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GucciSquirrel Voluntary admission - do I still need it? If so, can I have a little more time to prepare?
  • replies: 1

Hi all, Firstly, thank you for sharing all your experiences. I've found many of my questions about voluntary admission into a private psychiatric clinic have been answered in a number of previous threads, but I have a couple more. For background, I h... View more

Hi all, Firstly, thank you for sharing all your experiences. I've found many of my questions about voluntary admission into a private psychiatric clinic have been answered in a number of previous threads, but I have a couple more. For background, I have been off work for about 4 months due to my illness. I can't fit my entire medical history within a 2,500 character limit, but I was deemed unfit for work (and still am). About 3 months ago, I was placed on a waiting list to go into a private psychiatric clinic for treatment, as I was in a really bad place at this time. Late last week, I was informed it was my turn to go in for admission and a date has been set (two days time at the time of writing), but as I feel like I've made some recovery, I wonder whether or not there's still justification for me to become an inpatient. As suggested in a previous thread, I've made a list of goals that I'd like to achieve in order to get better. I've also read comments suggesting that being a voluntary patient in a private facility could be a great opportunity to work on getting better without any distractions. Whilst my main concern is whether or not I should go in for voluntary admission as the worst has passed for me (for now), I have external commitments that I am unable to delegate on such short (two working days) notice. Also, the clinic does not mention anything on its website relating to technology that may or may not be brought with patients. I am aware that the expectation is to fill my days with treatments and therapies, along with reading and/or artistic pursuits during downtime. However, my natural creativity manifests in written form, and I'm considerably more effective as a writer when using a PC rather than paper. I guess that's a question for the admissions staff. I'm wondering if it would be appropriate (or even possible) for me to ask for my admission to be delayed for a few more days. I need at least three working days to make arrangements to ensure my financial commitments can be met without interruption. Doing this would allow me to focus 100% of my mental energy on recovery. However, as above, my biggest concern is that I'll take a bed from away from someone that may need it more than I do right now. Whilst I'm not well enough to go back to work, I am improving and I am keen to get back as soon as I can. But I still need more help before I'm ready. Apologies for the wall of text, but there's a bit I needed to cover off. Thanks.

Beem Health anxiety/bereavement
  • replies: 2

Hi all. I'm a newbie here, and very nervous. I have suffered from health anxiety for a few years, and it started as nothing to really worry about. Right now, it is out of control. To make things worse, my Mum passed away very suddenly in February. I ... View more

Hi all. I'm a newbie here, and very nervous. I have suffered from health anxiety for a few years, and it started as nothing to really worry about. Right now, it is out of control. To make things worse, my Mum passed away very suddenly in February. I was there. I visited a GP months ago for help, and whilst sobbing out of desperation in her office, she was smirking at me. She prescribed me an addictive drug, but the script remains untouched and unfilled as I don't feel that will be beneficial. Now I don't know where to go for help. I am anxiety ridden, guilt ridden, and incredibly lonely. Every day I feel like this will be my last day on earth. From lung cancer (ex- smoker dealing with a huge amount of guilt), a brain tumour, heart attack, bowel cancer. I should be clear that I have no feelings of self harm. Would anyone have any suggestions on where to go from here? How many GP's can we visit looking for help before we are classified as doctor shopping? I appreciate you reading this far.

bluehorseshoes Best time to take medication - alertness side effect
  • replies: 4

Hi team, I've been taking an antidepressant for 7 months now and it has helped my anxiety a lot. I wanted to ask for advice here in terms of the best time of day to take ADs (antidepressant) - in order to avoid the side effects of lack of alertness/f... View more

Hi team, I've been taking an antidepressant for 7 months now and it has helped my anxiety a lot. I wanted to ask for advice here in terms of the best time of day to take ADs (antidepressant) - in order to avoid the side effects of lack of alertness/fatigue/trouble concentrating. I was first told to take mine in the morning, but have just this weekend started to take at night with meal to see if this reduces the fatigue that comes and goes during the day that started with the meds. What tips have you got for managing fatigue AD side effects - apart from napping :)? What time of day do you take it? If you've changed the timing of medication, what changes have you noted? Changes in your condition/changes in side effects? I would really appreciate comments from people with experience with ADs and fatigue/alertness side effects. In much appreciation, Bluey.

