Immediate support
Immediate support

Treatments, health professionals and therapies

Information on a range of different areas, including managing relationships with GPs and psychologists, and finding the right services for you.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

All discussions

Start a discussion

ggbug Need help for exposure therapy
  • replies: 2

I have a severe butter phobia and need to find a good therapist that will help me with exposure therapy and flooding as CBT never worked for me. Does anyone know of any good ones in the South East region of Melbourne, please? Thank you

I have a severe butter phobia and need to find a good therapist that will help me with exposure therapy and flooding as CBT never worked for me. Does anyone know of any good ones in the South East region of Melbourne, please? Thank you

Kelcrow Exposure therapy
  • replies: 8

Hi everyone, just a little background on myself first, I'm a 25 year old female living in Melbourne with clinical depression and general anxiety disorder, I have battled with both for the last 10 years. My main problem the last couple of years is "he... View more

Hi everyone, just a little background on myself first, I'm a 25 year old female living in Melbourne with clinical depression and general anxiety disorder, I have battled with both for the last 10 years. My main problem the last couple of years is "health anxiety" or in particular my phobia of vomit. It absolutely dominates my thoughts, fears and life. I avoid certain situations, freak out if someone's sick near me and convince it will happen to me. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with exposure therapy? To be honest I can't think of anything worse but I need this to stop. It's ruining my life. I can't live like this anymore, whilst I have great support around me I don't want it to dominate my life anymore. Thanks in advance Kelly

Babar Help / Advice for an Intervention.
  • replies: 2

Hi, I am seeking advice on how i might proceed and i would to know the options available. Drug addiction is taking its toll in a very destructive manner and this situation is proving to be a difficult one to resolve in a smooth manner. Paranoia, delu... View more

Hi, I am seeking advice on how i might proceed and i would to know the options available. Drug addiction is taking its toll in a very destructive manner and this situation is proving to be a difficult one to resolve in a smooth manner. Paranoia, delusions of persecution and fear of safety by way of invasion has reached the extreme degree. The most extreme degree. They are now a risk to themselves and other people. They believe that intruders are covertly living in their premises, stealing things, causing harm to pets and conspiring to torment 24/7. They believe this to the point that you can't imagine. They can no longer separate reality from delusion, and have lost all sense of rationality and reason. We cannot distinguish how much of what we are seeing is the condition of the substance, and what is the underlying mental condition of the individuals' state of mind minus the substance. They always seem to be on it, with little window of opportunity to ascertain the full nature of what we are faced with - drug addiction, or mental health issues - or both? They don't listen to us. They are scornful of advice and get defensive at any attempts to help. They are aggressive, evasive, in denial and afraid for their lives. It is a horrible situation. It is very difficult to get through to them. We ourselves are blamed as being the conspirators behind their torments. Those that seek to help are perceived as the guilty party. No amount of sensible reasoning can convince them to heed our advice to cooperate with us to find help. The need to remove the substance by force and strongly encourage rehabilitation is something that must now be urgently considered and actioned without delay. We just don't know how to go about it. We were told that nothing can be done by force, that the affected persons must want and agree to accept help. WHAT AN OUTRAGE. just sit there and do nothing? are we saving lives or what? Please we would very much like to organise a team of professionals to visit them, sit them down, and try to get through to them, by any means necessary. We thank you.

InTwoMindsAboutThis Lack of support when your psych is away on conferences/holidays
  • replies: 9

I've been seeing a psychologist weekly for the past ten months. Every so often she goes away on conferences so I have to miss a week. No problem. I understand that health professionals need to update their skills and gain new insight etc into this me... View more

I've been seeing a psychologist weekly for the past ten months. Every so often she goes away on conferences so I have to miss a week. No problem. I understand that health professionals need to update their skills and gain new insight etc into this mental health arena. A couple of times a year she'll take a week off (holidays). Once again, I understand. This is a high stress job they have. She also took a month off over Xmas. The issue that I have is that she just announces this with no back-up plan if things go to pieces for me during these periods. I thought she might take at least a couple of weeks of during the festive season but at the end of the session (in December) she just said ... ok I'll see you in four weeks! I don't actually have any way of contacting her during these times. Is this normal? Do other people have better arrangements with their health professional? This issue is starting to get under my skin. Thankyou for your time!

hannibambo Confidentiality of seeing a Psychologist or receiving a Mental Health Plan from your GP
  • replies: 3

Hi, So I am wanting to see a GP to ask for a Mental Health Plan to see a psychologist. Some people have told me that this can actually be a burden because it can affect things like life insurance, adoption, IVF and even getting a job. Can someone tel... View more

Hi, So I am wanting to see a GP to ask for a Mental Health Plan to see a psychologist. Some people have told me that this can actually be a burden because it can affect things like life insurance, adoption, IVF and even getting a job. Can someone tell me if this is true? I am wanting to go ahead with it, but if it is going to affect me negatively in the future I might not do this. Thanks

