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silicontrip Worried about being unable to continue receiving treatment.
  • replies: 13

I'm currently seeing a Psychologist and a GP for my medication. I've used up all my mental health plan visits, so my psychologist costs have doubled. My GP was bulk billing but is now also charging for visits, who I have to see for a script every 4 w... View more

I'm currently seeing a Psychologist and a GP for my medication. I've used up all my mental health plan visits, so my psychologist costs have doubled. My GP was bulk billing but is now also charging for visits, who I have to see for a script every 4 weeks. The medication my GP has put me on has made vast improvements to my day to day life. Now I'm not sure about how much I can discuss about my medication, my GP has mentioned something regarding it that is now causing me to worry about being able to continue receiving treatment. His solution was that I need to see a psychiatrist but will cost about 4 times as much as my psychologist. From the sounds of things if I don't, I won't be able to continue with my medication, but these costs are starting to really blow out. Are there other options? Or people who know of not so expensive psychiatrists? sorry for the vagueness as I'm not sure what I can discuss here. Thanks

BipolarKitten Dsp rejection
  • replies: 3

Hi all sorry if this is in the wrong spot - I was unsure of where to put it. So hopefully I can keep this short. I'm on my second Dsp application, the first one was rejected because I wasn't "stable" enough and the suggested to wait a few months and ... View more

Hi all sorry if this is in the wrong spot - I was unsure of where to put it. So hopefully I can keep this short. I'm on my second Dsp application, the first one was rejected because I wasn't "stable" enough and the suggested to wait a few months and then reapply rather than appeal it which is what I've done but I just received an email saying that I failed to meet the 20 point criteria however not only did I submit the same information and letters (and then new stuff as well) as last time, but they never bothered to contact me to give me a capacity assessment which is something they did last time. I guess really I'm at a loss as to how I met the 20 points last time but not this time and I don't know if I should launch a review, an appeal or submit an entirely new application. Has anyone else been in this position? Unfortunately I've only got until the first week of November with my looking for work exclusion so I don't have loads of time to sit around and figure out my next steps. Just FYI I went in with bipolar 2, adhd, and agoraphobia, all diagnosed and treated. Psychiatrists notes (going back over ten years), hospital summaries and gp letters submitted. Thanks everyone!

Lurkette Problems with getting a mental health diagnosis (long)
  • replies: 2

I'm a migrant, so I don't know how mental health stuff works here in Australia. My ex partner was very abusive. I migrated to Australia to be with him. After a few years, I finally left him. I'm in a safe place now and I don't have contact with him o... View more

I'm a migrant, so I don't know how mental health stuff works here in Australia. My ex partner was very abusive. I migrated to Australia to be with him. After a few years, I finally left him. I'm in a safe place now and I don't have contact with him outside of a few lingering legal issues. After being in the relationship with him, I'm very anxious, afraid to leave my new safe home, and I have a low mood/little energy. I'm also dealing with flashbacks involving old acts of abuse. So I probably have some mix of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Maybe other stuff too. After being in this relationship I need a formal medical diagnosis to bring to court to show what effect the abuse had on me. I need it to document how disabled I am. I need a diagnosis to show every agency I'm dealing with to make sure I get access to the right treatment and services. I've been through 4 different programs, including asking to be voluntarily committed into the psychiatric ward of the local public hospital. I keep assigned to under-qualified people who aren't allowed to give a psychiatric diagnosis. They're happy to talk to me in sessions, but this apparently isn't a real medical record of having mental health problems. In the meantime, I can't apply for a disability pension because I don't have a diagnosis. Is this ... normal for Australia? Is it normal to refuse to diagnose people with mental health problems? Or to make it this difficult to get a diagnosis they can hand over to other people to get access to the services they need or to document the results of abuse they've suffered?

Coastie1990 Very worked up right now RE: psychologist referral
  • replies: 3

Hey I was on a MHCP in 2017. I decided to switch to a BOMH this year so I could get extra visits (covered by Medicare). Just found out tonight that my referral was rejected because it only covers psychologists in my local area (the Central Coast). Ve... View more

Hey I was on a MHCP in 2017. I decided to switch to a BOMH this year so I could get extra visits (covered by Medicare). Just found out tonight that my referral was rejected because it only covers psychologists in my local area (the Central Coast). Very annoying but it looks like the BOMH is useless. I am planning to just get another MHCP. But my receptionist thinks I will have the same problem? That I must have a psychologist from my local area. Is that a recent change? Or is it just for the BOMH? I didn't have this issue for my MHCP back in 2017?

