Immediate support
Immediate 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 discussion

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
Jump to
Start a discussion

All discussions

Start a discussion

Anon1997 Scared to take anti depressants
  • replies: 4

Im not 100% sure about them. I don’t know much about them. I’m worried about taking them due to stigma in my family about them. I had a sister take them, we saw her at her worse with them (idk the name) but she was also abusing alcohol and drugs (not... View more

Im not 100% sure about them. I don’t know much about them. I’m worried about taking them due to stigma in my family about them. I had a sister take them, we saw her at her worse with them (idk the name) but she was also abusing alcohol and drugs (not 100% sure). I am also worried it won’t be good for me. I have a little son to care for, I need to be 100% with him all the time but I fear my mental health is really starting to take a toll. I don’t want to end up like my sister. She’s better now, I’m not sure if she’s still taking her meds now but she’s a lot better. I don’t smoke or drink or do drugs, so it’s not that I’m worried about. I fear I may become reliant on them like an addiction or the side effects that they may cause as I currently have another personal health concern the doctors can’t diagnose as of yet. I’m just unsure but if they help my mental health I’m kind of becoming open to the idea. Any advice? I haven’t had an appointment with my soon to be therapist yet but I think I may discuss them in the future, I would really like to try without the meds first. The dr said I’m more than welcome to come back and get a prescription for some but he wasn’t specific or anything as I said I didn’t want them. Sorry for the long post..

Shipsta Breathwork, diet changes, other alternate therapies
  • replies: 5

Hey guys, Following suffering with varying levels of depression and anxiety over the last 7 years and trying conventional methods of 'curing' myself i.e. seeing a number of psychologists, 4 different types of ADs (2 x SSRIs and 2 x SNRIs), exercise e... View more

Hey guys, Following suffering with varying levels of depression and anxiety over the last 7 years and trying conventional methods of 'curing' myself i.e. seeing a number of psychologists, 4 different types of ADs (2 x SSRIs and 2 x SNRIs), exercise etc. I still seem to fight the same battles within myself with little to no change. It's like I am stuck in a pattern of pain / depression / anxiety that I cannot seem to shake. Whilst I have not given up on exploring conventional methods i.e. trying other medications, I am also keen to start exploring other 'alternative' methods such as big diet changes (keto diet or fasting), breath work or TMS. Has anyone tried any of the above and can share their experiences? Or alternatively, if anyone has tried any other 'alternative' methods as I am keen to hear! Thanks in advance.

fran_h Help with weaning off prescription benzodiazepines
  • replies: 1

Im really struggling with weaning off a medication that i have been on for 15 years for abxiety, i was never told how hard it wouls be to wean off this medication, i really want to succeed but i dont know what withdrawl problems are ahead of me, i st... View more

Im really struggling with weaning off a medication that i have been on for 15 years for abxiety, i was never told how hard it wouls be to wean off this medication, i really want to succeed but i dont know what withdrawl problems are ahead of me, i started weaning 5 days ago under my gp's guidance

MissBenthos Anger management
  • replies: 8

I often have bursts of extreme anger that can last from 5-30 minutes and then just dissolves as quick as it came, leaving me sad and disappointed in myself. Anger for no obvious reason. It has become more frequent this year, I feel that my head and c... View more

I often have bursts of extreme anger that can last from 5-30 minutes and then just dissolves as quick as it came, leaving me sad and disappointed in myself. Anger for no obvious reason. It has become more frequent this year, I feel that my head and chest might literally explode there’s so much tension. I speculate that it could be hormonal but I really don’t know. I had a copper iud put in earlier this year as a non hormonal contraceptive option and it causes a lot of pain during periods and longer period lengths but I can’t connect it to any of this anger as the timing is all over the place. Another suspicion is that with lock down this year in Melbourne my regular exercise routine has been severely impacted and maybe this is where it’s coming from, my exercise has also been impacted by the pain caused by the iud. Part of maintaining my content/happiness comes from sex and so having reliable contraception is important for me. I find myself much better at explaining that I need some space when the anger burts hit these days. But there are still moments I think back on where I wished I didn’t overreact so much or I could maintain somewhat of a level head. I feel bad for stomping and growling because im incapable of containing myself in the moment or spiralling into my mind instead of keeping focus. I don’t want the people around me to have to experience my wrath or spacey-ness. How much anger is “normal”? A recent example was a work colleague not doing a task exactly as we discussed it sent me into a day dream of myself running around town smashing everything in my path with a bat. I feel like a normal reaction might be slight annoyance rather than a crazed person bent on destruction of the universe. For bit of background I had dysthymia for around 10 years, been in treatment seeing doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, on medication for years now. Have been out of the thick of it for about 3 years now, occasional depressive/anxiety relapses, but have been bouncing back for the most part. I guess where I need advice is how to tone the excessive anger down, how can I feel more calm? Or is it ok that this happens - to accept it as part of human experience? Thanks for being here

