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Nathanau Beta blockers and GAD
  • replies: 8

Always been a little different but managed to get Married and have two kids and hold down a job and a few close mates. About 12 months ago I nearly collapsed at work and thought I was having a heart attack and after many tests I had to admit somethin... View more

Always been a little different but managed to get Married and have two kids and hold down a job and a few close mates. About 12 months ago I nearly collapsed at work and thought I was having a heart attack and after many tests I had to admit something I probably already I knew I was different and was diagnosed with severe GAD. I have been to around 10 sessions with a physiologist which really helped me realise how messed up I am and armed me with a heap of tools to try and reduce my anxiety with not much luck. I don’t think I have had a good sleep in 20 years and I’m bloody tired. I have been reluctant to take medications like SSRI so my doctor has put me on two doses of beta-blockers per day to help with my anxiety. I am feeling a little better and wondering if other people are taking this medication? Or has anyone gone from a beta-blocker to a SSRI ?

startingnew Trauma Therapy
  • replies: 29

Hi Everyone Ive started doing trauma therapy and am finding it rather hard and it brings up alot of memeories/emotions half of which i didnt know i had. im wondering what others experiences are/have been? good, bad and the ugly please. im after diffe... View more

Hi Everyone Ive started doing trauma therapy and am finding it rather hard and it brings up alot of memeories/emotions half of which i didnt know i had. im wondering what others experiences are/have been? good, bad and the ugly please. im after different perspectives and hoping a few might be able to relate to my own experience as well. thank you

HA1 Magnesium and Depression
  • replies: 22

Hi! I have recently read a few articles on magnesium as a supplement to treat depression. I am keen to try any natural alternatives to ADs and planning to speak to the Psychiatrist about it on my next visit. In the meantime I would be interested to h... View more

Hi! I have recently read a few articles on magnesium as a supplement to treat depression. I am keen to try any natural alternatives to ADs and planning to speak to the Psychiatrist about it on my next visit. In the meantime I would be interested to hear from anyone who might have had some experience with magnesium supplements - did it make a difference? Any side effects? Any views and opinions would be appreciated. Look forward to any comments. Regards K

James2018 Medication - PAIN SIDE EFFECTS
  • replies: 1

Hey guys i have been taking emedication for a few months and that started causing me to feel lightheaded and weird muscle feeling. Now I am on a higher dose and the lightheadedness is extremley bad and on top of that i have aches and pains/stinging s... View more

Hey guys i have been taking emedication for a few months and that started causing me to feel lightheaded and weird muscle feeling. Now I am on a higher dose and the lightheadedness is extremley bad and on top of that i have aches and pains/stinging sensation in my nerves or muscles. Is this normal?

LilyR Issue with psychologist
  • replies: 6

Sorry for the long story ... I decided to change psychologists after I realised that I had developed feelings for him (the whole transference thing I guess). Anyway, I went back to my doctor and she gave me a referral to see a new psychologist. I’ve ... View more

Sorry for the long story ... I decided to change psychologists after I realised that I had developed feelings for him (the whole transference thing I guess). Anyway, I went back to my doctor and she gave me a referral to see a new psychologist. I’ve had five sessions with her. She’s nice and seems to enjoy what she does which is great. My anxiety hasn’t really improved so I’m not sure whether I’ll continue to see her. I’m starting to think that perhaps me developing feelings for my first psychologist has kind of ‘ruined me’ when it comes to seeing a psychologist if that makes sense. Anyway, yesterday I found out (not through any choice of my own) that my current psychologist knows my old psychologist. They use to work together and I’m assuming they’re friends. Before I found this out I told my current psychologist all about how I developed feelings for my old psychologist. She asked me who he was and so I told her. We talked about it quite a bit. Now I’m extremely embarrassed and feel like an idiot. I feel as if she should have told me that she knows him/used to work with him and should have suggested that I see someone else considering their relationship. Am I being silly? I’m kind of angry with her because I was extremely nervous about going to see a new psychologist and telling them all about my embarrassing feelings. I’m worried that she’s told my old psychologist the things that I told her. Am I right in feeling this way or am I being ridiculous? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

