeating the same things over & over
  • replies: 19

I started seeing a psychologist several years ago to cope while supporting my son who was depressed and suicidal. Over time he has helped me deal with lots of issues. My husband has a degenerative condition which has progressed over the last few year... View more

I started seeing a psychologist several years ago to cope while supporting my son who was depressed and suicidal. Over time he has helped me deal with lots of issues. My husband has a degenerative condition which has progressed over the last few years with lots of hospital admissions some were he became extremely ill, he became blind and has problems with eating so he sometimes requires feeding by tube. He manages to use a white cane to walk around now so when he is well he isn't too bad. Prior to my husband's illness I had looked after my mother for 12 years while bringing up my children but I am finding it harder to be a carer for my husband. Over time I have had to take on all the tasks we previously shared and had to move house as the block was too dangerous for my husband and too hard for me to look after. I have had several health issues myself. I'm currently recovering from a broken ankle. Each thing on its own would be OK but I have lost resilience and become overstressed. My problem is that my sessions end up about damage control -Just dealing with the latest problem. Each time we start something to help the root issues it is sidetracked because I'm unable to cope emotionally and then feel guilty for being dependent on him and not progressing. I have very low self esteem due to bullying when I was a child. I also have PTSD from being caught in a bushfire when 10yrs old. I feel like my life is over and my relationship with my husband is lost as we can't do the things we used to enjoy or they are very hard for me. Medication for depression made things worse because of the side effects and I am too scared to try anything else. My ways of coping are no longer working Has anyone got any suggestions to help me so I'm not wasting seessions talking about everything which is wrong and actually addressing the problems so I don't feel so bad about myseld and can deal with things which go wrong

Surrender Any suggestions please?
  • replies: 7

Hi - Wondering if anyone has tried Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)? It sounds very interesting and i like that it is very structured. Have been depressed anxious for a very long time. Probably more anxious than depressed. I was put on meds a long ... View more

Hi - Wondering if anyone has tried Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)? It sounds very interesting and i like that it is very structured. Have been depressed anxious for a very long time. Probably more anxious than depressed. I was put on meds a long time ago then they stopped working and tried different types of medications- for another 5 years. I also experienced sleep paralysis at a very stressful time- this terrified me. I have been seeing a therapist and this has been very helpful. I am not functioning with daily life very well and at my age there are people that depend and expect from me and all this is very overwhelming at the moment. I have seen a number of doctors and a number of psychiatrists and they are all telling me i have severe anxiety. They have all handed me prescriptions for AD. I am too scared to take them...however i have been self medicating with OC medication to get some sleep. I stopped working due to mental state. Prior to this i managed to hold down jobs for decades. I am living with Anger/Terror/Crying/Out of body feelings and a feeling that i am going to explode into psychosis even though i never have had psychosis. Can anyone relate please? My psychologist that i see often has been helpful in that she gets me to see things logically and is teaching me acceptance and meditation. This all helps when i am with her but i find it hard to do this in daily life when things start spinning out of control. One thing is for sure....I will keep doing all possible to get back to a functioning life. Thank you for letting me write this.

hope4joy Schema therapy? Or a way to grow positives in one's life?
  • replies: 11

Hi there, I'm currently reassessing whether therapy is helping me after having a huge fall back to depression in the last few months. I know that xmas and being on holidays are difficult times for me, as well as my psych being away for 6 weeks, but I... View more

Hi there, I'm currently reassessing whether therapy is helping me after having a huge fall back to depression in the last few months. I know that xmas and being on holidays are difficult times for me, as well as my psych being away for 6 weeks, but I am so tired of going around the same merry go round and keeping on getting unwell. I've just started meds to try to increase my base-line for mood and try to add a little more resilience. But I also believe I need some change in therapy approach. I've been with the same psychiatrist for about two years now (mentalisation based therapy) and have also done CBT and DBT previously. I've got a much better handle on managing emotions in healthy ways, self care, communicating assertively, self awareness and am no longer impulsive, suicidal or disassociating which is great. I also moved around for many years so being stable geographically is huge. So I feel like I get support to manage the problems and difficulties in my life but little support to help to grow the positive, in particular I find it really hard being able to increase and maintain a healthy network of friends. And I find that similar thought patterns (like feeling inferior to others etc) keep recurring and shutting me down in social settings. I've read that schema therapy can be good for changing these deep-seated beliefs? Does anyone have experience with schema therapy? Or know any other approaches that I can use with my psych to help focus on and grow the good in my life? With thanks, Christina

Saphira New here, medications aren't working, looking for the next step?
  • replies: 6

Hi there, Joined today, hoping to find people that are a few steps ahead of me. Medications have been changed/upped numerous times over the last year and I am still not getting anywhere. I'm assuming I need to see a psychiatrist and or a Psychologist... View more

Hi there, Joined today, hoping to find people that are a few steps ahead of me. Medications have been changed/upped numerous times over the last year and I am still not getting anywhere. I'm assuming I need to see a psychiatrist and or a Psychologist but not sure who to see first or what is more important. Hoping someone who has been through it will a good idea of who to see or what to do from here. I'm frustrated and fed up!

