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PurpleRed Making a complaint to Health Complaints Commisioner
  • replies: 10

I was charged full price for five psychology appointments even though I'm on a concession card and the clinic offers concession rates. I brought up this issue with the clinic this psychologist works through, and they basically told me "too bad, so sa... View more

I was charged full price for five psychology appointments even though I'm on a concession card and the clinic offers concession rates. I brought up this issue with the clinic this psychologist works through, and they basically told me "too bad, so sad" and that they wouldn't be refunding me the difference. They never once asked for my concession card - Neither the clinic itself or my psychologist. They told me that as per their policy, I had to "show my concession card to my practitioner so they could make a copy". Couldn't exactly "show" my card as COVID-19 made all our appointments online and she wouldn't have been able to make a "copy". Am I being unreasonable in my request for a refund? Has anyone dealt with this before or with the Health Complaints Commisioner? I'm wondering if it's worth wasting my breath on it, or if there is a different organisation that may help. Thinking about local government/MPs as well. Thanks

Shebs Impossible to get an appointment with a Psychiatrist
  • replies: 6

I have had major depression and anxiety for 30 years and I can’t believe that we are Still wasting money on raising awareness of mental illness! R U OK DAY is NOT giving us anything! People just see it and do nothing!! Yet I can’t get into see a Psyc... View more

I have had major depression and anxiety for 30 years and I can’t believe that we are Still wasting money on raising awareness of mental illness! R U OK DAY is NOT giving us anything! People just see it and do nothing!! Yet I can’t get into see a Psychiatrist because they’re booked out and not taking any new patients!! I had a Psychiatrist years ago when I was first diagnosed and he was charged and convicted for sexually abusing a female patient! My GP is very good but he has a lot of patients and is wanting me to go and see a Psychiatrist again for a new diagnosis. I was BiPolar for years but now am mostly depressed and anxious without any mania. I have no friends anymore as they don’t want to know about depression. WE NEED HELP NOT CAMPAIGNS!!

HateTheSystem Doctors, Therapist - Diagnosis, Help
  • replies: 4

Hi currently new to this forum. I am currently homeless and couch surfing. I have been to jail and still having issues with drug dependence. I also have many undiagnosed health/mental issues stopping me from doing work that Centrelink wants me to do ... View more

Hi currently new to this forum. I am currently homeless and couch surfing. I have been to jail and still having issues with drug dependence. I also have many undiagnosed health/mental issues stopping me from doing work that Centrelink wants me to do etc. They told me to find a doctor and therapist so they can try put me in DES. I used to see a regular doctor in my area but he has shut up shop and I only found out when I went there this year to find he not longer a doctor. I now need to find a new doctor for my case. I am going through hard times atm with pressure from Centrelink. thanks

Mark_H How to get help?
  • replies: 2

Can anyone suggest how I can get help with mental health issues. I've approached ACT Mental Health several times, and each time they have told me to "go away".

Can anyone suggest how I can get help with mental health issues. I've approached ACT Mental Health several times, and each time they have told me to "go away".

geoff Dreams while on antidepressants
  • replies: 13

we all have dreams, but what I want to talk about is when we are taking antidepressants that most of our dreams are about people who we may not have seen for years and all of a sudden we dream about them and normally in unusual circumstances, so when... View more

we all have dreams, but what I want to talk about is when we are taking antidepressants that most of our dreams are about people who we may not have seen for years and all of a sudden we dream about them and normally in unusual circumstances, so when we are in depression then this automatically starts the day off badly, whereas when we have overcome this illness we can just fob them off as being stupid dreams and take NO notice of them, or we may laugh at them, and still wonder why they involve people from years ago, but it doesn't affect our mood. Geoff.

Mantec Discontinuing Medication
  • replies: 3

I think this is my first forum post on here. I don't really do it much. I'm 20m, and I have been on an SSRI since 2017, since changed to a different medication, during which I was diagnozed with ADHD by a different psychiatrist and prescribed another... View more