EmeraldE Should I Seek Professional Help?
  • replies: 3

Hi there everyone, I'm very new to Beyond Blue so I was hoping if someone could help me out. Recently, I've been through some really anxiety-inducing family issues that have left me feeling numb emotionally and even more recently, with an inability t... View more

Hi there everyone, I'm very new to Beyond Blue so I was hoping if someone could help me out. Recently, I've been through some really anxiety-inducing family issues that have left me feeling numb emotionally and even more recently, with an inability to concentrate and an overwhelming desire to just stay in bed and not get up. The fact that it's cold outside really doesn't help to much either. I'm in my second last year of highschool and have been feeling really unmotivated in class, despite having early been really looking forward to this year's studies. I come from a poor family from my mum's side (who I live with) and she's going through a really bad time with her divorce and is having to sell her family home and move us in with my grandmother who lives quite far away from my school and this has stressed her and myself out immensely. Since my dad took my mum to court, I haven't spoken to him but in years before that, we had visited him and his (admittedly terrible) girlfriend and her daughter. During that time I developed a fear of conflict (as he is quite loud when angry) and a severe fear of touch that I *think* might be haphephobia? I've also always had issues with sleep and have been unable to fall asleep before midnight for a few years now. My mother is going through a lot at the moment and doesn't have the time or money for my issues, so I don't want to worry her. However, I can see that my mental health has been affected deeply by the ongoing issues throughout my childhood so I want to get some professional opinions here. Should I seek out a therapist/psychologist/councilor? If so, how would I go about doing that and what would it cost me, assuming that I would likely have to fund such a thing through my own funds to not put pressure on my mother. I'm sorry this post was so long, but I hope someone can give me some advice, as I have been meaning to do this for a while, but hadn't built up the motivation until today's little scare. I'm looking forward to hearing from someone.

cornwall99 Where can I find help to deal with financial issues?
  • replies: 4

Hello, I am struggling to keep my head above water at present, and am overwhelmed in every way. I have looked up accessing some superannuation under financial hardship, and between the super fund and the ATO, cannot make headway. I am completely and ... View more

Hello, I am struggling to keep my head above water at present, and am overwhelmed in every way. I have looked up accessing some superannuation under financial hardship, and between the super fund and the ATO, cannot make headway. I am completely and utterly overwhelmed at all the rules and conditions, and feel as if one is sending me to the other, and vice-versa. Is there any free service (I am absolutely struggling, so paying is going to be really hard), where someone can help me navigate this? I am educated and experienced in financial services, but right now, I just need to access a small amount of money. I just burst into tears and gave up. The chat line just pasted a wad of text to me when I asked a question, I may as well not have asked. Do we have (in Victoria), any services that can help people navigate these issues?

yes_ploise_loisa I am pretty sure I have ADHD but I'm too afraid to go to a psychiatrist because of the fear of me just being lazy and unmotivated.
  • replies: 6

I have always felt like everyone else is ahead of me, whether it be in school or at work. I have always been a huge procrastinator and have been called "lazy" and have been told I don't do a proper job with things ( I either don't finish or I take sh... View more

I have always felt like everyone else is ahead of me, whether it be in school or at work. I have always been a huge procrastinator and have been called "lazy" and have been told I don't do a proper job with things ( I either don't finish or I take shortcuts) and this has effected my self confidence, especially because now it has affected my work and I feel like a failure. I have so much I want to explain but i cant put it in writing because my mind wanders but I will try my hardest to explain every detail I can. I can remember this "brain fog" being around when i was a child in school, I never paid attention unless it was interesting to me and even when I tried concentrating on things that didn't interest me I somehow couldn't concentrate (or couldn't be bothered) I always handed in assignments late and barely ever did my homework but i excelled in the things I was interested in, for example I paid attention in PE and was really good at it, but math... was so hard that all i would do is draw on the side of my pages and be silly with my friends which would get me into trouble. So there is some evidence that i might of had adhd when I was a child this sort of thing happened in high school too. Now I am a 21 year old woman and it seems I have not grown out of these lazy habits and things have just gotten worse for me unfortunately. My work performance is bad, I struggle with everyday activities like laundry and eating ( at times i forget to eat) and even when I am hungry for some reason i don't want to eat, I rely on caffeine to get me through the day. I am also very irritated and stressed out because of my procrastination, I am constantly changing my career goals and that I am not getting things done like I want to. I find it very hard to focus on things which makes things even more stressful and my family just calls me lazy. I am afraid of going to a psychiatrist just to be told the same. If anyone has any experience with adhd please give me some advice I am really struggling, is this a good enough explanation to the dr on why i think i have undiagnosed adhd? by the way sorry for all the grammar mistakes, i was rushing ^^

