On the therapy journey

[mocha delight]

I’m starting this thread to post about anything related to my treatment & therapy ect ect ect. Which I’ll start of saying I finally got a appointment with a psychologist on the 9th of September so over 3 weeks away. But not with the one me gp referred to as that psychologist unfortunately for me was not taking on new clients so I found one off the ‘find a professional’ from beyond blue of course and I did not no where else to go look. So already feel nervous & anxious about this appointment and I only made it today besides this psychologist is not one my gp recommended & referred me to. So now I would ever be grateful if anyone give me tips/hints ect ect ect of what to expect from my first ever psychologists appointment. What do I need to know? Now that most of you all have definitely gone through that first time psychologist appointment what kind of things should I ask/tell/mention? How many appointments average until I get a diagnosis? Do psychologists make the diagnosis’s? Does a gp? Or how do I get a diagnosis if a gp’s/psychologists don’t make the diagnosis? Ok yes I’m a complete newbie to trying to get a diagnosis but I just want to be completely prepared of how it works before my appointment. Did I mention I’m nervous and anxious?

[mocha delight]

Hi doz86 thanks for the reply and although sorry for my late reply yes I’m staying strong

[mocha delight]

Well yesterday after having my second appointment with my psychologist that during it she asked if I have any distractions when I’m feeling down/low ect ect ect I stopped in at a big w on the way to a better location to catch an Uber home I went in to get something else but while I was looking for that I came across some 1000 piece puzzles that had gone down from $10 to $8. So not only did I purchase what I was looking for plus a few other things but I also brought 2 of the 1000 piece puzzles as well to use as my distraction. I also plan on getting a few more so I got a good range of puzzles so I don’t get bored of redoing the same ones when I need a distraction. And I love to do the jigsaw puzzles but it’s been so long I can’t remember the last time I did one and it probably did not help I had very bad brain fog pre my coeliac disease diagnosis (brain fog is a symptom of that). So I was very inspired after my appointment yesterday and I can’t wait to tell her at my next appointment that now I have a good distraction and besides jigsaw puzzles are so time consuming and fun in my opinion.

[smallwolf]

so I am guessing you like jigsaw puzzles.

Me I am not so much into that sort of things. But it is good that you have been able to find something you like and that is important. My mum likes jigsaw puzzles as well though she does them on her tablet - less mess that way.

it also sounds like you might be getting along your psychologist which is very important. Hoping it all works out for you.

Tim

[mocha delight]

Not been doing so well mentally right now so that’s why I’ve been very absent lately and been struggling with the racing thoughts and barely sleeping at night again but with most of the symptoms/signs I had pre antidepressants as well.

[ecomama]

HI Mocha

We've really missed you!

Sorry to hear you've been struggling.
Have you spoken to your GP about it all? Just wondering, not dictating.

You were doing much better, I hope you can get there again.

Lots of love EM

[mocha delight]

So the updates are: got another 3 1000 piece puzzles so that makes 5 now, been mentioned by the psych that I have both social & general anxiety on top of depression, have been more down then up lately and in my latest appointment she agrees with I’m slipping into the eating disorder of thinking. which I guessEd about anyways after years & years of multiple attempts at losing weight after at one stage getting to the lowest weight I’ve ever been. I also mentioned I think I have this mental block that’s stopping me from even losing 2-3 kilos ever since then to. So she said she could give me all this info & info books about it but with everything else I have going on she does not want me to get overloaded nor stressed out but that we’ll work on it.

[Guest_1643]

hey mocha -

hw are u? love that you're loving the puzzles

i'm sorry u've been struggling but sounds like you've found in September this psychologist who can read you and see how you are. I hope that helps. Its very hard to find a good psychologist. I'm happy you have somone good.
How do u feel about being diagnosed?
Some people find it upsetting but if you have a good support, some might feel that it helps them undrstand things they felt were unnamamble.
I wander how it was for u.

Love to hear how you are today and if ur feeling a bit better.

[mocha delight]

Hi sleepy21 thanks for the reply as I said I’ve been more down then up mood wise lately and the psychologist I’m seeing is not the one my gp recommend as that one she was not taking on new clients so I actually found the one I’m seeing as did not want to bother my gp with getting another recommendation. Also I’ve not been officially diagnosed with anything yet it’s just she’s mentioned me having depression, social anxiety and general anxiety so don’t know wha it feels like to be officially diagnosed yet. And yes I’m the type of person who handles things better once I know what I’m dealing with rather than the unknown.

[ecomama]

Hi mocha.... I'll be back after I pick up the kids from work in a minute but I saw you wrote this twice (in bolded Italics)....

mocha delight said:Hi sleepy21 thanks for the reply as I said I’ve been more down then up mood wise lately and the psychologist I’m seeing is not the one my gp recommend as that one she was not taking on new clients so I actually found the one I’m seeing as did not want to bother my gp with getting another recommendation. Also I’ve not been officially diagnosed with anything yet it’s just she’s mentioned me having depression, social anxiety and general anxiety so don’t know wha it feels like to be officially diagnosed yet. And yes I’m the type of person who handles things better once I know what I’m dealing with rather than the unknown.

Firstly, I'm SUPER glad you are the type of person who handles things better once you know what you're dealing with. This is the VERY POSITIVE perspective of any diagnoses and certainly one I take also.
High five!

Secondly the "general anxiety" thing may or may not be "generalised anxiety disorder" or GAD.
You may want to scout the forums and have a look / see if GAD fits... you may too young to diagnose GAD IDK.
I bought "Anxiety" a book by Dr Mark Cross (might be available from your local library or ASK THEM TO BUY IT lol - they love requests!) and Yvette is currently reading it.
I've been diagnosed with anxiety namely Complex PTSD which a form of extreme anxiety related to trauma BUT I don't have GAD.

SO there are lots of differences in anxieties and also different treatments work better for some etc but as I watched a Ted Talk today about rewiring our brains.... and "brain elasticity" which is AMAZING... some ppl are more able to rewire their brains than others.

BUT lifting your depression first and foremost WILL be the best thing to work IMHO and IME.

ALSO please mocha, throw away the scales. (It's anxiety that makes us constantly weigh ourselves and IME keep the weight on!).
If you can turn your thinking about "kilograms to lose" off and focus on loving your self and your body and I mean REALLY loving it by eating nourishing foods and giving it fresh air etc...

we glow.
For me, weight fell off right about then.

My 20c...

LOVE YOUR WORK.
Love EM
PS: LOVE your initiative of finding a psych. xxxx

[mocha delight]

Thanks for your reply ecomama well I’m 33 in December and my psych definitely mentioned general anxiety disorder