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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!

FPD1 Medication side effects
  • replies: 4

I noticed in the (Medical Treatments for Anxiety) page on Beyond blue that the most important side effect is not mentioned at all. Suicidal thoughts and feelings are mentioned as a side effect on every anxiety medication i have ever taken and i think... View more

I noticed in the (Medical Treatments for Anxiety) page on Beyond blue that the most important side effect is not mentioned at all. Suicidal thoughts and feelings are mentioned as a side effect on every anxiety medication i have ever taken and i think it is irresponsible not to mention it clearly and to not have a section discussing it. Why is this?

Hanna3 Trouble with group GP practice & obtaining S8 medication - toxic practice?
  • replies: 9

Hi all, I have moved to a new regional town and needed to find a new GP. I'm on an S8 medication for panic attacks so it requires a phone call from a GP to obtain a script - not usually a big deal. Went to a big group GP practice here and the woman G... View more

Hi all, I have moved to a new regional town and needed to find a new GP. I'm on an S8 medication for panic attacks so it requires a phone call from a GP to obtain a script - not usually a big deal. Went to a big group GP practice here and the woman GP I saw was nasty, halved my anxiety medication and put the form through to the heath dept before I had the chance to stop her. I found her rude and she made inappropriate put-down remarks to me. I tried a second doctor at the practice on the advice of the receptionist, was told to call her Dr Jane as I didn't know how to pronounce her surname and neither did the reception staff, when I called her hello Dr Jane she blew up and said how dare I, I was to call her Dr Smith (I'm using made up names here obviously). So I ruled her out. Third GP at the practice was recommended to me. She didn't want to phone for the S8 drug but did so and I got it fine. That was the last visit, although I could see at that visit that her face changed when she realised I had tried two other doctors at the practice...they don't seem to like that. Went again yesterday, she told me I had to go back to the first doctor. I asked why, she said to get the S8 med. I said but you can give me that. She rang and got it no problem. Then asked me why I didn't like the first doctor. I found this highly inappropriate to talk to one doctor about a colleague of hers, so I simply said "I don't care for her manner". She said but other people like her. I said well I don't care for her manner. I came out shaking. Why in a group practice am I not free to see another GP there, other people do if their usual doctor is booked out or away etc. Why is it such an issue at a group practice, where all the doctors have access to my heath records, that I see the same one all the time for the S8 script? I am feeling like the practice is toxic the doctors seem so unpleasant. In a regional town it's hard to find a new GP. Has anyone ese had this kind of experience? Any advice (other than find another practice which I'm probably going to have to do but it's hard). Thanks.

Jazza86 Private health insurance for Psychiatric services
  • replies: 8

Hi. I have been trawling through the private insurance options for psych inpatient care and there are very few that offer full cover that aren't the most expensive top cover. I have found BUPA standard hospital for $122 single and then the top cover ... View more

Hi. I have been trawling through the private insurance options for psych inpatient care and there are very few that offer full cover that aren't the most expensive top cover. I have found BUPA standard hospital for $122 single and then the top cover of most other funds, but that is it. Does anyone have any experience using insurance for inpatient treatment since the changes were made? I am in NSW. Thanks in advance

spooler93 ECT/TMS and private health insurance
  • replies: 2

Hi all I'm considering ECT or TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) therapy in order to treat severe depression. I talked to my psychiatrist today and he mentioned that both would be a lot cheaper with private health insurance. He said that without... View more

Hi all I'm considering ECT or TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) therapy in order to treat severe depression. I talked to my psychiatrist today and he mentioned that both would be a lot cheaper with private health insurance. He said that without private insurance, both services would probably cost around 3-5 thousand dollars. However, I'm concerned about what private health providers will actually cover, as well as how long the waiting period will be until I can access the services. I want to keep disruption of my life to a minimum, so I'd rather do as many of the treatments as an outpatient as possible. Does anyone have experience of getting these services provided under a private health provider?

Pedro75 Barriers to finding the right therapist.
  • replies: 8

Hi all, Pete here. Posting this here on the advice of another forum member. Living with anxiety and depression. Had some really sharp postnatal panic and depression post the birth of my first son. I'm a BB speaker and have had my story published in p... View more

Hi all, Pete here. Posting this here on the advice of another forum member. Living with anxiety and depression. Had some really sharp postnatal panic and depression post the birth of my first son. I'm a BB speaker and have had my story published in print and online in an effort to help other Dads who may of experienced postnatal mental illness. Sorry for the long intro but I wanted to be sure that everybody feels I am legit. Anyway, re therapy. It took me quite some time to find and develop a good relationship with my therapist. Has anyone else found that process to be harder than it should be? I am aware and respect the rules of this forum in "no recommendations' but I wanted to see if anyone else out there thinks that finding the right therapy/therapist can sometimes cost too much time and money? I'm not disputing what therapy costs, just the cost of sitting through sessions before finding the right fit? Cheers.

