Is it time for a current mental health assessment?

PinkDiamonds25 · ‎24-10-2014

This year has been so stressful for me.

It just seems to be one thing after another that is getting me down.

long story short, I had a breakdown in 2010 after

suffering for years from depression and anxiety symptoms- I don't remember ever not having the symptoms really, I just thought that it was "normal" to feel that way.

one of the things that tipped me over the edge was my job, I had a boss with unrealistic expectations from me (expecting me to do the work of many people), being

constantly put down and harassed, made to work ridiculously long days (sometimes 15hrs, 6 days per week)..

I ended up on a workers comp claim which was dragged out for over a year, reliant on centrelink and more stressed.

during the course of the claim I was subjected to 3 evaluations from separate psychiatrists and they all come back with different ideas on what they thought might be wrong with me, there were terms like personality disorders and things mentioned in the reports.

i seen a psychologist regularly who said I had agoraphobia , depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress..

I somehow improved my condition after a year or so.

since 2010,

I have suffered with depression and anxiety on and off but had mostly been able to get through the tougher days.

this year has been a shocker, I have had so much going on,

we had to have my father involuntarily admitted to hospital with a psychosis issue- that was so scary, I think he was going to

hurt himself. my father had to sell our family home due to losing his job, now his brother has died 2 weeks ago" this had left him so upset and blaming himself..

I'm trying to support dad through this hard time but I've since started feeling very anxious and depressed myself.

everyone

seems to ask me for support but no one stops to realise that from time to time I need to put myself first too.

im so

tired and down but I don't know if I'm just grieving? i wasn't that close to my uncle but his death has really hit me hard-I feel so silly! I just can't stop thinking about it all. I'm going to have a talk to my gp about it and see about going back on my meds and hopefully get a referral to someone. i want to get a current assessment done to see if they can help pinpoint if I have more then just anxiety/depression- that way I might know what to focus on to get through this faster. i feel so silly but I just can't seem to shake this. Is it best to go to a Psychologist or a psychiatrist for this? I just want a current diagnosis

Doolhof · ‎25-10-2014

Hi Pink Diamond,

Sounds like you have had a lot on your plate recently, the death of your Uncle and your Father's ill health.

I feel that going to your GP to discuss all of this is certainly your first step. The Dr will decide if you need to return on medication or not. It would be a good idea to see a psychiatrist to get a more accurate diagnosis of your condition.

For me, once I am diagnosed with something, then I can research that issue and learn more about why I react and act the way I do. I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder a few years ago. After doing research on the condition, I have been able to control how I think and act better. Lately I have been under a lot of stress, so am currently looking at stress so I better understand how that manifests itself.

While you are waiting to see your GP and a psychiatrist, you can also phone the help line numbers, like Beyond Blue or Life line and the people there will give you support and advice over the phone.

Maybe too you need to learn to try to say NO to the requests of others now and then when everything gets too much. You could explain you would like to help, but right now you are running on empty and need to look after yourself for a while.

If I may ask, where is your Dad now? Is he still in hospital, respite care or living with you? Are there groups or agencies in your region who can help look after and support you and your Dad?

Maybe look up GRIEF on the internet and check out the different cycles that people go through with grieving, you may be able to understand your thought and your Dad's as well regarding the death of your uncle and also the selling of the family home.

I hope some of these suggestion have been helpful. Seek help for yourself when you need it, as you can't carry everyone's burdens on your own shoulders.

Thinking of you, from Mrs. Dools

geoff · ‎25-10-2014

dear PinkDiamond (PD), hell so much to cope with and we wonder why on hell do we have to struggle with all of this in such a short time, there is no answer why and there is no justification that I could possibly tell you.

I'm sure that your GP will want you to begin taking your medication again and your comment ' been able to get through the tougher days' isn't quite being realistic, sorry, so please let me explain.

Some years ago you were able to go through life and manage somehow, but you were depressed and suffering from anxiety, but to you this was normal or perhaps sort of normal, because you knew no different, that was life, and now with all that has happened, you are coping as you did before, but in reality it really is a struggle for you, and that's exactly how any psych will diagnose you.

So you have to look at what you are facing, your dad being admitted to hospital because of his psychosis, the death of your uncle and what ever is going to happen to your job, so three major traumatic events, and to top all of this off is how you feel yourself, so if you combine all of these into one box then there is a major problem to try and overcome.

Some people prefer psychiatrists while others like psychologists, and personally (which means nothing) I have seen both, but I like psychologists, but that's my choice, and even now I am still seeing one, a male now, who even rings me when he was sick and I had an appointment with him.

There can be a problem here in that if we see too many psych's of both natures we can get too many different diagnosis, because they all have different ideas, so which is right and which are wrong, well we don't have have any idea, it's too confusing.

The person you trust is your best option, and that's who I would suggest. Geoff.

PinkDiamonds25 · ‎25-10-2014

Thank you both for your replies.

this forum has been such a help to me as it feels so much better to have others to talk to that aren't in my family as my family already has so much going on right now.

i have my gp appointment booked so that sounds like it is the right place to start.

hopefully I can get some support that way.

Doolhof · ‎27-10-2014

Hi Pink Diamond,

I hope you don't have to wait too long for your Drs. appointment, and I also hope the Dr is able to listen to all you have to say and will know how to help you and support you.

You are always welcome to share all you need to or want on these posts and also to read other people's posts. There is a lot of information available through this site as well. I hope you have been accessing as much information as you can to help you understand how you are feeling, and your family as well.

Continue to reach out to people and share your emotions and feelings. Bottling them up is not good for us. They end up coming out somewhere, and not always in the most appropriate way!

How is your Dad getting on? Is he receiving help and assistance with his feelings and emotions as well?