Rod_NR93 Meds and sexual dysfunction
  • replies: 4

Hi all. I'm starting a new antidepressant and am concerned about the sexual dysfunction it may cause. Do any of you take antidepressants and not suffer this side effect? In other words is it inevitable that antidepressant medication will give me sexu... View more

Hi all. I'm starting a new antidepressant and am concerned about the sexual dysfunction it may cause. Do any of you take antidepressants and not suffer this side effect? In other words is it inevitable that antidepressant medication will give me sexual dysfunction? Thanks

Smith042 I am worried about starting a new medication 
  • replies: 2

I am worried about starting my new medication (prescribed for anxiety and depression). This would be the third medication now that they've trialed me on. I have had it now for 2 months and I haven't even opened the box yet. One of my biggest worries ... View more

I am worried about starting my new medication (prescribed for anxiety and depression). This would be the third medication now that they've trialed me on. I have had it now for 2 months and I haven't even opened the box yet. One of my biggest worries is that it affects alertness and coordination and that was one of the main reasons I had to stop the last medication. I work long days driving a vehicle and my concentration is also being affected by the depression and possible undiagnosed ADHD but I can't get into see a specialist until August. In the meantime my depression seems to be getting worse and it is making it hard to work. I would be grateful to hear from anyone else about their experience with medication.

BrianJ Inpatient units
  • replies: 6

We are trying to work out whether an inpatient unit would be helpful for our son, who has suicidal thoughts. We are looking at both public and private units, and our understanding is that the private units could be less stressful, as they only have v... View more

We are trying to work out whether an inpatient unit would be helpful for our son, who has suicidal thoughts. We are looking at both public and private units, and our understanding is that the private units could be less stressful, as they only have voluntary patients. We are concerned about him being in close proximity with others who have higher needs than him, as he tends to empathise (maybe too much). Thanks

2teray How to help paranoid schizophrenic father with his symptoms
  • replies: 7

My dad was diagnosed over 30 years ago for the most part he has coped very well until 2 years ago when there was a change in his medication and since then he has been on and off his medication he was forcibly hospitalised about a year ago. He doesn’t... View more

My dad was diagnosed over 30 years ago for the most part he has coped very well until 2 years ago when there was a change in his medication and since then he has been on and off his medication he was forcibly hospitalised about a year ago. He doesn’t live local to me but he has a as well as can be expected care team who do their best. He lives alone. My request is for advice on how to talk to my dad about his paranoid thoughts the voices he hears and the firm beliefs that someone is coming into his home when he isn’t home. I think I’m doing it all wrong. I need help. he calls me 4 or 5 times a day sometimes I don’t take his call cos I just can’t I don’t know what to say. He tells me whenever he finds new things in his flat phones clothes ladies products food rubbish I suggested the ladies products were left there by his ex but she left 2 years ago so he’s convinced some lady is storing her things in his bathroom cabinet. I asked him to check the best before dates and sure enough they had 2015 on them but he then says someone has put the stuff in old bottles so you’ll think they are from a long time ago. do I simply say nothing or ok or prompt reality checks or Just agree with him or what ????? i can’t go to him because he can get so paranoid that he doesn’t believe I’m me at times also he waiting for the day he actually catches these “intruders” and if I’m there one day when he happens to not believe I’m me and maybe see me as an intruder we’ll it could be dangerous. I have spoken with his case worker who says he sees dad weekly yet dad says he doesn’t case worker also says he’ll call me if there are any issues but doesn’t call I call him monthly when I can’t cope and ask for advice and he says leave it with him. I need advice on how to talk with my dad. I try to change the topic but he doesn’t respond well to that either. I even tried to say what if I said to him this or that was happening to me what would his advice be to me and believe it or not he changes and says the same things I have said to him maybe you forgot you put it there maybe you forgot to lock the door maybe you forgot you had those items. Then when I point out that it’s the same situation and ask why he doesn’t challenge his own thoughts the same way he says it’s different with me I know there are intruders coming in and out of here touching my things using my things bringing things in and storing them here. I really need advice please