Brant A Discussion on How Mental Health Professionals Could be More Empathetic
  • replies: 13

Hey Everyone Before I start, I would like to address I am not name and shame. By sharing my story, I wish to start a conversation on how mental health professionals could be more empathetic. Everyone is welcome to share their similar experiences. PLE... View more

Hey Everyone Before I start, I would like to address I am not name and shame. By sharing my story, I wish to start a conversation on how mental health professionals could be more empathetic. Everyone is welcome to share their similar experiences. PLEASE still be respectful and DO NOT mention any information that could lead someone to be identified here. It starts with my relapse into depression in September. As a result, I missed some university work, so I was advised by my course coordinator to apply for special consideration. I have my psychologist, who was an excellent counselor at the clinic of my university and has been nothing but empathetic towards my situation. However, she was fully booked until mid-December. So, I decided to book for a quick triage session at the same clinic, to seek some general advice and counseling instead of sitting idly home. It has never been my intention to have to obtain a support letter through a new psychologist who only happens to work for triage that day. However, once I finished telling him what happened to me, it seemed that he immediately assumed that I was only there to 'force' him to give me a medical certificate. Under that assumption, he just behaved in such a way as if every question from me was an argument directed against him for not giving me the document. In the end, he only said something along the line of "I am sorry, but I have to be that guy. " Although I looked calm, my anxieties have been through the roof for a while now, and I have no one but mental health professionals to share my feeling with cause I live alone in a city far from my hometown. Throughout the session, he never even asked once, "how are you feeling now?". In the end, I wasn't even assisted by him to be booked in with my psychologist, which is precisely the purpose of the triage service. I understand time could be tight in a short session. Still, I would feel much better if he had taken 2 seconds to ask me about my feeling instead of giving me an apology that I never asked for. I wish more mental health professionals to be more aware that your assumptions on clients significantly impact how you interact with them. Your personal frustration would easily drive your clients away. In my case, I would definitely avoid this particular psychologist in the future.

Erin83 Staged Medication, Issue with Chemist
  • replies: 4

Hi I am wondering if anyone else has had an issue with a chemist over staged meds? I am on staged medications by choice in consultation with my GP, I only get a week supply at a time. The chemist I was using had been my regular chemist for a number o... View more

Hi I am wondering if anyone else has had an issue with a chemist over staged meds? I am on staged medications by choice in consultation with my GP, I only get a week supply at a time. The chemist I was using had been my regular chemist for a number of years but since the staged meds started I feel I have been treated so poorly. When I first took the script in the pharmacist on duty was great and supportive and set it all up for me and did the paperwork without a fuss. However since then the other 2 pharmacists one of which is the owner have repeatedly questioned me about why I needed to be staged and wanted to know the ins and outs of my 2 suicide attempts including dates, medications, amounts etc , and changed the original paperwork to state that I must pay a fee per medication. This was all done with a line of people behind me. The fee works out to cost more per month than the actual medication costs me. It has gotten to the point where I stopped taking it because the anxiety I was getting from have to go to this chemist felt as though it was worse than the depression I need the meds for. I finally got the courage to tell my GP that I had stopped taking it and why so he wrote a letter so that I could move the scripts to another chemist. I went in with the letter today and they were so rude to me, wanting to know why, and that I was inconveniencing them because they had already made the next batch. They told me I would have to keep going there for another month and then they would release the scripts which I refused. I was in tears, shaking so much I was on the verge of a full blown panic attack but that didn’t stop them. My poor daughter who is only 12 was trying to comfort me. They kept me waiting for about 10mins then gave me the scripts. I now have to find a new chemist which gives me anxiety all over again because I don’t want to go through that again. I understand that they may need some info regarding the reason for staged meds but I felt as though I was humiliated every time I went in there and surely telling my story once should be enough. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Do you have any advice on dealing with it please? I now have to fin

Guest556 Pharmaceuticals or go it alone
  • replies: 2

I wonder, if struggling with managing The over use of harmful substances , whether consulting a medical professional really helps? How likely is it that substance abuse is managed with pharmaceuticals (other substances)? Just wondering.

I wonder, if struggling with managing The over use of harmful substances , whether consulting a medical professional really helps? How likely is it that substance abuse is managed with pharmaceuticals (other substances)? Just wondering.