Need help coping between Psychiatrist sessions

[Guest_4643]

Hi everyone, my name's Tayla and I'm 20. Relatively new to these forums. I would really appreciate if someone can please help me and give me some suggestions/advice.

I have a Psychiatrist that I'm very thankful for, he's wonderful and everything I want in a therapist. He helps me and it makes me feel a bit better and sometimes a little happier and reassured while I see him. I do this through Telehealth because I'm in Regional Victoria and he's a 6 hour drive away in Sydney, so I've never met him face to face although it's pretty much the same thing. I would like to try and meet him in person some day though, but we'll see.

However, sometimes it can be a while in between sessions because I understand his busy schedule, he also has other commitments other than his Psychiatry work. But in saying that he does his job well and does what he says. So I find it really hard to cope until I see him again.

I see my GP also but I don't find her that helpful, personally. She's nice yes but not like my Psychiatrist.

I do come on websites like this, Lifeline, etc. to do web chats, and that's why I joined these forums.

I walk daily. I colour in and play a free colour by numbers app on my iPad called Happy Colour. Sometimes I'll read or write, or watch TV or movies, depending on if I'm in the mood. Other than that I don't have much to do.

Yes I have supportive parents and it's just them, my dog and I, I have no siblings, friends or other family members. I've tried so hard to join groups, get jobs, study, anything, and I'm always discriminated against (I don't know why), even by the local triage and local Headspace Centre. So I'm out of options and quite hurt. So basically I can't get any of those.

Please help and please reply. I really wish I could contact my Psychiatrist in between sessions but I'm not sure if that's allowed and how I can.

Thanks,

Tayla.

[Guest_4643]

Hey Birdy, thank you for your reply.

Good idea about writing stuff down, except I can't give it to him because I do Telehealth with him which is Skype, so I don't see him in person. He's in Sydney and I'm in Regional Victoria which is a 6 hour drive.

I'll try to write stuff down yeah, as upsetting as it will be. And I'll try to ask him for strategies, I've done everything he's told me to do so far though - tried meds of course, done a Mindspot course (I personally didn't find that helpful in any way) and I bought the book he recommended called Beating The Blues, which I haven't read yet because I'm not a big reader but I'll get around to it.

Thanks for your kind words, I'll do my best. I hope things go well tomorrow too, thanks for thinking of me. I'll let everyone know. Love and hugs to you and others here.

Tayla x

[Birdy77]

Dear Tayla,

I'm sorry, i did read read that you have skype sessions, but i forgot.

If you have his email address you could email him your questions/concerns prior to your skype sesh.

I know you enjoy your walks at the lake and you like birds and animals / nature - I'm just wondering if you've ever tried any gardening as a way to lose yourself away from the anxiety/depression? It may not appeal to you, but i know that it can bring a lot of peace and is used as a therapeutic tool. I find it brings me right down into the present moment and gives me relief from my circular, anxious thoughts.

There is a thread here on the forums started by our lovely friend Grandy, u think it's in the Staying Well section, it's called something like "Grounding Ourselves: what is it and how do we?" There are lots of strategies in there for bringing yourself back to This Present Moment, you might find something that helps you.

If you're not into reading, have you tried listening to some short meditations on Spotify or similar? Or there are other books that have short daily focus points/meditations to deal with anxiety etc that are easier to read than pages filled to the brim with words. It can be hard to concentrate when your head is not in a great space, so shorter pieces might be better for you.

Don't be afraid to write down your worries and share them with your psych - that is what he is there for.



🌻birdy

[Guest_4643]

Hey Birdy, no worries at all. My apologies for replying a little late too, I just saw your post for some reason, but thank you for replying again.

I don't have his email address unfortunately or a phone number or anything, there is the number on my prescription that Mindspot used (with my consent) to try to contact him for me once but they told me the number (looks like an office number since it starts with 9) is disconnected? So I'm not sure. There's a mobile number on the Telehealth website next to his name which I assume is his? However I don't want to contact that number because I don't want to invade his privacy. I want to try and ask if I can contact in some way like an email (of course I wouldn't annoy him and constantly contact him, just on really bad days) but I'm worried it won't be allowed and I don't want to make things uncomfortable, and don't want to make him uncomfortable.

