Sincere help

[IHI]

First time I saw a doctor he said that I had Manic Depression. He put me on antidepressants,told me to take that for 2 years but to go back & see him after 6 months. After 6 months I took myself off the tablets as I hated them. Never went back to see the doctor. I decided that he didn't care & he just gave me drugs to make me go away. Many years later I went to see another doctor as I had gotten worse over time & needed help. This time I had reoccuring depression due to a long distance relationship. No mention of the Manic Depression the other doctor talked about years beforehand. Again I was prescribed drugs, different ones this time, but only for 6 months told me to go back after 1 month. I thought 'this is a bit better'. The tablets were much better than the other ones too. Had some friend trouble in the mean time & she told me about Mental Health Plans. Went back to see the doctor to ask him about it. Honestly he didn't seem happy that I asked him about it at all. He seemed very reluctant to give me a referal.

I don't know how to find someone who actually wants to help me. I've been dragging out getting help for years because I feel like the only help I'm going to get is drugs. I don't want to take antidepressants for the rest of my life. I want to get better on my own. But how my life is at the moment I've realised that I can't do it on my own. But when I seek help I find someone who just doesn't care.

Please help me find someone who can assist me to get better. I want to find out what is wrong with me & make up a plan

[charlottesometimes]

Hi IHI

How are you? well I hope. Your post is very factual and matter of fact so I will respond in kind. I hope this is okay 🙂

I contacted the beyond blue online chat people the other day and they asked me lots of questions (the answering of which was quite soothing), and then recommended someone near where I live. Could I recommend you do the same? Surely if someone registers with Beyond Blue they will have an understanding of 'us'. I do find though that psychiatrists/psychologists don't seem to have an idea about making you better, only about why you are unwell, and hope that knowing that will make you better. 🙂

From my experience the mental health plan is for 6 visits to someone per year, you can get this extended with another referral.

 If cost is an issue visiting a psychiatrist rather than a counsellor or psychologist gets you a better refund with medicare.  Be very clear about what you would like up front. These people have trained for years and are intelligent etc but have no idea about what will work for YOU. Do you want them to talk back to you? or just listen? Do you expect them to have a plan for your improvement? (hey, if you find this let me know), Can you talk about payment with them easily? I say this because for years I would go in expecting 'them' as the expert, the well one, to be in charge of the process. But they can be stuck in a pattern they learned at University that doesn't work best for you.

Good luck.