Got a question related to mental health? ASK DR KIM

Chris_B · ‎23-08-2016

Hi everyone,

This is a thread for asking questions of our resident GP and counsellor, Dr Kim, who pops into the forums regularly.

PLEASE NOTE as per our community rules, Dr Kim won't be able to answer questions about medications, these are best discussed offline directly with your mental health professional.

UPDATE - 01/03/2018
BEFORE YOU ASK DR.KIM PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

Dr Kim's time is limited! We cannot provide an ongoing dialogue with Dr Kim in this thread - one post/question per person please
We'd recommend you have a look through the forums before posting here to see if your question has already been answered by Dr Kim, our other members, or if there's information about it already on the beyondblue website. If a question pops up that has already been answered previously, or if alternate resources are available, one of our moderators will reply and direct you to the link.
When writing your question, imagine you are speaking to someone in person i.e. provide a clear and detailed post with enough information that outlines how Dr.Kim can help you.

Background

After 20 years of experience working as a GP, Dr Kim realised in 2003 the aspect of her work she enjoyed most was talking to people and understanding the way they think and behave – and so she underwent training in counselling and therapy, where she now solely works.

Her experience includes working with a wide range of mental health issues including anxiety, depression and adolescent mental health.

“Given my training I also see couples, siblings, parents with their children and entire family groups,” she says. “In this work I hope to give families the skills to understand one another and have the strategies to communicate and manage relationships that are distressing them. I believe strongly that best therapy is achieved when there is trust in the therapist's ability but also their genuine desire to understand and help.”

SarahLulu · ‎12-02-2017

Hi Dr Kim.

So I'm 16 and am doing Year 11 units 1 and 2 of VCE. last year i missed essentially half the year due to hospital admissions. I'm doing alright at the moment but my question is how do I go about getting into my old study habbits? I didnt do essentially any homework last year. I read your answer about why we are so tired and as I do unit 3 and 4 psychology i've just learnt about neurotransmitters so it makes complete sense. I have no motivation what so ever and find myself crying in class because not i cant do the work as such but i actually cant in the sense that its too hard to do not the work is too hard. does that make sense?

Faithh · ‎12-02-2017

Hi Mrs Dools,

I've been reading through this thread for some peace of mind (going through some anxiety/low moods) and your question to Dr Kim re: disassociation and her response has helped my day seem a bit clearer.

So, thank you for asking that question as it has brought a little piece of mind to my current situation.

Grateful,

Faithh x

Jasom · ‎12-02-2017

Hi Dr Kim,

I'm prescribed with a certain medication for my anxilty and I have been taking it for 5 days.

I experienced a alot of side effects from this medication for the first 5 days including symptoms like very low mood, more depressed, sweating, increased agitation, insomnia, burning skin sensation. I feel it makes me much more depressed comparing when I was not on this medication before. I occasionally feel extremely depressed and agitated and out of control.

I have spoken to my GP about it and he wants me to continue this medication. However, i feel those side effects are too strong that I need raise my consern.

Should i continue this medication or find other assistance?

Jason

Dr_Kim · ‎13-02-2017

Drake said:
Hi Dr. Kim

I am depressed caused by being so sad. I am married with no kids.

Thank you for your post. I think you might have just taken your first small step towards a new life. It is clear the old one isn't what you want and isn't enough for you.

So I suggest you start to think about becoming the best version of yourself over time. Being happy is a journey, is what you do and how you treat yourself and others each day. I don't see it as a place you reach and then you just don't have to do anything any more.

So- where to start? I think you might have to take very small steps forward so you don't feel overwhelmed or don't set yourself up to fail.

It might be that you start with getting really fit and healthy in yourself. Eating well and exercising regularly . Then you might think of taking on a Mindfulness course or practice via an app ( try Headspace !)

Then you might be ready to find what brings you creativity or relaxation or excitement in your life . Is it a hiking group ? A book group? Taking on study of some sort ? Or a craft ? Or maybe volunteering?

I don't know you well enough to make suggestions that will "hit the mark" but the goal is to be YOUR best happiest self. Once you are on the road with that I guess it might be time to tackle your marriage. At least at that point you will be tackling it from a position of strength. Knowing more about yourself and what brings you joy . I think you will then be in a better position to make decisions about what to do and be able to feel stronger putting them into action.

You may need the support of a counselor to guide you over the coming months . See your GP to get some advice on this.

Good luck on your journey towards feeling happier and more connected and engaged in your world.

Sophie_M · ‎13-02-2017

Hi Jasom, as we noted at the start of this thread, Dr Kim cannot provide advice on medications - these concerns are best discussed offline with health professionals.

