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Ovait Feeling violated by treatments
  • replies: 4

I have suffered with depression & cognitive deficits for the past 2 years since a mild traumatic brain injury. This injury has turned my world upside down with unknown future implications. I have lost my job, my career, my identity, my home. Depressi... View more

I have suffered with depression & cognitive deficits for the past 2 years since a mild traumatic brain injury. This injury has turned my world upside down with unknown future implications. I have lost my job, my career, my identity, my home. Depression (& SI) seems a perfectly rational response to me. Over the past 2 years I have been hospitalised multiple times (usually involuntarily), been diagnosed with as many psychiatric illnesses as professionals I’ve seen (all based on nothing more than subjective observation & most not resonating at all), subjected to lengthy rounds of ECT & made to take countless medications that proved completely useless in curing let alone helping me. Whenever I’ve questioned “why” re a diagnosis or treatment I’ve been labelled as having no insight or being narcissistic thinking I know better than my doctors. My cognition has now improved to the point that I can read again. In my reading I am discovering evidence from expert psychiatrists & researchers regarding the harmful effects of ECT (that it is basically causes brain damage to the frontal cortex which accounts for my trouble with some higher executive functioning that wasn’t evident pre ECT) & that antidepressants aren’t any more clinically significantly effective than sugar pills in treating the “chemical imbalance” of depression (a theory that the World Health Organisation among others has refuted for many years due to lack of scientific evidence) & are basically neurotoxins that lead to long term physical changes to brain structure. And don’t get me started on the violation of my human rights being involuntarily detained in hospital. We don’t detain medical patients who refuse treatment so why do it to a psych patient? I feel completely violated. These so called treatments have created an almost PTSD state in me. I have faith in the “talk therapy” I get with my psychologist but I have completely lost confidence in the pseudo scientific treatments dished out by psychiatrists. All they have done is delay my recovery by refusing to entertain the idea that I might actually have a brain injury (which has now been diagnosed) requiring cognitive rehab. Now to hope that 2 years down the track isn’t too late for correct treatment. Ovait

WeAllNeedHelp Mixed feeling about work.
  • replies: 4

Hi all, Kaylee here. So I have recently started a new job as a registered nurse around 2 months ago at my local hospital. It feels nice to be in the work force working however I am already starting to feel burnt out? Not exactly sure what it is I am ... View more

Hi all, Kaylee here. So I have recently started a new job as a registered nurse around 2 months ago at my local hospital. It feels nice to be in the work force working however I am already starting to feel burnt out? Not exactly sure what it is I am feeling. I don't mind the shift work and working up to 6 days in a row, however I am not enjoying the ward itself that I am on. I don't know if it's the environment ( I think this is a major part) as it is a busy and fast paced ward, and/or partly the people even though they are good for the most part. So I don't know what to do, if I should start looking for a new position, or just wait it out until my contract has finished in January? I know the transition is hard from finishing Uni and finding my feet in a new job. In saying this I feel like I didn't go through 3.5 years of uni to have anxiety going into work because I feel like I'm going to have a terrible shift because I wont be able to come and because I am not enjoying it and I'm already not wanting to be there. I am seeing a counsellor in a few days so I will ask for some advice there also. I just don't want to quit after putting in so much time and effort to get this far. On top of all of this I have recently started back on my antidepressant medications as I feel it was important to try them while starting. They have helped somewhat in my emotional state but they still can only do so much. SO trying to manage this on top of the stresses at work has been making it a struggle as I don't want people to think I am not cut out for the job due to the high standard expected of me to be able to deliver the best care. How can I do this when I am trying to manage my emotions outside AND inside of work hours ? I have already taken one mental health day for myself which was REALLY nice. I can't afford to take any more! Cheers

JaneH Sons Gambling Problem
  • replies: 1

my son (young adult) has a gambling problem and anxiety, he would like to get help but cant seem to find someone. He doesnt know why he does it and realises too late that all the money has gone?

my son (young adult) has a gambling problem and anxiety, he would like to get help but cant seem to find someone. He doesnt know why he does it and realises too late that all the money has gone?