Mimi1979 Mindfulness and tapping...im struggling to do this.
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone, so...my psychologists has suggested i practice mindfulness. I find this really really hard. I've tried...even downloading an app for helping me. I find it really hard to 'be in the moment '. Does anyone else have this problem or have tip... View more

Hi everyone, so...my psychologists has suggested i practice mindfulness. I find this really really hard. I've tried...even downloading an app for helping me. I find it really hard to 'be in the moment '. Does anyone else have this problem or have tips for me?. Also, a friend of mine suggested 'tapping'. I also find this 'weird '. She swears by it. I.Just.cant.do.it!!! Does anyone feel my pain?

BluWren13 How do you know if you're addicted?
  • replies: 4

For the past four months I've being having trouble getting sleeping and staying asleep. I was given a sleeping tablet to help me (non addictive), but in order to not build up a tolerance to it I also started to take an anti-anxiety (a benzo). So now ... View more

For the past four months I've being having trouble getting sleeping and staying asleep. I was given a sleeping tablet to help me (non addictive), but in order to not build up a tolerance to it I also started to take an anti-anxiety (a benzo). So now I take one sleeping a night for two nights, the one benzo for two nights,and so on. My problem is it's been four months of the alternating and I don't want to get addicted to the benzo. How would I know if I were addicted? Any advice?

nayellie New here - seeking support - SSRI withdrawal
  • replies: 7

Hi there. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to write here, but I thought I'd introduce myself. I am 30 years old, have been suffering from anxiety, OCD and emetophobia for around 17 years. I am a mum of two beautiful children. I have recently been diagn... View more

Hi there. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to write here, but I thought I'd introduce myself. I am 30 years old, have been suffering from anxiety, OCD and emetophobia for around 17 years. I am a mum of two beautiful children. I have recently been diagnosed with SSRI toxicity and need to come off the antidepressant which I have been on for 15 years on 200mg. I have been trying to search for a place to chat with others who may have been through SSRI withdrawal - I feel alone in all of this

Anroca78 Thankful for Beyondblue
  • replies: 2

Hi, Nearly a week ago I was in a bad place. After 3 months of setbacks, my bipolar brain was struggling worse than ever. Holidays just added to the stress. I was a danger to myself yet still I could not bring my self to reach out for help. I hit my r... View more

Hi, Nearly a week ago I was in a bad place. After 3 months of setbacks, my bipolar brain was struggling worse than ever. Holidays just added to the stress. I was a danger to myself yet still I could not bring my self to reach out for help. I hit my rock bottom. I decided to reach out to Beyondblue. I chose web chat, one on one advice, and thank god I did! They helped me realise there was more help out there, and got me in contact with the mental health team who referred me to my local hospital. I volunteered myself and was admitted to the Psych ward. I always refused hospital treatment because I was worried how my 13yr old son would react( he was fine and relieved I was getting help), it ended being the best decision for me. I spent 5 days getting help from doctors and psych doc and speaking to other bipolar patients really helped as well. I was placed back onto medication which is what I needed. I also have received follow up calls from Mental health team,immediately once I got home to see how I am going. This would not of been all possible if I did not reach out to Beyondblue. So I am saying a BIG Thankyou. You are truly helping people like myself take that first step to getting life back on track, and understand and accept the ups and downs of mental health.

Manda85ballarat Mental Health Plan
  • replies: 2

A quick question regarding mental health plans. The GP referred created a mental health plan for me and referred me to a psychologist on staff at the practice. The problem is she is only works Thursday's and I was told she would contact me I understa... View more

A quick question regarding mental health plans. The GP referred created a mental health plan for me and referred me to a psychologist on staff at the practice. The problem is she is only works Thursday's and I was told she would contact me I understand New Years and Christmas mucked things up but I am feeling extremely anxious and would like to try to get into someone sooner. My question is, is it too late to get referred to someone else? (I am moving from one side of Melbourne to the other this year due to a new job so would probably like to have someone closer to where I'll be living) or do I have to stay with the original psychologist I have been referred to? I went to ask about this and I was seen y a different GP at the same practice. Any insight would be appreciated. Manda

As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.

Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Helpful information

Stay in touch

Sign up below for regular emails from Beyond Blue, filled with information, advice and support for you or your loved ones.

Stay in touch

Talk it through with us, we'll point you in the right direction.

Call 1300 224 636

24 hours / 7 days a week

Chat Online

24 hours / 7 days a week

Email us

Get a reply in 24 hours

Copyright � 2026 Beyond Blue Ltd

All rights reserved

Contact us Terms of use Privacy policy Site map