EllieC Gift for a therapist
  • replies: 4

I have read that therapists are perhaps not supposed to accept gifts from their clients for ethical reasons (although all the articles I could find did come from the US). Is this a general rule? I have my last appointment with the psychotherapist I'v... View more

I have read that therapists are perhaps not supposed to accept gifts from their clients for ethical reasons (although all the articles I could find did come from the US). Is this a general rule? I have my last appointment with the psychotherapist I've been seeing once a fortnight for 8 years now in a couple of weeks and I was planning to buy something small (like, under $25) to give at my last appointment with a nice card, I feel like it's the least I can do for somebody who has honestly changed my life for the better, but now I'm not sure? Anyone else know any more about whether this is acceptable, or has anybody given a gift to a psychologist/therapist when they were finishing treatment before?

Yellow_Gumboots Tip: cost of antidepressants
  • replies: 7

Hi friends, I've been taking 1 or 1.5 tablets a night for about 10 years and recently I'd come to realise I needed (as confirmed by my GP) to increase that to 2. As this level now constitutes "major depression" the GP changed the costing code on the ... View more

Hi friends, I've been taking 1 or 1.5 tablets a night for about 10 years and recently I'd come to realise I needed (as confirmed by my GP) to increase that to 2. As this level now constitutes "major depression" the GP changed the costing code on the prescription and it is significantly cheaper than it was before. Same brand. If you're like me and require a high daily dose, be sure to ask your GP about this next time - it doesn't hurt to ask!

Socks Anyone else felt as though they were out of options, treatment-wise?
  • replies: 6

Curious to see what course others have taken when it seems as though you've tried everything. To treat my depression I have been on various medications for 17 years. Medication does not work for me. I have gotten all I am going to get out of talk the... View more

Curious to see what course others have taken when it seems as though you've tried everything. To treat my depression I have been on various medications for 17 years. Medication does not work for me. I have gotten all I am going to get out of talk therapy/group therapy/hypnosis/cognitive therapy/meditation. My ECT treatment only gave me a few months of relief. Hospitalization was not helpful. Anyone else feel as though they just have no more treatment options? How did you overcome it? Are you still in that rut? Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Quollity Deliberate wrongful diagnosis, breach of confidentiality - what to do to clear my record?
  • replies: 7

Hi, I had work related depression and saw a psychologist, wise and supportive but she went on maternity leave and so I changed to a psychologist recommended by a work colleague. Bad mistake. I worked out he had seen my husband (now ex husband) 5 year... View more

Hi, I had work related depression and saw a psychologist, wise and supportive but she went on maternity leave and so I changed to a psychologist recommended by a work colleague. Bad mistake. I worked out he had seen my husband (now ex husband) 5 years ago when we split up. I asked about conflict of interest but was assured he was extremely professional. Well, the first session was ok, but then he stopped listening to me and was putting his own odd “spin” events. I had two more sessions and couldn’t bear his negativity to me. I saw my GP and he handed me a copy of the letter this psychologist wrote to him which virtually quoted what my ex-husband had said about me in private and confidential sessions during this acrimonious divorce period and “diagnosed” borderline personality disorder...after a mere 4 sessions. Even my ex is shocked and upset. I have never been diagnosed with any form of personality disorder - just anxiety and depression which have always been recognised by my doctors as reasonable responses to life events. Anyway, because it was work related my work called in a psychiatrist for hire who used this psychologist’s report (despite me explaining in detail the unethical breaches of confidentiality and professional misconduct) to malign my character and blame me for the workplace issues that led to my depression. I requested a correction to my medical record from the psychologist but no response yet. I reported to AHPRA but it’s slow. I saw a psychiatrist who had supported me when I had a severe depression while doing post graduate study, struggling with my mother dying with dementia, and I had severe morning sickness throughout my pregnancy. The report I submitted to the workplace and insurers from this old psychiatrist was very supportive and made it abundantly clear that he treated me for a lengthy period of time and never saw any indication of personality disorder But work is going with the report from their psychiatrist who saw me for 40 minutes. My GP is appalled. My new psychologist is appalled, as is my old psychiatrist. But the workplace have an agenda. how do I get my record corrected? Should I see a lawyer? This wrongful diagnosis has damaged my credibility at work and I’m being treated badly by HR. I want to just quit but there are few jobs here. What can I do? thanks

Chris_B Have the conversation: how to talk to your doctor
  • replies: 5

So, you've made your first appointment and you're on your way to talk to your GP. It's quite common to feel apprehensive at this time, and worry that you're not going to be able to say what you need to. Asking questions is important, and here are thr... View more

So, you've made your first appointment and you're on your way to talk to your GP. It's quite common to feel apprehensive at this time, and worry that you're not going to be able to say what you need to. Asking questions is important, and here are three to get you started: 1. What are all of my options? 2. What are the best options for me? 3. When will I feel better? Watch the videos below and let us know what you think. What has worked for you as well when seeking treatment - how have you built a good relationship with your doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist? What questions do you ask?