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JamesM1 Seeking advice: The compounding effects of BPPV/Tinnitus & GAD
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I'm sure i'm not alone in this thought; 'Is it physical or psychological?'. This is a question I often ask myself, especially when experiencing an acute bout of anxiety, with the main symptoms being vertigo and presyncope and general panic. F... View more

Hi all, I'm sure i'm not alone in this thought; 'Is it physical or psychological?'. This is a question I often ask myself, especially when experiencing an acute bout of anxiety, with the main symptoms being vertigo and presyncope and general panic. For a brief overview, approx 5 months ago I picked up a standard head cold which escalated to a respiratory tract infection, then to bronchitis and finally pneumonia. It started with the usual trips to the GP where I was told to just rest, drink fluids etc. Finally, I drove myself to the ER but on the way was briefly losing consciousness at red lights due to breathing issues, which wasn't fun. This was a triggering point I think. An x-ray confirmed the issue, I was given antibiotics for a bacterial infection. My initial recovery was quick, within 48hrs I started feeling better. My chest has cleared many months ago, however, I still have persistent symptoms which include, vertigo, tinnitus and presyncope. In addition I also have GAD symptoms as I've been advised(by a GP) which include a bounding pulse(I can put a book or paper on my chest and you can see if move to the beat of my heart, this seems odd to me), feeling of falling through the floor, heavy feet, dizziness. The list goes on. Physically I do have BPPV(Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) in conjunction with tinnitus. When I moved my lower jaw forward the pitch and tone of the tinnitus goes up, it's pretty constant. Left ear only with fluid behind the ear drum and BPPV confirmed by doing the epley maneuver or just tilting in general. I've been though a barrage of tests; bloodwork, x-rays,ECG and BP monitoring, nothing has been found. The only thing I noticed for the first 2 months post infection, was sudden spikes in BP, It would suddenly rise to 160/100 then fall to 125/75 within 5min. The whole time however, my heart rate would be steady on 65-70BPM and I wasn't panicking or feeling anxious. I just don't feel well to put it simply, some days are fine others are of very poor quality. I sometimes find myself rocking or swaying. I'm still struggling and trying to justify, and in disbelief on the physical effects of a mental condition. Any advice would be appreciated. Best regards, James.

Matches Undiagnosed Acquired Brain Injury
  • replies: 2

I'm seeking advice from anyone who has had brain scans/imaging (structural and functional) and discovered that they have had a significant brain injury (possibly from childhood trauma, or cerebrovascular accident). And, has any discovery provided ben... View more

I'm seeking advice from anyone who has had brain scans/imaging (structural and functional) and discovered that they have had a significant brain injury (possibly from childhood trauma, or cerebrovascular accident). And, has any discovery provided benefit to your treatment and quality of life? Is it worthwhile seeing a neurologist?

MakeTheWorldABetterPlace rTMS: One personal experience and one vent (n=1)
  • replies: 2

Firstly, it would be great if mental health professionals dealing with rTMS had first-hand experience of receiving the treatment, even just one session. I am onto my third daily treatment now (9000 pulses in total now). I was not prepared for the lev... View more

