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Missmay97 The first step
  • replies: 3

I found out I was pregnant, due in April 2020, in November 2019 I found out at 20 weeks my baby had extreme abnormalities and would not survive. At 21 weeks I birthed my baby, she was stillborn, born without life. I haven’t seeked any help yet as I d... View more

I found out I was pregnant, due in April 2020, in November 2019 I found out at 20 weeks my baby had extreme abnormalities and would not survive. At 21 weeks I birthed my baby, she was stillborn, born without life. I haven’t seeked any help yet as I don’t know where to begin. I don’t want to talk about it because it hurts, but I’m not coping well. My sister is due with her first baby in a few weeks, my friend at work is newly pregnant and my boss is having his baby this month. There are so many triggers and I don’t know how to handle it. I usually just end up crying all day and sleeping. I’m still working to try and stay busy but it’s becoming too much to handle and I’m ready to quit. Everyone thinks I’m so strong because I returned to work and they only see my happy face, on the inside I’m screaming for help. I have no answers as to why my baby was different and I have no answers of it happening again. I’m digging myself into a hole by not seeking help. I need to know where to start. I guess this is the first step?

Bella_G Looking for anxiety support groups
  • replies: 2

Are there any meet up groups in Melbourne western or northern suburbs. It would be helpful to talk to others experiencing the same health issues. Anyone know of any groups? 40-50 year Olds?

Are there any meet up groups in Melbourne western or northern suburbs. It would be helpful to talk to others experiencing the same health issues. Anyone know of any groups? 40-50 year Olds?

CactusCookie CBT, ACT, Mindfulness, Oh My! What next to try?
  • replies: 4

Greetings I am interested in reading the experiences or thoughts of others in regard to types of therapy. I have been living with depression and anxiety for over twenty years and started my journey toward recovery around seven years ago. I used to ap... View more

Greetings I am interested in reading the experiences or thoughts of others in regard to types of therapy. I have been living with depression and anxiety for over twenty years and started my journey toward recovery around seven years ago. I used to approach it with the aim of getting rid of it, but I am slowly accepting that I will probably be managing the symptoms for the longer term. I have tried a handful of different types of therapy, and medication. I used to have a lovely GP, but they have stopped practicing. So far I have tried CBT, Schema Therapy and ACT. I’ve had counselling where I talk about what is happening and how I’m managing it and they just flood me with abundant reassurance. I’ve kept structured and unstructured journals. Practiced mindfulness and the gamut of frequently recommended lifestyle adjustments. What next? I’d be interested to read about people’s experiences with therapy that isn’t CBT or ACT. Love it? Hate it? What have you tried? I have read recently about Narrative Therapy, for example. Anyone tried it? Thanks for your time

Alleycat73 Health Plan - Change of GP for review?
  • replies: 2

Hi - My GP was on holidays last year - so I went to a local clinic (different to his) and the GP there gave me a mental health plan. It's time for renewal - and I'm wondering how I can transfer it to my regular GP for the review? I know if it was in ... View more

Hi - My GP was on holidays last year - so I went to a local clinic (different to his) and the GP there gave me a mental health plan. It's time for renewal - and I'm wondering how I can transfer it to my regular GP for the review? I know if it was in the same clinic i could have another GP there - but it's an entirely different place - and I don't really want to go back to the "fill in GP" for maintaining this. Thanks - I tried to find a post like this - but could only find ones about changing Psychologists during the plan

WokingOnIt Therapy as a "crutch" and what that might mean
  • replies: 6

Hello All. What does the idea of "using therapy (or a therapist) as a crutch" mean to you? Is it a always a bad thing? My therapist has said this to me multiple times - that he doesn't want to and can't be a crutch, and I have been pondering the mean... View more

Hello All. What does the idea of "using therapy (or a therapist) as a crutch" mean to you? Is it a always a bad thing? My therapist has said this to me multiple times - that he doesn't want to and can't be a crutch, and I have been pondering the meaning of that. I can see his point (I think - I still need to ask him to clarify exactly what his point is) but after all, a crutch is mighty handy when you have a broken leg and it is healing but you still need to get around. I fully intend to have a proper conversation with him about it next session - but I am curious as to what other people think about it in the meantime.

