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Yuko Is it ok to ask a GP to prescribe me anti-depressants?
  • replies: 9

Hi, I’m new to the forums but unfortunately not new to mental health issues. As a bit of background, I was prescribed anti-depressants 15 years ago which helped me but I stopped taking them due to lack of money (I was working and renting in the city ... View more

Hi, I’m new to the forums but unfortunately not new to mental health issues. As a bit of background, I was prescribed anti-depressants 15 years ago which helped me but I stopped taking them due to lack of money (I was working and renting in the city on traineeship wages). I have managed to keep my head above water but over the years my depression has started to get a lot worse and just before Covid hit I was really struggling. With each Covid lockdown I got worse and worse and with my husband working from home and my daughter remote learning I was no longer able to keep myself together around my immediate family. I enrolled in an online therapist-lead CBT course which really helped with my social anxiety but it’s also allowed me to see that there is a very real line between symptoms I can manage myself and when I get to a point when I no longer feel rational, I get very agitated and panicky and have strong urges to self-harm. I spiral really badly and for the past year I have started to have suicidal thoughts. These really dark spiral moments are much more regular now and they last for longer and I’m getting really exhausted fighting it. I am really scared and I need help. I DO NOT want to hurt myself, I want to be here for my family but I am incapable of thinking clearly when I am spiralling and I am really worried about losing control. I want to go back on anti-depressants because my earlier experience was that my moods started as a roller-coaster of ups and downs but after a couple of months on medication it was like small waves. It was a huge improvement to my life. I have booked an appointment with a new GP who has experience with mental health issues, I am nervous about it as I have felt very dismissed over the past 15 years but I really need help at this point. After explaining my situation to the GP is it ok for me to directly ask them to prescribe anti-depressants? I feel like my life depends on it, or maybe I’m just still spiraling? Thanks in advance for and advice you can offer

Chris_B Are you looking for a doctor, therapist or support group?
  • replies: 41

Hi everyone, We are unable to provide recommendations for specific practitioners here on the forums, but if you're looking for a practitioner in your area, please use our practitioner directory here. Our practitioner directory is designed to help mem... View more

Hi everyone, We are unable to provide recommendations for specific practitioners here on the forums, but if you're looking for a practitioner in your area, please use our practitioner directory here. Our practitioner directory is designed to help members find a medical or allied health professional in their local area who can help to diagnose, treat and manage depression and/or anxiety. The directory is not an endorsement of the health professionals listed or the services they provide. The health professionals who appear on the directory are those who have chosen to provide us with their details. We are not responsible for keeping the information up to date, although we make regular requests for listed health practitioners to do so. Please feel free to share general advice on the forums about what to look for in a good mental health practitioner. The Black Dog Institute have a great section on their website about consulting various kinds of professionals, including GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors. This resource explains the difference between practitioner types, what you can expect from an assessment and what to do if you're not feeling better after seeking treatment. UPDATE 22/7: The website Patient Opinion Australia contains feedback on a range of health practitioners, which you may find useful in finding a good practitioner, or telling your story of a less-than-ideal experience. UPDATE 6/2/17: For support group listings, please consult the Black Dog pages here. We are unable to provide recommendations for support groups here on the forums.

Venus667 What are my options for a free, bulk-billed psychiatrist?
  • replies: 2

At the beginning of this year, I was diagnosed with ADHD-PI and Aspergers. However the psychiatrist was very judgemental, shaming, and VERY expensive. Safe to say I won't be going back to them. I got prescribed a non-stimulant medication because she'... View more

At the beginning of this year, I was diagnosed with ADHD-PI and Aspergers. However the psychiatrist was very judgemental, shaming, and VERY expensive. Safe to say I won't be going back to them. I got prescribed a non-stimulant medication because she's 'worried' I would abuse stimulants. The medication did nothing for me. I stopped taking it after a few months because of undesirable side effects. Now I feel like recently my mental health is spiraling as a consequence to the anger, guilt and regret I feel for the things I do (or not do) because of my executive dysfunction. I cannot bring myself to shower, clean my room, or study, and because of that I get very little sleep because of the regret that I didn't do the things I promised myself to do that day. It's also taking a toll with my personal relationships... I lash out easily because I'm so frustrated at myself that I take it out on others. My boyfriend called me lazy because I really struggled to clean my room, so I kicked him out (bad move on my part, but we made up). I've been having more bad days than good days. When I'm really emotional, I try my hardest not to take it out on others and instead take it out on myself. Self harming, self-depreciating thoughts... It's gotten really bad to the point that I automatically consider of self harming when anything bad happens. I understand that psychologists are covered by Medicare when referred by a GP (which is something I'm going to take advantage of). I'm just wondering if there's a way to get a psychiatrist covered by Medicare because I really need stimulant medication to help overcome my executive dysfunction.