Ajt79 I don't know how to feel
  • replies: 2

I suffer from anxiety, depression and complex ptsd. ATM I don't know if it's depression but I don't know how to feel my emotions. For example I don't know if Im in love with my husband or am I loosing interest I honestly don't know. I can cry just li... View more

I suffer from anxiety, depression and complex ptsd. ATM I don't know if it's depression but I don't know how to feel my emotions. For example I don't know if Im in love with my husband or am I loosing interest I honestly don't know. I can cry just like that but I don't think I feel sad. Help me

Anonymous217 I need more help but my psychologist is unavailable
  • replies: 8

I've been working with my psychologist for 7 years now and I am in love with her. Not romantically in any way; I love her like a mother. But now I find myself unable to function. I see her fortnightly and in-between that I am just waiting for my next... View more

I've been working with my psychologist for 7 years now and I am in love with her. Not romantically in any way; I love her like a mother. But now I find myself unable to function. I see her fortnightly and in-between that I am just waiting for my next appointment. I can't sleep, I barely eat, I work and see friends but it's all just to kill time. I enjoy nothing in my life. My psychologist is the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing I think of when I go to sleep. I am outright miserable, the world seems grey and boring and cold, and all I can do is wait her like a looser. We've talked about this yearning quite openly; I've explained to her how much it hurts that I miss her so deeply all the time but have no way of relieving that pain. We've discussed how desperately depressed I have been and she agrees that I require more support (actually she thinks I should be in hospital). However, she is unable to see me more than once every 2 weeks because she simply doesn't have the time. She is fully booked. I know she feels bad about that and would change it if she could, but this is the reality. I have an appointment to see a psychiatrist in 5 months but beyond that there is nothing. Hospitalisation is not an option (for so many reasons I won't go into) and even presenting to the Emergency Department or calling Lifeline are things I am unwilling to do if I were in a crisis. The only hope I had was my psychologist, but living my life in two-week intervals and constantly rotting, waiting for her.... I just can't keep living this way. It is agony. Does anyone have any other options to throw out there for me? Where I can get more help?

ajkne12 Parents blocking access to medication
  • replies: 1

Hey, new user here, sorry if this is in the wrong place So, after a massive decline with my mental health, my psychologist recommended that i take medication to recover a bit, after 2 years of CBT therapy and the like. I also discussed things with a ... View more

Hey, new user here, sorry if this is in the wrong place So, after a massive decline with my mental health, my psychologist recommended that i take medication to recover a bit, after 2 years of CBT therapy and the like. I also discussed things with a school counselor, who did a separate assessment and said that medication would be helpful as well paired with other therapy. When parents were told about this, they just cancelled my next psychologist appointment, and said that they were going to find a new one. They seem to refuse to discuss the possibility of medication to assist therapy at all. I just want to ask, what should I do now? I highly doubt that my parents would listen to me regarding medication, and based on their reaction when the psychologist suggested it, I don't think they're willing to listen to professional advice either regarding this. Should I be this terrified of medication as well? Should I just keep trying with other therapy?

16sundayz Exposure Therapy
  • replies: 2

I suggested to my psychologist that we try exposure therapy for my anxiety and dissociating and he replied back with inducing a scenario that will bring it. I'm not sure exactly what he means but was wondering if anyone here has tried exposure therap... View more

I suggested to my psychologist that we try exposure therapy for my anxiety and dissociating and he replied back with inducing a scenario that will bring it. I'm not sure exactly what he means but was wondering if anyone here has tried exposure therapy? If you have what's involved? What happened? How did you find it? Did you think it helped/worked?

Silver_linings finding help
  • replies: 1

Hey Everyone, I have been trying to find affordable therapy for a while now and just can't seem to find any available Im nervous to ask my GP as I like to do my own search first and email around to feel the vibe, if you know what I mean? Its hard to ... View more

Hey Everyone, I have been trying to find affordable therapy for a while now and just can't seem to find any available Im nervous to ask my GP as I like to do my own search first and email around to feel the vibe, if you know what I mean? Its hard to find someone that fits preference. my current therapist is on maternity leave and doesn't know when she will be back but I feel like I'm in need of some extra support in the meantime.