Sezza_H In need of extra help
  • replies: 2

Hello all, I’m currently seeing a psychologist at Headspace and have been doing so for the past couple of years. I have a mental health care plan so I am covered for 10 sessions with my psychologist each year. This is going well but I would like extr... View more

Hello all, I’m currently seeing a psychologist at Headspace and have been doing so for the past couple of years. I have a mental health care plan so I am covered for 10 sessions with my psychologist each year. This is going well but I would like extra support on top of this, I am just not sure how to obtain this and how this works with the mental health care plan. Does anyone know if it’s possible to get more than 10 sessions a year? Would this extra support have to be sought outside of an organisation such as Headspace? Finally, how does all this work with the mental health care plan?

silicontrip "No you prescribe it" My GP and Psychiatrist are at odds
  • replies: 18

I saw a psychiatrist for a medication review, and they recommended a particular drug. However my GP doesn't want to prescribe as it's not a commonly GP prescribed drug and they've had no experience with it. So eventually I went back to the psychiatri... View more

I saw a psychiatrist for a medication review, and they recommended a particular drug. However my GP doesn't want to prescribe as it's not a commonly GP prescribed drug and they've had no experience with it. So eventually I went back to the psychiatrist who asked why I hadn't started on the drug saying that they had provided detailed instructions so my GP should know what to do. My GP is still not comfortable prescribing it, saying I should be seeing a psychiatrist regularly for medication reviews. Of course I'm stuck in the middle not able to get a recommended drug. Has anyone else been in this sort of situation? Or know what my next steps would be. I'm a bit uncomfortable contacting a new GP saying "will you prescribe blah?" I don't know what to do.

oceanentity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • replies: 2

Hello. What are your experiences with CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy ) ? I’m doing some research about it online and have started hearing people talk about it as a “breakthrough “ for people with Anxiety and depression etc.

Hello. What are your experiences with CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy ) ? I’m doing some research about it online and have started hearing people talk about it as a “breakthrough “ for people with Anxiety and depression etc.

theo-m Therapy without a clear goal
  • replies: 5

I find therapy challenging as I'm not a big talker and I tend to cut myself off from my feelings as much as I can if I have to be emotionally vulnerable. Earlier this year I had some good sessions with a therapist as I was tiptoeing around a possible... View more

I find therapy challenging as I'm not a big talker and I tend to cut myself off from my feelings as much as I can if I have to be emotionally vulnerable. Earlier this year I had some good sessions with a therapist as I was tiptoeing around a possible mental health crisis (I succeeded!!). After we'd passed the crisis I definitely had issues that I wanted to bring up but I found that: 1. I could barely think about them, let alone verbalise them 2. They weren't impairing my day-to-day functioning so talking about them wouldn't solve an immediate problem (so in my mind I didn't consider them necessary to talk about) I've been able to write some of it down, both the situations and the way that they make me feel, but I don't know that talking about them would help me? As I said, my functioning is fine, and there's no real goal with talking about them apart from having someone know. Hilariously during my last session with my therapist I tried to talk through these thoughts, however, at the time I could barely think about them so it was all a bit of a wash. How should I approach bringing up issues that have no goal other than to have someone know about them? Should I even bring up issues that I don't have a goal about? Previously all my therapy has been functioning focussed so I'm kinda lost.

court8 Bad experience with GP... Unsure how to commence MHCP?
  • replies: 3

Hi! I'm new here and hope this is the appropriate place to post this. About a month ago, I went to a GP to discuss feelings of anxiety and depression I had been experiencing for some months. I also shared that through my line of work I had experience... View more

Hi! I'm new here and hope this is the appropriate place to post this. About a month ago, I went to a GP to discuss feelings of anxiety and depression I had been experiencing for some months. I also shared that through my line of work I had experienced a few triggers that took me back to trauma in my childhood relating to domestic violence. The GP began to give me a "pep talk" on opting to think "positive thoughts" instead and to not become too attached to my job and to also see any experiences I had as a child as just "arguments" rather than witnessing what I am certain is emotional abuse. This really upset me and I found myself shutting off from her during the consultation as it had taken me months to build up the courage to seek help and I felt I was being judged for the feelings I was having and for not coping better in a professional sense. I don't have a GP I regularly go to so I did not have the option to seek advice from one that I knew or was comfortable with. I received a Mental Health Care Plan and the GP gave me the number of a psychologist but told me she can be difficult to book an appointment with, which made me feel more anxious. It is my own fault that I haven't arranged my first session with a psychologist but after this experience, I felt defeated and upset, particularly as it felt hard enough going to the GP. I am now at a point where I know I need to seek some support, particularly as I have started a new job and have been experiencing nauseating worry after each shift concerned that I have done something wrong, relaying everything I did during my time at work. I wanted to ask how do I go about finding a counsellor/psychologist who will see me with the mental health care plan? I am uncertain about the one the GP provided because of this experience. I want to find one that suits me but I don't know how to find one that will accept the MHCP. I would also like to know if I can see another GP when the MHCP is up for review? I do not feel comfortable going back to this GP. Thank you!