Guest5643 Petrified of psychologists
  • replies: 5

I don't know what to do. Ive been on a waiting list for quite awhile for the free local health district psycholgist. I just got a letter saying i have to decide by the 25th this month if I'm to still go ahead with it. I'm not going pretend I'm well b... View more

I don't know what to do. Ive been on a waiting list for quite awhile for the free local health district psycholgist. I just got a letter saying i have to decide by the 25th this month if I'm to still go ahead with it. I'm not going pretend I'm well because I'm not but I've become scared of seing psychologists because i got verbaly abused one tine because i was twiddling my thumbs and was anxious that day. I got in big trouble for not going on a steady path of becoming well. I was to get noticely better with each visit and never have a set back and i was accosted because of that and she told me theres people on a wait list and its not fair on them because im not taking it seriously. From then on i lied each time i went and had a fake smile so i could get discharged from there system because i was scared of her after that.

AShadowWolf GP said they couldn't give me a MHCP nor refer me to any other mental health service because they didn't know me. Normal?
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I managed to work up the courage after hours of pacing around the area, to walk into the GP clinic that I had planned on visiting, and talk to the GP about my mental health. I don't like my family GP so this was a new one. I told her tha... View more

Hi everyone, I managed to work up the courage after hours of pacing around the area, to walk into the GP clinic that I had planned on visiting, and talk to the GP about my mental health. I don't like my family GP so this was a new one. I told her that I had been struggling with my mental health issues for several years now, that it was getting worse because I wasn't receiving treatment, and that it was impacting my ability to function to the point where I couldn't work and I failed my last year and a half of uni. I had my piece of paper in my pocket with all my symptoms and everything but paused to gauge her reaction before going into specifics. She told me she didn't specialise in mental health which is fine but I figured she'd still be able to help me or at least refer me to someone who could. Instead, she said my uni would have services to deal with my issues and I told her that I needed a MHCP to access them. She said she couldn't give me one because she didn't know me. That was surprising. People see new GPs all the time. She told me to see my family GP and I told her that I hadn't seen him in years and he didn't know about my mental health issues so it wouldn't be any different. I asked her if she could refer me to someone who could diagnose me or give me meds and she said she couldn't give referrals because she didn't know me. She told me again, to see my family GP. That I was born here so I should have one. To ask my mum/ dad/ siblings for their GP instead. I was a little speechless so I just thanked her and left. I don't even know what to do. Wasn't expecting that result. I find it weird that she didn't give me any help because she didn't know me. This surely isn't normal, right? I worry that all the GPs in my area are the same because mental health is never talked about in my community and most people have an outdated view on it.

andyb74 ADHD medication holiday
  • replies: 4

Hello all - this is my first post, i have suffered and been diagnosed with GAD/depression and been taking ssri medication for the last 8 years. I was diagnosed with adult adhd in January 2019 - i'm 45 years old. Now I'm on medications for both - no i... View more

Hello all - this is my first post, i have suffered and been diagnosed with GAD/depression and been taking ssri medication for the last 8 years. I was diagnosed with adult adhd in January 2019 - i'm 45 years old. Now I'm on medications for both - no issues, the adhd diagnosis has been pretty life changing in a good way, everything about my past (although not dwelling in it), has started to make sense - anxiety/addiction/lack of focus, etc - sounds similar to lots of other people on here diagnosed with adult adhd. My question is - my psychiatrist mentioned I should be taking adhd medication holidays every month for a day or two (definitely not talking about holidays from anti depressants - just to make that clear.) My GP hasn't heard too much about it. My psychologist has suggested rather than take no adhd medication - maybe take reduced adhd medication for a day or two. Has anyone else with adult adhd had experience with this subject? There is alot of info on the internet about kids taking adhd medication holidays - but very little about adult adhd.. I currently take instant release adhd meds. Also - i'll add - I did take 2 days off in February 2019, but felt it didn't really help. Since then I have been taking adhd meds everyday as prescribed. I'm back to see my psychiatrist in August. cheers Andy

Shenpa Psychiatrist consultation times
  • replies: 3

I've been seeing a psychiatrist for just over a year now. My psychologist wanted me to see one to get a diagnosis, so she could help me more. I have a several concerns about him, but one in particular is regarding his consultation time. I'm supposed ... View more

I've been seeing a psychiatrist for just over a year now. My psychologist wanted me to see one to get a diagnosis, so she could help me more. I have a several concerns about him, but one in particular is regarding his consultation time. I'm supposed to see him for an hour, but I've only ever spent half an hour with him. When I sign the form at the reception, it says the consultation must be a minimum of 45 minutes. I'm too scared to ask him for fear of being in trouble. He bulk bills, after an initial consultation which is very expensive. I feel very uncomfortable about this, and don't know what to do.