RangerBaker Where to from here
  • replies: 2

My name is Patricia I am married and we have a fur child. I have had issues my whole life starting from around the age of 2. I had experienced issues on and off my whole life but from the age of 17 things really settled down I wasn't on medication, I... View more

My name is Patricia I am married and we have a fur child. I have had issues my whole life starting from around the age of 2. I had experienced issues on and off my whole life but from the age of 17 things really settled down I wasn't on medication, I was in a good head space, I was working in a carrer I loved and everything had improved. I met my now husband back in 2012 and couldn't of been happier but everything changed in Feb 2013. I was sick with the flu and had some cough lollies, later on that day I had a reaction to them which made me collapse and suffer a serve head injury due to the force of hitting my head it caused me convulsions, I went to hospital where I received medical treatment for the head injury, I had a ct scan which came back clear and was cleared of having epilepsy. But something changed in me that day and I have never been the same since, I have issues remembering things, concentrating, I constantly feel shaky, I suffer extreme neck pain I don't feel right. Ever since then I have suffered anxiety, serve depression, and have had issues completing my adl and not being able to function enough to work. I thought that was bad enough but in April 2014 on my wedding day I was disowned by my family. That really pushed me over the edge. I have changed Dr 2 years ago in the hopes of getting to the bottom of why I feel and am different from having that fall. All that is ever said to me is that my ct scan came back clear and that it is just my mental health issues. I know people think it is just mental health but I feel there is more to it, as I can't of gone from being normal one day to experiencing what I do still to day and not being able to function. Please give me some advice I am truly lost on what to do

sometimesanxious Just started medication for GAD
  • replies: 3

I have been suffering quietly for about 18mthd now and determined that I could fight my GAD by myself and not go on medication. last week I reached my breaking point and went to see my GP after having physical symptoms that have been out of control. ... View more

I have been suffering quietly for about 18mthd now and determined that I could fight my GAD by myself and not go on medication. last week I reached my breaking point and went to see my GP after having physical symptoms that have been out of control. yesterday I had my first online phone call with my psychiatrist and he suggested starting medication even though I was very hesitant. Told me to just fill my script and I could have it there if and when I needed. So anyway I filled my script straight away and decided to take it as I just can’t keep living like this. I have started on a small dose to ease side effects and having physical symptoms triggers anxiety for me. i guess I just wanted some reassurance that I have done the right thing. I know medication isn’t for everyone. I know the next few weeks are going to be rough and I just want to know that there is going to be some sort of light at the end of the tunnel.

thebull OCD and Anxiety sufferer introduction.
  • replies: 4

Hi, I was diagnosed about eight years ago. I was 35 at the time, and we just had our first and only daughter. This is when my anxiety and OCD thoughts started to overtake me and my mind thought of vulgar behaviour and anxiety that came with it. Altho... View more