Dr_Kim · ‎13-02-2017

SarahLulu said:
Hi Dr Kim.

So I'm 16 and am doing Year 11 units 1 and 2 of VCE.

Firstly , I want to congratulate you on getting back to school. It can be really daunting to get back into school after an absence - so well done to you for your efforts.

Education and sticking at school is super important for a whole lot of reasons so i am going to encourage you to find a way to finish school or TAFE some how some way. It may be by doing it over 3 years instead of the usual 2 years, or via an alternative route like through an adult learning centre where you can do the subjects at different hours and not in a school setting.

However, school is ideal as you get the social supports, teacher input and school structures that really help.

Neurobiology has taught us that “neurons that fire together, wire together”. This means that the more we do something, the easier it becomes for our brains to do. A good illustration of this is learning to play the piano. When you first start, your fingers feel really awkward and its hard to do both hands at once and read the music as well! But as you repeat, repeat, repeat .. your brain eventually starts to strengthen the neural pathways that tell what to do and somehow it all comes more “naturally” and you just can do it.

The same principle applies to any habit or new skill we wish to get our brains to learn . We have to repeat, repeat , repeat in order for it to just become “natural”. This applies to routines , like study routines or thinking habits too.

So I suggest that you start to retrain your brain to study again in very small steps. Start with 10 or 15 minute sessions or activity and see if you can train your brain to do the same things at the same times each day.

For example, you might start with
1. I come home from school and spend 5 minutes planning my evening
2. I have 1/2 hour break where I have something to eat and walk around the block
3. I sit down, turn off my phone and do15 minutes reading / school work
4. I make a cup of herbal tea
5. I do another session of 15 minutes
6. I congratulate myself and relax for the evening

Now you may need to build this up as you progress through the year. But you will be training your brain into having ANY sort of routine and concentration. The first few weeks of this will feel awful . There will be days that you feel that you can’t do it but I urge you to keep going and if you have a really bad day, don’t panic, just try again the next day.

During class, if your inner voices are telling you “I can’t do this” remember that they are just thoughts, not facts and you don't have to believe them. You probably CAN do it, and try just tuning in for brief periods ( say 5 minutes ) and if you can, congratulate yourself. If you can’t , tell yourself that you will try again another time. Soon you will notice that there are more episodes where you can do it and you don’t always have to believe the inner voice saying you can’t.

Lower the bar just for the moment as you won’t be quite at the standard that you want to be straight away (remember that when we start to play piano, we can’t play a Mozart concerto in the fist week!) . However, practice training your brain to concentrate and you will get there .

SarahLulu · ‎13-02-2017

Thanks Dr Kim,

That analogy was perfect as I do play piano and so completely understand! Thankyou so much i'll try as you suggested

geoff · ‎14-02-2017

dear Kanga, I feel so sorry for you and your current situation, life doesn't seem to be fair, and it's not when you are suffering like this, without the medical care and no mental health worker to come and see you, surely people like you who are in an aged care facility are those people who definitely need all the help they can get.
I remember when my Mum was in a nursing home and at first her mind was 100%, it was just that she couldn't walk after having knee surgery, so she became deeply depressed, but for her there was no mental health worker who would come and visit her, so it was left up to her 5 children to try and help her, but as I lived in the country I couldn't give enough attention.
For you to have to wait for the staff to come and attend to you is pathetic, because a rash in your groin is only going to sweat, irritating the rash even more, so the amount of discomfort and pain would be unbearable.
I wonder whether this aged care has a swimming pool where you are able to soak your body in, and because you are weightless then this might make it easier for you to move all your joint, plus it would be relaxing, so that would be good to know.
A doctor must be on duty everyday, or at least one who visits the centre on a daily basis, someone you maybe able to talk to, as long as the staff don't tell him that you want to see him.
Look after yourself. Geoff.

Kelljoh · ‎14-02-2017

Looking for advice on the value of retreats for teenagers suffering anxietY, depression and EDNOS. Are any recommended for teenagers specifically? Any help or guidance would Ben appreciated.

kanga_brumby · ‎14-02-2017

A gp comes in every couple of days. People only get seen if there has been a request put in. Some times days in advance. As for a swimming pool this center has one. but not heated. No lifeguard on site so they won't let us use that facility, especially alone. They won't hire a lifeguard for one person. So What I need is either a electric wheelchair, or a adult tricycle to get me to the local swimming pool. I dont get funding for either. So there is the rock, there is the hard place, here is me somewhere in the middle.