reallym3again narcissistic abuse syndrome - c ptsd support australia
  • replies: 14

looking for support for narcissistic abuse syndrome or cptsd experienced professionals in australia.. it has been too long, i need to get real support instead of videos from o.s. persons who offer so much wisdom but i cannot connect to work through m... View more

looking for support for narcissistic abuse syndrome or cptsd experienced professionals in australia.. it has been too long, i need to get real support instead of videos from o.s. persons who offer so much wisdom but i cannot connect to work through my stuff. i want to heal so i can be a better mum.

Miniegun Your experience with benzos, and changing SSRIs?
  • replies: 6

Hi guys, hopefully this complies with the rules re: medications I'm having issues with my anxiety (GAD) at the moment and it has come at a REALLY bad time. I finally managed to get out of hospitality work after 11/12 years and got a job in insurance.... View more

Hi guys, hopefully this complies with the rules re: medications I'm having issues with my anxiety (GAD) at the moment and it has come at a REALLY bad time. I finally managed to get out of hospitality work after 11/12 years and got a job in insurance. I think the shock of a different workplace, the legalities, a confusing data entry program, and all the new stuff I need to remember kind of triggered my anxiety and it got really bad with bad nausea. I did 3 weeks of training, went home on a Friday and saw a doctor, who gave me an SSRI. I then missed the last two weeks of training due to the SSRI kicking my a**. Last Friday I went back to the doctors and he stated that by the two week mark I should have seen an improvement, but if anything I was way worse. I was having very tight, horrible feels in my chest like constant panic attacks and I wasn't sleeping, so the doctor told me to cut them off for 5 days and has given me another SSRI to start taking this coming Wednesday. He also gave me benzo tablets and is working on a Mental Health Plan so I can see a psychologist and finally try and get this GAD I've had for 20 years under control or gone. Work has extended training just for my circumstances, and is asking me to come in this week for solo training, after which I am on my own WFH (reason why I'm trying to get my anxiety under control). If I don't attend, my training is failed and I lose this job. I tried to organise something else with them to give myself time to get my anxiety under control but they weren't very open at all to that. So now I need to try and tackle this coming week without breaking down as I am still feeling very anxious and stressed. This leads to the benzo question: I'm looking at taking the benzo for my first day back into training tomorrow, but I'm also concerned I won't sleep tonight due to the anxiety. (I catch a bus into work and travelling does trigger motion sickness in me if I already don't feel great). My GP told me it lasts '24hr' but I'm not too sure. For the SSRI question: If I start taking the new SSRI this Wednesday, I am just concerned about being nauseous/tired for the training and WFH afterwards. Would love to hear others experience with both

jsm1974 Finding the right therapist on a Mental Health Care Plan
  • replies: 8

I'm currently seeing a psychiatrist, who has been predictably unsupportive as well as a therapist. I've struggled with depression (complete with constant suicidal ideation) and anxiety my entire life, but due to recent events these have become far mo... View more

I'm currently seeing a psychiatrist, who has been predictably unsupportive as well as a therapist. I've struggled with depression (complete with constant suicidal ideation) and anxiety my entire life, but due to recent events these have become far more intense than ever before. My therapy sessions have felt very disconnected up to this point, but today it was almost as if he was accusing me of not actively engaging in my own recovery despite the fact all I do is try. Much of what he said left me feeling far worse than when I walked in, so I'm thinking it's time for a new therapist. The complicated part is that I'm on a mental health care plan and have just had a review and my 7th session, which leaves me 3 more plus the additional 10 for COVID. What I'm wondering is whether it is too late to change therapists at this point?