Hi, I was diagnosed about eight years ago. I was 35 at the time, and we just had our first and only daughter. This is when my anxiety and OCD thoughts started to overtake me and my mind thought of vulgar behaviour and anxiety that came with it. Although I would never have gone through with any of it, it scared the hell out of me. I thought I was going crazy, mind racing whirling over and over. Eventually, I got referred to a Psychiatrist who put me on some heavy anti-psychotics, making me a walking zombie, I was also put on another medication to help with ongoing crushing headaches. My initial diagnosis back then was Schizophrenia and OCD. Later we moved to Queensland, got a new GP, saw him as I needed a script for my medication, usually do not give out scripts on the first visit, but he trusted me at the time and is now my regular GP. I wanted to come off the medication and we started my taper, this is when things went bad for me again, reducing it my mind started playing havoc again, thoughts swirling around non stop head feeling like it was spinning as well as feeling agro or frustration against small things creeping into my head, short with family and my 8-year-old daughter, I was going insane. I felt like I need to go live somewhere in the bush secluded and away from everyone, as I reflect, likely because I hated myself being this way to my daughter and family. I went back to my GP and told him some details and was referred to a Psychiatrist in Queensland, who diagnosed me with severe OCD and anxiety. We tried another medication for a bit, and that wasn't working, just put me to sleep and tired all the time. I was then placed on another medication and remain on it, I did try dropping the dose, and my mind started racing once again. Being on this medication has helped tremendously in regards to the whirling and intrusive thoughts. I am also on other medication to help cope with work in a contact centre where you get abused most days. Am looking for new work in my primary field of expertise. I have been off one particular medication now for about 3 weeks, so that is a win, GP said that this was likely masking some of my mental health issues as well so coming off this brought it out so we could then treat the proper symptoms. Some days like today I want to go and bash something or break something. Have settled now and calmed down. TY

PetaMac16 Help with my anxious 11 year old
  • replies: 3

I am at my wits end with my daughter's anxious behaviours and tantrums that are causing pressure on relationships. I am interested to get peoples thoughts on medicating children or CBT in children what works what doesn't. My daughter has quite severe... View more

I am at my wits end with my daughter's anxious behaviours and tantrums that are causing pressure on relationships. I am interested to get peoples thoughts on medicating children or CBT in children what works what doesn't. My daughter has quite severe anxiety where she is frightened to go to sleep at night and will be up and down for hours because she is worries that she is going to choke as she has a constant "lump in her throat" (which of course is from anxiety) I have tried many apps including Smiling Minds which are of some benefit but feel that her anxiety is escalating as I had an episode just last night that lasted for over 2 hours of crying screaming and stomping her feet ...... please help !

thatrabbit Feeling Invalidated?
  • replies: 4

Hello, I've decided to join these forums today and share my experience after having my first appointment with a clinical psychologist and discussing the possibility that I may have Bipolar disorder, and trying to express my issues with this illness. ... View more

Hello, I've decided to join these forums today and share my experience after having my first appointment with a clinical psychologist and discussing the possibility that I may have Bipolar disorder, and trying to express my issues with this illness. I had seeked her out, specifically, because she was the only psychologist that listed having 'experience with Bipolar patients', along with vague text about being able to make 'assessments' and 'diagnosis' for clients. So, I believed, this was the best place to start my mental health journey with, what I now believe, is Bipolar disorder. For reference, I'm 18 and have been feeling definite symptoms since 11/12, and this runs in my family. I did not go into this appointment with any prior expectations, but I came out feeling invalidated. Straight away, she noticed I had ticked the 'Bipolar' box, and we talked about what I was feeling. Her tone, and the way she approached what I said / diverted the topics, made me feel like she wasn't acknowledging my problems. I felt like this because, after everything I had said to her, she mentioned that 'this doesn't sound severe / drastic enough for Bipolar' - specifically referring to my elevated state, which she mentioned: 'this is how normal people feel'. She never talked about mental illness, or even Bipolar in general. She latched onto, and told me, that: 'people feel how you're feeling because they eat crap food, take medications, and don't exercise'. She also went on to say that: 'it would just be best, if people didn't have Bipolar in the first place'. How is this supposed to help me at all? I acknowledge, like any person would, that a healthy diet, good exercise, good routines and (generally) a lack of UNNEEDED medications benefits everyone. But I really did not like how she went about this. What about the people who have this chronic illness? What about those suffering from something like, Schizophrenia? Are you going to tell them to get off their medications, eat a healthy diet, and go on? I found this pretty insulting, not just for myself, but for those that are actually suffering with these things. I felt like, ultimately, she didn't 'believe' in these mental health issues, and that everything can be fixed with a healthy lifestyle. I hope these feelings of mine are justified. I came out of this initial appointment feeling as though my last 8yrs of dealing with my inner turmoil was nothing.