EmmaP SSRI Immediate Effects (First Week)- Normal??
  • replies: 7

Hi Everyone, My doctor started me on a SSRI Anti Depressant last week for anxiety and depression. I just finished my first four days of the half dose and now I am on the first day of the full dose. The first day I took them I didn't really feel anyth... View more

Hi Everyone, My doctor started me on a SSRI Anti Depressant last week for anxiety and depression. I just finished my first four days of the half dose and now I am on the first day of the full dose. The first day I took them I didn't really feel anything, just a bit drowsy a couple of hours after taking it (I took them with food). The next day in the afternoon (I took the dose in the morning) I started feeling like I couldnt concentrate, like I would be staring at something like my computer at my desk job and I knew I was looking and I was trying really hard to work out what I was looking at but It wasn't computing or concentrating properly (if that makes sense). Kind of like when you have a dead leg and you are trying really hard to get it to move but It wont listen to your brain or it feels like its in slow motion. I felt fine to drive (wouldnt drive if I thought it was unsafe) but when I was stopped at traffic lights on the way home I would find myself staring off into space much more than usual, my brain still wasn't computing that I was staring at something. Then when I got home I had the absolute giggles, everything was funny which was strange. I felt silly I was jumping around overly happy and excited over everything but I felt good! Saturday was much the same and when I went out and didn't drink I still felt like the life of the party, on a 'high' if you will, whereas usually if I had gone out and not drunk I would have felt boring and not as fun. Everything was funny and exciting and I was much happier than usual. Sunday I had an anxiety attack in the morning and felt anxious once more, and had another couple of attacks in stressful situations. Then the afternoon I felt good again. Today (Monday) the first day of full dose, about two hours after I took the dosage I felt slightly drowsy, and I just had a wave come over me and I felt adrenaline course through my body, light headed and weak. I haven't exerted myself, I'm just at my desk job. I feel odd, but not overly happy like I have been. Its still an effort to concentrate properly on my work. Are these normal sort of reactions? I was a bit concerned when I felt overly happy the first couple of days because I felt much better than I had been for a long time, no anxiety or the feeling of being down or sad, but my doc said it would take at least 4-6 weeks to work properly. Is this just my body getting used to it? Anyone's personal experiences or opinions would be much appreciated!

16sundayz Hypnosis
  • replies: 4

I don't suppose anyone here could help me? I've been talking to my psychologist lately about him doing hypnosis to help me relax more in sessions and not get so anxious that I end up dissociating and "freezing up" as he calls it. The thing is I have ... View more

I don't suppose anyone here could help me? I've been talking to my psychologist lately about him doing hypnosis to help me relax more in sessions and not get so anxious that I end up dissociating and "freezing up" as he calls it. The thing is I have no idea what questions or so to ask to get it started. I do know that I'd like to be less anxious and less triggered which then in turn causes the freezing up and dissociating but I don't know how to get through even the beginning of it at the relaxing stage for him to continue going deeper in to it. Any advice would be really appreciated. He said we can start it when I want to and I asked him can we start at the next appointment which is August 13th.

Willy05 SNRI for Anxiety/Depression
  • replies: 5

HI all, I have been on the anti depressant merry go round for the past couple of months. After being on SSRI meds for around 10 years it pooped out on me. My GP has now put me on an SNRI for my anxiety and depression, but the GAD seems to be my major... View more

HI all, I have been on the anti depressant merry go round for the past couple of months. After being on SSRI meds for around 10 years it pooped out on me. My GP has now put me on an SNRI for my anxiety and depression, but the GAD seems to be my major problem of late. It is my 21st day on the SNRI, the first 2 weeks were hell, nausea most of the time, no appetite ( I have lost 12kg in two weeks) tingling body, this last week I have seen a lot of improvement, but I now seem to hit a wall in the middle of the day. I wake up at 4.30 am to exercise, either the gym or a walk. Get to work at 7am and clock off at 5pm. I feel great after exercising for a few hours, but as 9.30-10 am hits my mood drops, I loose interest, feel tired, I get the muscular aches and tingles, but as 2-3pm hits my mood lifts & I feel better until I go to bed at 9pm. I have a 3.5 year old son who can be a handful and a 9 week old son and a loving wife. My main question is will the wall I hit in the middle of the day get better after more time on the SNRI or should I be asking my GP about upping the dose?? Has anyone else experienced something like this??