No I haven't tried gardening, thanks for the suggestion though. It is something that I'd like to try and do, but the soil where I live isn't the best so nothing grows so I don't see the point, which sucks. But I would like to try and do it, yes. I agree, it sounds therapeutic - gardens are beautiful and it's nice to look at what you've created and think "wow, I made that" and things like that.

I haven't seen that thread yet but I'll check it out, thanks so much. Ggrandy is lovely, as are you and many others I've spoken to, so thank you, it means so much to me, even just being kind and saying hello and replying to me.

I have Spotify, but I haven't listened to any Podcasts on there or in general, but I'll look into it, thanks. I don't have anything for Ebooks or anything like that though. But I'll check out everything you suggested and try gardening too.

Thank you for being so kind, caring, checking in on me, reassuring me, etc. It means a lot, and of course replying and for the suggestions. I appreciate it heaps, so thanks. I'll check everything out that you recommended, and try gardening sometime.

Love and hugs, and thanks again. Take care,

Tayla xx

[Guest_4643]

Hi Mark, Birdy and everyone else who has commented here, thank you for that. I never thought this post would get over 100 comments so thanks so much.

I just had a bit of a break from the forums so I'm catching up so please bare with me.

But I wanted to say since I saw my Psychiatrist last time and I said I'd update you all, it went well. He still wants to see me which is good and I apologised to him for being a burden and he said "you're not a burden, that's my job" in a kind reassuring way with a smile, but I still feel like I am.

Take care all, I've missed talking to everyone xx

[Matchy69]

Hi Tayla its great to see you back and thankyou for letting us know how it went.

Take care,

Mark.

[Guest_4643]

Thanks Mark, I missed it here and chatting with everyone.

I'll get around to replying to the other threads soon, I have a bit of catching up to do

Take care too.

Your friend,

Tayla

[Birdy77]

Welcome back Tayla!

I am so pleased to hear that things went well with your psych. He is there to help you, you are not a burden, that is what is there for and has spent years training to do.

You said you are struggling with some things. Would you like to lay any of your worries down here, talk about anything?

I hope you are looking after yourself.

🌻birdy

[Guest_4643]

Hi Birdy, thank you so much! It's good to be back, I missed you and everyone else on the forums.

Thank you, and I guess you're right about that's his job, but I still feel that way.

Yeah I am struggling. It's hard coping until I see him again, as in I just want to speak to him somehow (on the phone or something) to just say I'm struggling and ask if he has any strategies for me or something like that. He sent me my prescriptions in the mail and it has the number for the hospital he works at on it.

Am I allowed to call that number, say my name and explain that I'm a patient of his on Telehealth through that company (GP2U) and just say that I'd like to speak with him please and that I'm not trying to invade his privacy, I just have no one else?

I saw a new GP and she was good but my Psychiatrist makes me feel better, because I feel more comfortable with him and know him more, you know? Plus I've seen him a few times now, only seen the new GP once.

Do you know if I'm allowed to do that? I don't have an email for him, I email the company and they forward stuff onto him (I guess they have to do what they have to do)

Thanks xx

Tayla

[Matchy69]

Hi Tayla i think you could ring that number and they will probably take a msg and he will ring you back.You csn only try and see whst they say.When was your next appointment with him?I hope you dont get yourself to stressed about it.I know it would be nice if you could talk to him more often.

Take care,

Your Friend,

Mark.

[Guest_4643]

Hey Mark, thanks.

I see him again on March 30, that was the earliest I could get. There were other appointments on the website that I tried to get but they told me that's for new patients or something, ugh.

The number might be for the hospital front desk so the automated thing where you press stuff, since it's the same number when you look it up on Google, but I don't know. I'll try and ask him when I see him again, I'd rather ask him personally then email GP2U and ask because they'll get mad.

Tayla