Firstly, it would be great if mental health professionals dealing with rTMS had first-hand experience of receiving the treatment, even just one session. I am onto my third daily treatment now (9000 pulses in total now). I was not prepared for the level of discomfort. Moreover, only one of the people treating me has experienced anything more than the initial setup test-run. It's often regarded as a relatively 'light-touch' or non-invasive procedure. You might hear/feel some slight tapping. I've read that you have a sensation like you've been struck by a rubber band. Being struck by a rubber band is a good description. However, it is more accurately described as a rapid fire machine gun of rubber band stings for four seconds, followed by an eleven second reprieve, until it begins again. For me, this was only one side my head and it was only for 20 minutes. Also, I have a few fillings so for me it was like going to the dentist, my teeth would ache with each onslaught. Also, they hit incidental nerves in the process of delivering this treatment, this can lead to a spasm with each series of rubber band flicks in: your jaw, your mouth/lip, your face, your eyebrow, your nose etc... I'm sticking with it because I'm hoping it'll be worth it. Unless you're a masochist, the pain doesn't do much for you from a hedonistic perspective. It could also be compared to getting IPL done on a sensitive area. Something I've grudgingly had to do for medical reasons in the past myself. There is some pain involved which shouldn't be discounted or ignored and the benefits may only be short-lived. If your mental health professional seems confused by or don't believe your point about discomfort it is unlikely they have experienced the treatment themselves. The evidence at the moment points to a short-term moderate effect size for depression, with caveats (e.g. co-morbidness and 'treatment resistant-ness'), and is most robust for the bilateral variant. Little is known about how long the treatment effects last or what, if any, long-term side effects there may be. I hope this helps other people to weigh up the costs versus the benefits of this treatment. I have an inkling many people discontinue the treatment early. This is just my experience so far; I'm sticking with it despite all this.

Strugglingbuttrying Psychological therapy vs medication- advice please
  • replies: 3

Hi this is my first post. I have been feeling anxious for about 2 years and depressed for about 6 months. The last month or so things have gotten particularly bad and I’ve fleetingly thought of suicide and my personal relationships, health and work a... View more

Hi this is my first post. I have been feeling anxious for about 2 years and depressed for about 6 months. The last month or so things have gotten particularly bad and I’ve fleetingly thought of suicide and my personal relationships, health and work are being affected. Today I finally took a big step and went to see a GO. I scored 35 on a K10 test and have been referred to a psychologist. He also touched on the topic of medication which I am not really keen on. He has said to come back after 2-3 sessions to discuss medication again as he didn’t want to push the idea today. I am not keen but I want to tackle this head on and feel like I should trust him and try. I am afraid of becoming dependant on medication and one day feeling ok then not being able to cope without them. I am also afraid of side effects. GP and reading reputable sites say that both work well hand in hand- therapy and medication. Does anyone have any experience with this? Wishing you all strength on your journeys.

DesperateForChange Effective treatment for clinical perfectionism & obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)?
  • replies: 3

Hi all, Has anyone here been treated for Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder and/or clinical perfectionism? And can you please share what modalities/interventions were effective for you? I appear to need a great amount of order and do not toler... View more

Hi all, Has anyone here been treated for Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder and/or clinical perfectionism? And can you please share what modalities/interventions were effective for you? I appear to need a great amount of order and do not tolerate uncertainty well. This is most pronounced when it comes to making decisions, large or small. I engage in copious amounts of research (hours or days on end), deliberate for ages and eventually avoid choosing. If possible, I try to get someone else to choose for me. I appear to be very fearful of making the wrong choice/not "getting it right". Unfortunately, this is having a massive impact on my day-to-day living, but more generally, it is inhibiting me from living a more adventurous and experience-rich life. If there's anyone out there who has suffered from the same problem, can you please share: 1. What modalities worked for you? I have tried Cognitive Therapy with limited results. Whilst i can come up with cognitive challenges, they don't seem sufficient enough to overcome the dread/fear that I feel when faced with a decision. 2. Do you know of a psychologist who specializes in OCPD and perfectionism? I am in the process of looking for a psychologist but have found the process to be extremely difficult. Thanks in advance (constructive answers appreciated).

Guest_0932 Has your therapist ever broken confidentiality?
  • replies: 7

Hi, Has anyone had a therapist break confidentiality and if they did, did they tell you first or just do it? Or does anyone know if you disclose past issues of someone maybe doing wrong to you while you were a child or adolescent but you an adult now... View more

Hi, Has anyone had a therapist break confidentiality and if they did, did they tell you first or just do it? Or does anyone know if you disclose past issues of someone maybe doing wrong to you while you were a child or adolescent but you an adult now, but still in contact with the person and currently at no risk of harm do they have to break confidentiality and report that still because it was wrong at the time and you still see the person? Obviously I know if you are at risk of harming yourself or someone else they have to tell...but what if someone harmed you and it was years ago but the person is still in your life but hasnt done anything for a long time? Surely they dont have to report/record that cause of statue of limitations?