I think this is my first forum post on here. I don't really do it much. I'm 20m, and I have been on an SSRI since 2017, since changed to a different medication, during which I was diagnozed with ADHD by a different psychiatrist and prescribed another medication which gradually increased. Anyway, I had CFS in my final year of high school (2016) which seems to be recurring every now and again for a couple of weeks, which I believe began to happen just before/ after increasing one of my medications, after which I got really bad constipation which prevented me from continuing with my fitness regimen and also was when I completely stopped practicing music for just over a year. It was my 5th/ 6th discontinued semester at university (which I do very much want to be going to), and I had managed to get myself totally socially isolated - as I often do - which resulted in my psych giving me a prescription for an antidepressant. I hated it from the get-go: it made me very constipated, lethargic, sleep too long, feel drowsy and generally more stupid, and I just didn't care about things that should make me anxious; it made my life feel like a safety infomercial. He gave me another medication as well, and now I get all kinds of weird spasms/ what feel like palpitations, I can't get my heartrate much above 170 (about a 30bpm reduction despite being generally fittest I've ever been) without fading, and I just have no passion. I was going to university though (more important than the actual work), so I figured I'd keep it up for the semester: Obviously COVID-19 destroyed any therapeutic benefit; I have now recessed heavily into depression; dropping many subjects, not knowing what day it is, waking up after noon... I'm finding it harder to focus to get already overdue assignments in, and I feel little use of the meds now, especially given how constipated, foggy and tired I am - half my time is spent waiting on the toilet because of gut pain and the other trying to focus my eyes to read. My weight literally fluctuates by like 5kg throughout some days. I've decided to taper off, I recall a 3-4 day period to reduce my dose by a small amount. I'm hoping this will be fine, but I'm now worried about side-effects (like fibromyalgia or anger).

pinktulip Reduced cognitive function re depression
  • replies: 15

Hi there, I would like to know if anyone who has ever felt they had reduced cognitive function due to feeling depressed been told to go see a neuropsychologist. I kind of want to know because I think I was given a brush off previously by a Mental Hea... View more

Hi there, I would like to know if anyone who has ever felt they had reduced cognitive function due to feeling depressed been told to go see a neuropsychologist. I kind of want to know because I think I was given a brush off previously by a Mental Health Unit and they just randomly suggested it... GP wasn't aware of it... Secondly, how are you meant to raise reduced cognitive function with a psychologist or psychiatrist? Because when I do, it's seen as perfectionism... Maybe that's because I'm still a student. If you are currently in the workforce, do you get taken more seriously re reduced cognitive function? Because I've been told I can't have antidepressants ever again due to antidepressant induced hypomania.... and I'm in the situation when if I've gone to a psychiatrist and they suggest medication of other class my mother flips out and says I have adverse reactions to everything... And it hasn't helped when no one is definite on diagnosis... Doctor says I'm working on the hypothesis you have bipolar II... Or another doctor: being told you're autistic and that you could try medication (but no mention of bipolar)

jemma09 Therapy experiences
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone! I hope you are all safe and well. I've started therapy in the last couple months or so. This is the first time I've properly been to therapy. I have found it to be very overwhelming and confronting at times. I feel very uncomfortable sha... View more

Hi everyone! I hope you are all safe and well. I've started therapy in the last couple months or so. This is the first time I've properly been to therapy. I have found it to be very overwhelming and confronting at times. I feel very uncomfortable sharing my anxiety issues. My therapist is great and I appreciate her views on situations. She is able to see my situations from a different perspective - she notices things I do and how I react. It is good to be able to identify/work on the negative things I am doing... However, it's very hard to hear and actually accept my anxiety. Has anyone also had this type of experience? What were your experiences with therapy? Thank you for reading. Take care -jemma09

Catie 08 Avoiding exposure therapy
  • replies: 5

Hi, I was wondering if there are others here that have been through exposure therapy who would be willing to share their experiences? I have been avoiding doing exposure in therapy (to help with PTSD) but I know that I will need to just face it at so... View more

Hi, I was wondering if there are others here that have been through exposure therapy who would be willing to share their experiences? I have been avoiding doing exposure in therapy (to help with PTSD) but I know that I will need to just face it at some point. I have tried to do some exposure therapy at home on my own to see if I can do it but I just shut it down which is very frustrating. I guess I thought if I could try and prepare myself before I got there it might help? When I first went to therapy I sat with the therapist and made a list of all the things that made me anxious or that I avoid and I have been able to face a lot of the things and even work on them on my own but not this. Any advice or guidance would be appreciated. Catie08

dare2diva Mindfullness
  • replies: 4

HI All I am just wondering about what others do in terms of mindfulness. I do colouring and drinking pots of tea out of my nice tea set for 1.I also try to meditate every day, This is a hard thing but I still try. One of my work colleagues do meditat... View more

HI All I am just wondering about what others do in terms of mindfulness. I do colouring and drinking pots of tea out of my nice tea set for 1.I also try to meditate every day, This is a hard thing but I still try. One of my work colleagues do meditation with us ever week which is great. What do you do for mindfulness? What meditation videos have you found online that helps you? Do you know of any good blogs or podcasts for mindfulness or meditation? I am just trying to mix things up a bit. I hope you are all well. Things do get better. T