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Camembert Nightmares as side effect of medication
  • replies: 5

Hello, I started medication a few months ago, and every singe night I have been getting terrible nightmares. I mean really bad ones that affect me the rest of the day I'm not on a particularly high dose and I take it every morning. I read that this i... View more

Hello, I started medication a few months ago, and every singe night I have been getting terrible nightmares. I mean really bad ones that affect me the rest of the day I'm not on a particularly high dose and I take it every morning. I read that this is a normal side effect, but it's getting really bad. What could I do to stop this? I really don't want to switch the mediation, because it seems to be otherwise working. I tried writing a dream diary, but it's not helping. Any advice is appreciated! Camembert.

Automaton Mental Illness and Humanity
  • replies: 9

If a person is mentally ill, but they perceive what they see as realistic -- as is often the case with mental illness, such as depression -- and are convinced in their perceptions, and consider them "right", on moral grounds, what right does a doctor... View more

If a person is mentally ill, but they perceive what they see as realistic -- as is often the case with mental illness, such as depression -- and are convinced in their perceptions, and consider them "right", on moral grounds, what right does a doctor have to tell them that they are mentally ill and that their perceptions are ill/wrong? From a humanitarian perspective, I never understood this. What makes the patient wrong and the doctor right? What makes the doctor so confident that what the patient has is an illness, and not a healthy body reaction to a tough life lived? Mental illness is often so tied to who we know ourselves to be that it seems wrong to force/coerce us to be something else against our will. I don't know, I guess I'm confused about humanity...

maglincer Do you think I would qualify for disability pension with these conditions?
  • replies: 9

Hi all, I am a 28 year old male who has lived with general anxiety disorder, tourettes syndrome, OCD, major depression and undiagnosed misophonia for nearly my whole life with some of these getting even worse the past few years. Basically I havent wo... View more

Hi all, I am a 28 year old male who has lived with general anxiety disorder, tourettes syndrome, OCD, major depression and undiagnosed misophonia for nearly my whole life with some of these getting even worse the past few years. Basically I havent worked in 4 years because of it and even my whole working life ive been unable to hold a job due to depression and I can't see any way out of this other than getting on the NDIS. I rang them last week and they said I may be able to get on the NDIS with the conditions that I have. So I applied over the phone and now I have to fill out a form with my doctor when it arrived likely next week. What I would like to know is do I have any chance of getting approved and does anyone have any tips on what I should say in the forms they send me? Thanks.

Summer93 Borderline Personality Disorder
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I'm new to the forum and wanted to get some advice regarding my mental health. I've been seeing a psychologist for a month or so now and it's going great. I really feel as though she is helping me identify and overcome so many bad habits. How... View more

Hi all, I'm new to the forum and wanted to get some advice regarding my mental health. I've been seeing a psychologist for a month or so now and it's going great. I really feel as though she is helping me identify and overcome so many bad habits. However, in my first session, she said I may have BPD and told me she may need me to do some cognitive tests (quizzes etc). I overthink a lot. When she gave me a schema test to fill out last week, I started to overthink it once I got home and now I can't help but think I really may have BPD, since the test is associated with it. I've been reading into it and, to be honest, I know I most likely have it. I don't want to be diagnosed with it because of the stigma associated with it, but I also really want to know. Does anyone have any experience with being diagnosed with BPD or know what the schema test could indicate? I feel like my psychologist is leading up to telling me I have it but she wants to be sure before, which is probably what this test could help with doing. Thanks in advance.

AnxiousS Tips for getting help
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, I've decided recently that I need to see someone about my mental health/anxiety. Since starting uni this year I've really struggled (I've posted about it before), and my mental health which has never been perfect has really taken a turn ... View more

Hi everyone, I've decided recently that I need to see someone about my mental health/anxiety. Since starting uni this year I've really struggled (I've posted about it before), and my mental health which has never been perfect has really taken a turn for the worse. I've found myself really struggling with everything and I know trying to finish the next few years is going to be very hard if I keep going this way. My problem is that I've never really been one to talk about my mental health. The mental health conversation in my family is currently non-existent (and it's not one I really want to have with them). Even in high school I only had one teacher who I could ever talk to (as I said my mental health has never been great) and even then I often held a lot back. Back then, I guess I was always stable enough that I could manage it for the most part on my own but I think I might be a bit past that point now. So basically my question is whether anyone has any tips or advice to make this easier because right now I'm stuck in a rough place of knowing I need help but not being able to ask Thanks in advance!

Donaughuerty Considering ECT for a condition that is not mdd, bpd or sczd
  • replies: 2

I need to take a session of ECT in order to fix my sleeping problem. It's the only solution I can think of. I have been referred to a sleep specialist, she says that a psychiatrist will be the one to recommend ECT. I'm afraid that they will just dism... View more

I need to take a session of ECT in order to fix my sleeping problem. It's the only solution I can think of. I have been referred to a sleep specialist, she says that a psychiatrist will be the one to recommend ECT. I'm afraid that they will just dismiss the request. It is well-known that ECT is only used as last resort aid for treatment-resistant depression, etc. My case is different, so I am really hoping they would understand; I mean, I have heard of patients being pulled out to try new treatments under pioneer studies. Well, I have been prescribed several medications; have tried chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, sleep restriction. None produced an effect. All in all, I'm curious to how ECT will affect me. My condition: I slept with a temporary thought and now had been stuck on it for 3 weeks, 24/7. One evening, I tried to incorporate this temporary thought into sleep; for awhile, I lost myself to doing just that. I then noticed myself resting, and realized my brain was now actively incorporating the temporary thought on its own. This awareness would take over my everyday brain activity, even sleep. I now only half-sleep, in 90-minute fragments. What I did and am experiencing now may be similar to daytime parahypnagogia. I currently don't know how to undo all of this. Just to add, this temporary thought alters perception, that's why I'm sure I'm under it, non-stop. I thought ECT because my case resembles that of a woman who had severe paradoxical insomnia no meds could fix until ECT, or the case of a woman uncomfortable with her altered self she got from a meditation retreat. After being on so many prescriptions, she had to undergo ECT. I don't really know how ECT works but I have a dulled default mode network that is now hijacked and altered by this persisting temporary thought, and somehow ECT can delete these alterations if it can.