Thinking of you, from Mrs. Dools

PinkDiamonds25 · ‎30-10-2014

Thank you,

this site is great, I wish that I knew it existed years ago when I first discovered that I had mental health issues instead of battling through it alone.

I got to the doctor yesterday, I didn't see my regular gp (he was unavailable) but I got the next available doctor with the same practice which I thought was better then starting fresh with a new practice as at least this one has my past history.

the doctor I saw was helpful somewhat, he's put me on a new medication which I just started today, it's making me feel a little bit off but so far it's ok.

i don't know if it's just a placebo feeling but I already somewhat feel a bit better, maybe because I'm finally doing something about the situation.

im trying to stay optimistic about the situation..

I will probably see a different doctor in the clinic next time when they review my meds, mostly because the gp I saw was hard to understand and I didn't feel completely comfortable opening up to him.

he wrote me a referral for a physiologist but they aren't answering the phone to make an appointment so I'll call around tomorrow and see if I can find a different one instead- these things happen sometimes I guess.

i took my dad to his gp on Monday to get a referral to a councillor, I think they referred him to the local hospital's mental health team. He did admit to hearing voices again and having suicidal thoughts so hopefully they can help him to control some of that. if they could assist him, I would be able to focus on getting myself a bit better. it would take a huge amount of stress off me to know that he had someone extra to talk to. My dad has been living with my grandmother (the mother of my uncle who suicided 2 weeks ago) and she fell over in the kitchen last night and broke her hip so she's in hospital for now, my dad has been staying with his sister so as to not be alone.

Doolhof · ‎01-11-2014

Hi, great to hear from you again.

I am so pleased you have been able to see a Dr. and yes I agree with you, it is better to see a Dr from the same clinic as they do have access to your notes and past history. I forget so much, that I have difficulty remembering details, so when a different Dr asks me a question relating to past issues, I have no idea what they are talking about.

I also agree that if you find a Dr hard to understand, then it is important to see a different one. Give the medication a go. Even if it is a placebo effect, that doesn't matter! If it is working then that is excellent!

Having the energy and the ability to help yourself in different ways is always going to boost your self confidence and help you to cope better.

Well done taking your Dad somewhere so he too could receive some help. As you mentioned, if professionals can help you both, then the burden is not so great on either of you. I am sure your Dad worries about you as well.

Oh dear. I am so sorry to read that your Grandma has fallen over and broken her hip. I had a client of mine do that recently. She has healed extremely well and is back home again. She has strict orders from her daughters to not go out in her garden anymore, even though she fell in the house!

Keep trying to receive all the help you and your Dad both need right now. Try to find a little way each day that you can make life a bit easier or more pleasant for yourself. Try and find the time to do something you enjoy doing.

I'm wishing you well and will be looking to see another post with further updates from you. All the best from Mrs. Dools

PinkDiamonds25 · ‎03-11-2014

Thank you again for your replies to my post,

I'm now on day 5 of my new medication.

I can't believe how much it is helping me already!

In the past few days that I've been on it I haven't had one anxiety attack, one bout of anxiety or any major depressive moments at all! It's unbelievable! Not only I can see/feel a difference in myself but My partner, my mum and my best friend can see a positive difference too (my partner and my best friend are the only people that I had mentioned the new medication to).

I feel so much more able to cope and face my life now instead of hiding away and being afraid to get out there.

I have been in situations that would usually cause me a great deal of discomfort and anxiety (crowded places, seeing/interacting with distant family members) and I have got through them so well, no anxiety whatsoever.

could this possibly be what "normal" feels like? I have always suffered with anxiety for as long as I can remember and this is the longest I have gone without it!

i have been on different types of medications for these issues before but they haven't seemed to help at all whereas I feel as I have finally found the right one for me! I have read about people who have claimed that the smog had finally cleared from their heads and they could see clearly again after finally getting through their depression but I always thought that it wasn't possible for me.. Now I can finally see what they were talking about! 🙂

i just wish that I had seen my doctor sooner instead of putting it off for so long.

As for taking time out for myself to do things I enjoy, I have been spending my days outside with my son gardening, spending time with our 2 beautiful Maltese dogs (my fur-babies) and my 3 lovely pet chickens which have five x 3 week old baby chicks (they are growing so fast!) and visiting my grandmother every second day in hospital, she's in good spirits considering but the doctors are having some concerns about her heart.

I have been in touch with my Dad every day and we see him when we visit my nan, he's also been coming to stay here with us every now and then when he's not staying with his sister so that has been nice, my son and I really enjoy his company, he's been teaching my son how to catch a ball.

heres hoping that things continue to improve, I will keep you posted.

take care 🙂

Doolhof · ‎04-11-2014

Hi Pink Diamond,

Congratulations! Excellent. Fantastic news. I am so very thrilled for you that the medication is making such a huge difference for you! Can you please send me a truck full of this wonder medication! Ha. Ha.

I am so pleased you are able to see life from a totally different angle now. You must be so excited yourself. It is wonderful those around you can see the difference in you and have acknowledged it.

How amazing it is when you can see the world around you through different eyes and enjoy the smallest things, like chickens and being with your son in the garden.

We too have chooks, 4 Rode Island Reds I think they are, but we don't have a rooster. We do have a canary rearing 3 chicks at the moment, it is interesting to look in the cage and see the chicks progressing.

Life sounds great for you. I am so pleased you have been to see the Dr for the medication. Well done to you! There is no stopping you now! Watch out well, here you come!

Thank you so much for posting your positive, cheerful, and exciting news!

All the best to you! Cheers for now from Mrs. Dools

HA1 · ‎06-11-2014

Thank you Pink Diamond!

A lovely feelgood story - gives me hope that the cloud/fog that is my constant companion will one day lift. Must start 'experimenting' with different meds.

K