Ellie_C89 Getting support is really hard
  • replies: 4

For a long time, I have struggled with my mental health. I go through periods when everything is fine but as I get older I feel like my resilience is getting weaker and weaker and I am finding it harder to deal with things that wouldn't have bothered... View more

For a long time, I have struggled with my mental health. I go through periods when everything is fine but as I get older I feel like my resilience is getting weaker and weaker and I am finding it harder to deal with things that wouldn't have bothered me in the past. I am 32 and since I was 16, I have been medicated for depression and anxiety but never had a formal diagnosis by anyone. I have long-standing issues and I have been to many GP's and felt like I haven't gotten anywhere productive. The medication doesn't work and getting in to see a specialist is almost impossible since COVID hit. Appointments are full until next year. I am at a point now where I feel like everything is too much and when I think about disappearing I feel relief at the thought. I know this isn't right and having a father that committed suicide, I know all too well the pain that it causes those left behind. But as time goes on the things that have been a barrier to me ever thinking of taking that next step are slipping away. I call Lifeline on the days it gets tough but there is no real continuation of support, its a bandaid and I am left thinking can I really keep going like this until next year just to see a specialist. I am sick of my anxiety, depression, anger outbursts, constant worrying, fear, paranoia, tiredness and more getting in the way of me enjoying my life. It is exhausting constantly having to push through and do daily tasks and maintaining this perfect professional persona at work. My sister has been diagnosed with PTSD, Bipolar disorder and a myriad of other things and in hindsight, I should have sought help a lot sooner, but I am the older sister and I tried to be strong. People relied on me to be the rock, but now it is desperate and I don't know what to do. Even getting into a GP is difficult if you want to see a good one that actually cares. I am scared if my partner knew how dire my situation is he would not want to be with me anymore and I am scared of losing my job because I am so sensitive now. I know we shouldn't rely on google to diagnose ourselves, but I have for a long time felt that I have more than just anxiety and depression. But when I have spoken about it with a GP they just put me on a different anti-depressant. I get so angry a lot and I am trying so hard to not be like my parents but I feel like every day I am becoming more and more like them and then I hate myself more and more and its this destructive cycle that just doesnt end.

Alooshk Multiple counsellors??
  • replies: 8

Hello everyone! Has anybody tried having 2 counsellors? I have a psychologist at the moment who I think is great I've seen some progress with him but with his long line of patients and clients he has he doesn't have a lot of time to tend to me and my... View more

Hello everyone! Has anybody tried having 2 counsellors? I have a psychologist at the moment who I think is great I've seen some progress with him but with his long line of patients and clients he has he doesn't have a lot of time to tend to me and my emails. Even when he does he doesn't have all the time in the world to read what I've written and usually sends a very short response. Sometimes it's 1 email to every 9 I send to him. It's nothing against him he is great but a lot of the time it's urgent and it just feels like I'm left to sit with the issue. Is this the norm? Do counsellors tend to be as absent as mine? And should I find a therapist on the side to be there for every other moment where he's not? Maybe one that is more nurturing, more present and doesn't have the huge spread of patients to give more attention? How would that work? Would my psychologist and therapist need to work together? Would it be counter productive? Just confuse me? Thanks!

Alooshk Profanity From a Psychologist?
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone! At this point I feel like I'm just coming onto Beyond Blue to complain about my counsellor, clearly a sign that I need a change, but it's still something I'd like to get a second opinion on about. For me I definitely think this puts the ... View more

Hi everyone! At this point I feel like I'm just coming onto Beyond Blue to complain about my counsellor, clearly a sign that I need a change, but it's still something I'd like to get a second opinion on about. For me I definitely think this puts the nail in the coffin for me. I had already complained about his sense of judgement, lack of emotional reassurance or even just lack of presence in my life even when I'm going through something difficult, but this one kind of took me off-guard and was a totally uncalled for response. His response to something I'm going through was (exactly these words) "they're bull**** of your own making. no one else thinks that **** but you. just saying!!!". I don't know if I'm overreacting here but this is not really something you want to hear from a psychologist now is it? Not a little bit unprofessional?? Or uncalled for? Would just like to get some other people's perspective on this.