Montana Medications and Animal Testing
  • replies: 5

Hey there, how are you all? I was just wondering if anybody here knew what level of animal testing goes on with medications? I'm open to trialling medications but am anxious regarding supporting an industry that is involved in animal cruelty... Kind ... View more

Hey there, how are you all? I was just wondering if anybody here knew what level of animal testing goes on with medications? I'm open to trialling medications but am anxious regarding supporting an industry that is involved in animal cruelty... Kind regards, Montana....

YellowPoppy Medication experiences (for anxiety)
  • replies: 4

Hi, I'd like to know people's experience with medication, how it's helped, side effects, howany you've had to try before you found the right fit and your experience on them and how that's helped or not helped with your anxiety. Right now I dont want ... View more

Hi, I'd like to know people's experience with medication, how it's helped, side effects, howany you've had to try before you found the right fit and your experience on them and how that's helped or not helped with your anxiety. Right now I dont want to go on medication because my previous experience was very terrible, but if things don't improve I think I might need to and I want to be better informed before I do. I will also discuss this with my doctor when and if the time comes. YellowPoppy

WokingOnIt Tips or Strategies For Getting the Most Out of Therapy
  • replies: 3

Hello. I am currently seeing a psychologist for fortnightly therapy sessions. I have had about six sessions so far. I like this psychologist, and feel he will be helpful to me. Previously I have not felt that any professional I have seen was able to ... View more

Hello. I am currently seeing a psychologist for fortnightly therapy sessions. I have had about six sessions so far. I like this psychologist, and feel he will be helpful to me. Previously I have not felt that any professional I have seen was able to help, so this is a miraculous new thing to me and I want to make sure I make the most of the opportunity. I am autistic, and have depression and anxiety - specifically social anxiety. I have come to realise that this is in part due to being autistic, and struggling with communication - it is quite natural to be anxious when you literally don't understand what is going on or what is expected of you, and have often been criticised for the way you speak or your 'incorrect' facial expressions. My psychologist is very experienced with autism, which helps. There are two main questions, I suppose. One: What else can I do in between therapy sessions to further my own work and recovery? I have talked about this with my psychologist and asked for book recommendations - which I have ordered, and will read - and I have ongoing homework to record dreams, write three "positive" things each day, and write down any other thoughts I want to. I have been reading other books on my own too, based on recommendations/reviews either online or from friends. I have also started bush walking, most days - as everything I read about depression emphasises the importance of physical exercise. Two: What can I do in session to improve my ability to relax and communicate? I get extremely anxious, especially at the beginning, and this impairs my ability to speak. I also have trouble speaking verbally under stress or pressure (and my brain interprets questions as both of those things...). Even when I CAN speak verbally, I often revert to sarcasm and defensiveness when panicked, and then get disappointed with myself for "wasting" the session - because I'd really rather speak authentically and honestly - but this is very hard for me to do. I have spoken (or rather, written) to my psychologist about this, and the anxiety has improved over time, somewhat, with my various efforts... but I am very open to hearing new ideas or strategies. One thing I tried yesterday in session was writing "BREATHE" in green (my favourite colour) on the inside of my wrists, so that as I was fidgeting in front of my face (as I do every session, to manage anxiety) the reminder to breathe was right there in my face. It did help, and I will do this from now on.

Hummer Should I mention this to the doctor
  • replies: 4

Hi. So I’m seeing a doctor and pyhchologist about my mental health. I haven’t really mentioned my sleeping habbits. Which consist of coming to bed about 10 at nightwaking up at at 11 in the day. But by 2-3 im exhausted and in need of a nap. Which if ... View more

Hi. So I’m seeing a doctor and pyhchologist about my mental health. I haven’t really mentioned my sleeping habbits. Which consist of coming to bed about 10 at nightwaking up at at 11 in the day. But by 2-3 im exhausted and in need of a nap. Which if I do is about 3to 4 hours and then I’ll go to bed about 11 again??