NeuroticAF Erectile Dysfunction after stopping SSRI - Extreme anxiety and worries about permanent damage
  • replies: 2

Background: Male, 20 years old. I have some kind of health anxiety disorder (have been diagnosed), but at the time of diagnosis it was apparently quite peculiar. I essentially have the mental health version of hypochondria. For 6 months of my life th... View more

Background: Male, 20 years old. I have some kind of health anxiety disorder (have been diagnosed), but at the time of diagnosis it was apparently quite peculiar. I essentially have the mental health version of hypochondria. For 6 months of my life this year I was so obsessed with the prospect of becoming schizophrenic (something which wasn't actually happening/never happened), but I ended up developing paranoia just because I was so dreadfully anxious of developing paranoia. I essentially started developing symptoms just by focusing on them so much. I started having regular panic attacks because I thought that I was losing my mind, and was having regular doctor's appointments and psychologist appointments to help me deal with it and arrange a plan of attack. I ended up taking an SSRI anti-depressant for the anxiety which actually worked very well when it kicked in. I was in a relationship of 3 years at the time, which has now ended because I felt I needed to see other people (this will become relevant soon). I didn't really have many sexual issues while on it for the most part, but towards the end of the 6 month period I found myself losing my sex drive completely and having trouble maintaining erections. I dealt with this with a mixture of alcohol (drinking before having sex), and medication. This worked with my ex, and I didn't really worry about it too much. Now that I'm single, and dating a girl, things have gone south very quickly. After my first date with her, she came back to mine and I just couldn't get an erection, no matter how much I wanted to. We were making out, the whole thing, but it just wouldn't happen. She left, and I was very frustrated, and I decided to stop taking the medication cold-turkey. I've seen her twice since then, both at my place, and the same thing has happened each time. I am now worried that I have a permanent PSSD type situation going on. I have intense anxiety around the idea of never being able to get an erection around a woman ever again (my anxieties always tend to be worries around permanent problems). So, I picked up some (very expensive) medication, and am hoping it works, but I don't think it will. My anxiety is stopping anything physical from happening. I am able to maintain erections when I'm calm and by myself, and can reach orgasm reliably, but whenever she's around it all stops. Should I go back on the SSRI? Should I see someone? I'm lost.

Guest_032 Psychologist help
  • replies: 7

I’m seeing (yet another) psychologist on Thursday. I’ve struggled to find someone that I connect with. If I’m paying for help, I want to get something out of it - strategies etc. Rather than just having my feelings validated etc. So I kinda want to g... View more

I’m seeing (yet another) psychologist on Thursday. I’ve struggled to find someone that I connect with. If I’m paying for help, I want to get something out of it - strategies etc. Rather than just having my feelings validated etc. So I kinda want to go into this appointment with a bit of a list of what I want from them etc. Is that realistic? Just figure I’m paying out of pocket, and it isn’t really something that I can afford to do. So I want to get some value for my money. What do you find your psychologist helps you with? At the moment I’m very reliant on medication. Major depression and severe anxiety. But yet my anxiety doesn’t seem to have a ‘reason’, I wake up feeling like I have knots in my belly for no reason etc, so I want to try and address that - obviously there are things going on that I’m not aware of consciously etc. But I’m just not sure what to use them for - is strategy something that they can help with? Or should I look at that time as a time to offload some of my thoughts etc.