Helpneeded97 Finding help
  • replies: 2

I'm not sure how to go about this but I'm looking for info on admitting myself I'm not sure even where if it's just a hospital and how much it would cost I need intensive help I went to online chat but noticed there is a time which I didn't realise I... View more

I'm not sure how to go about this but I'm looking for info on admitting myself I'm not sure even where if it's just a hospital and how much it would cost I need intensive help I went to online chat but noticed there is a time which I didn't realise I'm not sure what to do and I can't take much time off work especially if it's gonna cost alot I need help I'm not OK and I know that but I'm not sure what help I need so I feel like if I admitted myself maybe I can really focus on my mental health as I haven't done in many years mostly because it is expensive but I've reached the point where I need help or who knows

romantic_thi3f Going to therapy for the first time (tips)
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone There’s a lot of people in these forums that have thought about going to therapy for the first time, so I thought I’d make a post about it. I get that it’s scary. It’s daunting. You’re basically coming in and saying hello to a person you’... View more

Hi everyone There’s a lot of people in these forums that have thought about going to therapy for the first time, so I thought I’d make a post about it. I get that it’s scary. It’s daunting. You’re basically coming in and saying hello to a person you’ve never met ready to open up for the first time. I’m no stranger to therapy, but these are things I’d wish that I’d known - - It’s totally okay to be scared and to not know what to say or do. Therapists are used to that. - Therapy is your time. This seems kinda obvious but it’s not - it’s okay to speak up, to ask questions, to challenge your therapist, to question why he/she said this not that, or where you’re heading and what you’re focusing on. - Whatever you are feeling is totally normal. I’ve walked in and out of therapy feeling anything from scared, sad, excited, angry, frustrated, confident - it’s annoyingly cliche but it is part of the process. - If you’re not ready to talk about things, you don’t have to. You might decide to go to therapy to talk about trauma, but if you’re not ready - then you’re not ready. It took me a long time to tell my therapist about some of the personal things that had happened. I wanted to build up a lot of trust first. - There are lots of different therapists. No two are ever the same. Likewise, there are lots of different therapy approaches; psychotherapy, CBT, DBT, ACT - the list is endless. It’s not all sitting on a couch talking endlessly about your feelings. Sometimes it’s practical with homework and real world tasks. - You’re allowed to switch if your therapist doesn’t feel right for you. Sometimes it really is about who you click with and feel most comfortable with. - You don’t have to have a diagnosis or feel like you’re crazy to go to therapy. One of my older therapists said she wished everyone went to therapy because you learn so much about yourself. I totally agree with that. They are there for you; whether you feel like you’re in a puddle or you’re drowning. Soo what do you think? Is there anything else you wish you’d known before seeing a therapist? Is there anything that helped you take that first step? Please feel free to share!

Vero Opt out period for national electronic health database begins
  • replies: 21

It appears “My health record” offers 3 months period for us to adjust preferences to who will have access to our medical data. there could be some ad campaign about it on tv, but I have not switched it on for a while. I have noticed short article abo... View more

It appears “My health record” offers 3 months period for us to adjust preferences to who will have access to our medical data. there could be some ad campaign about it on tv, but I have not switched it on for a while. I have noticed short article about it in the press. I am posting about this here as there maybe many people like myself who periodically do not monitor or deliberately avoid news I don’t have many details about it yet. It maybe a good idea to check this federal gov initiative.

supportiveother Treatment options in the public sector
  • replies: 6

Hi all, I'm new to these forums but know that many people here have been through or know far more than I do on these topics so I am reaching out. My partner suffers major depressive disorder and psychosis (thats his official diagnosis) and has been t... View more

Hi all, I'm new to these forums but know that many people here have been through or know far more than I do on these topics so I am reaching out. My partner suffers major depressive disorder and psychosis (thats his official diagnosis) and has been taking medications for that which have recently been increased. On top of the medication he is on a mental health plan through medicare and sees a psychologist for about 30 mins every 4 to 6 weeks. Recently, his mood has taken a dive and at his last appointment, the psychologist recommended that perhaps he stay in hospital to be monitored. He feels the medication works very minimally, and I worry that the frequency of his visits isn't enough to have a real impact. He has been admitted to the acute psychiatric ward at our local hospital before and says it made him feel worse, that all he did was sleep and eat and seeing the other people there (who may have been suffering worse than him) made him feel more depressed. Because of this he didn't feel like the hospital stay helped him at all, he wasn't being given any kind of therapy it was more just being monitored. I believe he needs more frequent therapy/ a ward that offers more consistent therapy where he can learn to control his negative emotions and thoughts and he too thinks that this would be beneficial but is hesitant to head back to hospital as he doesn't want to just lie in bed for days on end not really working through his issues. He doesn't have private health insurance, so I was wondering if anyone knew of any options available in the public sector that were free/ relatively cheap (he's currently on Centrelink due to an injury so money is an issue) that could offer more consistent support/therapy or even any wards available to the public that has these kinds of programs. Thanks in advance, M