Finally seeking help

[Incertus]

Hi everyone.

I am male and 25 years old. I um undiagnosed but I am undoubtedly depressed or suffering some pretty full on anxiety issues.

I am finally seeking help tomorrow. This comes after more than ten years of suffering and denial. I'm a bit nervous because I have no idea what to expect but if I don't do something soon I feel that I will never be able to finish my studies at uni. I receive study allowance from Centrelink because I have been unable to find work to support myself. When this semester comes to an end, I will be over the allowed time to receive study allowance, but I am only just half-way through my degree largely due to my psychological state. Centrelink staff told me that I can apply for more time to finish but I don't trust them because they are always telling me stuff that turns out to be untrue and then everything goes south leading to very stressful situations. I plan on going to see a student counsellor. Does anyone know what I should expect from this? Am I likely to get help with my situation (delayed graduation due to multiple failed units)? Should I see even see a counsellor first or should I maybe see my GP first?

[HA1]

Hi Incertus

Just a quick initial reply to let you know we are here and listening.  In my view the first step should be the GP, and then take it from there.  They may refer you to a psychologist, at a later stage.  

As regards to your University, the counsellor will  undoubtedly suggest options for managing your studies so that it does not affect your health too much.  Often they will suggest deferring for a while.

So did you go and a GP or the counsellor today?  How did it go?

Look forward to hearing back from you.

K

[Incertus]

I made an appointment to see my GP tomorrow morning. I'm not sure what I should tell him to be honest. I'm assuming he will know what to do, its just hard to imagine someone actually caring for my psychological state as I am so used to people dismissing it and telling me to just get over it.

As for deferring, I doubt that is a possibility for me. If I'm not studying I can't receive Austudy and if I can't receive Austudy I can't afford rent or living expenses because I can't find even get hired for a casual job. As I said before, I have had trouble with Centrelink in the past in that they often tell me things that end up being untrue and if I defer my studies and am then not immediately eligible for looking-for-work allowance, then I will be absolutely screwed.

[HA1]

Hi Incertus

How did you go with your GP appointment today?

K

[Incertus]

Hi Hideaway,

It went well. He was surprised when I told him how long I had gone without seeking help and he asked me a series of questions about my mood and stuff. He also sent me for a blood test so I will be going back next week to see how that turned out. He was very understanding so that experience was quite helpful.

Unfortunately, later on in the evening I tried to finish a well overdue assignment and I realised that I had been looking at the wrong data all along so my entire assignment that has taken me weeks to get underway is now completely useless and without it, I am going to fail that unit. I had a pretty full-on mental breakdown and my GF had to calm me down. When stuff like this happens, it makes me wonder if support is really going to help when everything else in my life seems to be geared towards my failure. I am going to try and defer and find a job but even that seems near impossible while I am feeling this way. My resume is crap, hardly any references, no work for three and a half years. I can't afford to get on a phone plan so if I miss anyone trying to call me back I can't call them. I'm not sure if I should focus on my other units' exams or just keep applying for jobs. At this point in time I feel like I am falling out of a tree and hitting all of the branches on the way down. And I am nearly broke again until Tuesday after next and I have little food left. Very hard to think rationally at the moment. Very hard to believe that I am at all valuable in this society.