Kasangel Paws syndrome
  • replies: 2

I was on benzos for about 20 years, I was having some bad physical reactions bad liver test, symptoms of early dementia, no concentration, car accidents, constantly sleepiness, too heavy sleeping, lack of interest. My Gp felt it was time to withdraw ... View more

I was on benzos for about 20 years, I was having some bad physical reactions bad liver test, symptoms of early dementia, no concentration, car accidents, constantly sleepiness, too heavy sleeping, lack of interest. My Gp felt it was time to withdraw so I went to a detox facility for 2 weeks, and then finished the withdraw at home very slowly with GP supervision. 4 weeks after that, started having paws syndrome, and ocpd symptoms which have all worsened. Now 3 months post withdrawal, having trouble coping ocpd severe angry and irritable all the time extremely anxious, blood pressure very high with medication. mental health support trying to sign me off. Really scared, thinking I was better on he benzodiazepines at least wasn’t irritable and shouting all the time and didn’t have anxiety. Help

Bella4216 Changing my mood stabiliser medication - terrible side effects
  • replies: 7

Hi, so my psych recently, decided to change my prescribed medication for treating my bipolar, as it wasn't quite delivering the effects we had hoped for. I was relatively more stable than I had been, but I was still experiencing some hypomanic sympto... View more

Hi, so my psych recently, decided to change my prescribed medication for treating my bipolar, as it wasn't quite delivering the effects we had hoped for. I was relatively more stable than I had been, but I was still experiencing some hypomanic symptoms, and medication was making me feel tired, causing muscle stiffness, hair loss, and messing with my immune system. So, l am now on another mood stabiliser for bipolar, and l am having a really rough time transitioning to it. I'm not sure if its the fact that I am simultaneously going off my last medication, and beginning this new one, but I can't think properly, my memory is impaired, I have terrible hand tremors, headaches, terrible thirst, incredible anxiety, and no apparent improvement in my mood. I am so incredibly anxious about this whole process, and just wish l had stayed on my previous medication. My next appointment with my psych isn't for another 5 weeks, and I've been told to persist with the medication. I don't know what to do though, and I've heard/read some bad reviews about the medication in terms of side effects. Another which l am really worried about is excessive weight gain - as apparently it can cause that. I just wish there was a medication that could cure me of my bipolar symptoms and have minimal side effects. There is such a limited range of mood stabilisers out there, and this new one I am on is my last option. Has anyone had a similar experience with weening of mood stabilisers/going onto a new one? Will the side effects get better with time, or should I just stop taking it? I am so frustrated as l can barely function. I don't know how ill get through this.

Guest_826 Confused and anxious in my relationship of 5 years :(
  • replies: 3

I am really struggling. I need help, I know I love my boyfriend so much but as heaps of people posting on here I always ask myself questions “do you love him?” “You would be better off on your own”. From questioning myself, I am now starting to think... View more

I am really struggling. I need help, I know I love my boyfriend so much but as heaps of people posting on here I always ask myself questions “do you love him?” “You would be better off on your own”. From questioning myself, I am now starting to think that I don’t love him and I am SO anxious because I know I want him in my life and I want children with him, and I feel as if I would be so lost without him. Every time I see him, I feel so anxious and feel like I can’t act normal and this is so upsetting. I question if I’m attracted to him, and my anxiety tells me thag im not not and all this shit and it really upsets me. We haven’t had sex for so long because I just feel anxious with him! I want this feeling to go away, I care about him so much and couldn’t stand him being with anyone else if we broke up. He is the most amazing guy in my life and I’m struggling so much. I want these anxious and constant OCD thoughts to go away, they are making me depressed! I’m so worried for us, I don’t want to be with anyone else! please help, any advice would be appreciated, any psychologists please answer. I feel like my anxious thoughts are sabotaging my relationship, I just want to feel normal with him again. Thankyou

Hopefullseeking Desperate/confused
  • replies: 3

Hi all, l have had depression anxiety all my life, also PTSD, Dysthymia. Been through stuff since l a was a child. See a psychiatrist but my primary therapist is my psychologist. I am on the mental health plan but Medicare only pays half. My psycholo... View more

Hi all, l have had depression anxiety all my life, also PTSD, Dysthymia. Been through stuff since l a was a child. See a psychiatrist but my primary therapist is my psychologist. I am on the mental health plan but Medicare only pays half. My psychologist said we are not getting anywhere as seeing her once a month is ‘maintenance’ and she wants to see me fortnightly but understands the constraints of Medicare. I am on DSP but do manage to put aside and pay what Medicare doesn’t. I am on medication but can only tolerate a loss dose due to physical reasons so am always fighting my mental health symptoms. I need more sessions with my psychologist but can’t afford it. What am I suppose to do?