Saying Hi & whats going on ?

[Imawombat]

Just saying Hi , And tell you what's going on , Im not going real good . All started last year I injured myself at work leaving me with a condition that has stopped me from working ( now 9 months ) its also wiped out me from doing my favorite hobby . I also ended up in & out of hospital 5 times with a seperate issue but that's all pretty good now but went through a lot .

Ok cut to the chase , Ive suffered depression & anxiety over the years but have been good for quite a few years untill now . Im 58 yo facing having to find either a new career or possibly retire or go on a pension ?

Ive had no financial support , I havn't gone down the path of Workcover as my condition is quite a tricky one to prove it was from my work and here I am still paying work cover - crazy !

But in the mean time Ive become OCD . Every day and now even twice a day I drive quite a ways back to the suburb and house to where I was born , I left there 38 years ago ! All I do is drive around the streets I grew up on and past my old school and past old friends houses etc etc .

Its got out of control , Ive spent $ thousands on petrol over the past 9 months . Ive just started seeing a councilor I asked what the heck is this and I was told its Trauma .

My Anxiety is so bad Im even struggerling to sort out Centrelink online paperwork etc etc .My mind is all over the shop , I go see my councilor this Tues again I hope she can help at present 1 meeting a fortnight is not enough , I was trying to avoid medication but Ive been told its highly recomended that I do . I realize I do have options but the anxiety is making decision making near Impossible , I like to take a holiday but I'm struggerling to even sort that out .

I hope I can get help ?

[Jigsaw9]

Blondguy

Your support is much appreciated. Just want to echo your thoughts also and say BB is a very supportive and caring place where you will find many others in the same predicament as you.

Wombat

Any break will be seen as a good thing at the moment. Doesn't necessarily have to be a holiday per se, it can be something simple like going to the beach. Spending a day at the beach revitalises you although now may not be the best weather for it!

You can try something like going to the movies and watching something of interest like a comedy or an action flick.

Were here for you if you need anything and please do keep us posted on your progress.

Many thanks

[geoff]

Hi Imawombat, I'd really like to hear back from you regarding your accident because from what you have told us, it's now causing you problems, that's only if you want to.

With this obsession, it's a compulsion that's caused by OCD and with you, it's about having to drive around, so it makes you do this to make sure that something awful or bad isn't going to happen, so by doing it satisfies your
anxiety.

Compulsions are something you and I do, to rid yourself of the anxiety caused by this obsession, because anxiety makes it nearly impossible to stop focusing on the things that you don't want to focus on this will cause negative thoughts.

Trying not to think about this would only cause you more time to think about them even more, so your anxiety absolutely increases, it's no different if I have to check a lock 3 or 4 times, the number I do is 4 or I may have to touch something 4 times, I may touch it more than 4 but I count to 4 that suits me.

I wonder if this driving is an 'intrusive thought' for you.

There is much more to comment on.

Hope to hear back from you.

Geoff.

[blondguy]

Hello Wombat

Just saying Hi and seeing how you are traveling. I understand you as I have also been in a dark place as well.....for a long time and its an awful place to be in

Thankyou Jigsaw and Geoff for the kind support you have provided to Wombat.

you are not alone Imawombat..seriously

my kindest thoughts

Paul

[Terry73]

Hi Wombat,

I am not sure if this will help, but would a hobby or new interest help here, just to give you something to do until you are able to come to some sort of decision. First thing that comes to mind is how to cope being in winter, and since you into a gym lifestyle, maybe look at going swimming in a heated public pool might be an option since its still fitness related, and I believe is low impact so your injury shouldnt be an issue there (but might want to check with the doc first, just to be safe).

Other hobbies could include some sort of casual study into something that interests you, or take up a craft of some sort.

I suggest these as these may do 2 things for you, keep you from the "doonah diving" routine, and secondly, it will keep your mind occupied to maybe break that OCD you are having as well (either in a way where you know your hobby is more important so you stay and do that, or the fact that you just dont see time fly by as you are doing it hence not carry out your habit you refer to as OCD, breaking its cycle and hold over you).

I could be very wrong here too, so maybe confirm these things properly with your docs first.

I hope this helps

Terry

[Imawombat]

Thanks Everyone for the comments ,

So what happened last year is I damaged my hearing at work althou I can still hear ok its left me with severe tinittus ( ringing in the ear ) its quite bad . I went to the doctor when I first did it but my Gp wasn't that Interested in going down the workcover route even thou It was created by long time noise exposure . Here I am unemployed and still paying bloody workcover I feel its crazy and that in itself annoys me ! Im only still paying it hoping I can still find work . From memory I did contact a Lawyer last year but got no support there . Ive done everything I was told to do like see a ENT , had all the audioligist tests , have GBT from a councilor etc etc .

I was a passionate motorcycle rider most of my life and riding bikes makes the condition worst and yes ive tried everything almost inc all ear plus to different helmets to windscreens etc etc . I just sold the bike several months ago so there go's my favorite hobby , Im not giving up hope maybe one day if things improve I may be able to ride again ??

I think I need to change my Gp Im not that happy now I come to think of it .

So where Im at , Im avoiding things like paperwork like crazy here I am its taking me weeks to try and process the Centrelink newstart even thou I need the $ if I run into a hard part I just get up walk away go for a coffee or drive back to my old neighborhood as it hurts my head .

I was procrastinating over taking the meds but Ive just taken the first dose I can see things are not good and not improving , so just now whats happening is my mind is hurting and I will feel the need to lie down and sleep and its 11 am .

As I'm writing this I can see how bad I am I struggle to make the simplest of decisions.

I'm now constantly thinking of the past now .

Ive been advised to take a holiday out of the country to try and break the habbit and I agree , but here I am struggling to book the flight I just keep procrastinating . I hate winter I need sunshine so its either Qld or Bali or Thailand have to try and make this happen .

I'm very worried about my future , I don't know why I have options I just have to get my mind right , ok see right now my head hurts and Im going to have to walk away from the computer and get in the car and go even thou I have stuff I need to do this is what happens , dam .

Ok hopefully I can chat again soon .

Cheers

[Imawombat]

Bit of an update .

I thought it was crazy not being able to at least see about workcover seeing as I did this at work . So Ive had a talk to a workcover lawyer and they have set up a meeting for me monday morning . I should have filled out a workcover form back when it happened rather than listen to my Gp because it was too much paperwork and they wern't Interested . I can see I really need help and I think I need a new Gp .

Cheers

[geoff]

Hi Wombat, thanks for getting back to us and clearing up a few details.

I am pleased that you have contacted a Workcover lawyer and can I suggest you stop paying W/C, because the injury has already happened and has been recorded, so you don't have to keep paying it to claim, unless the company is still running.

Write down what has happened, detailing what noise has caused this on a continuous basis and everything else that happened at work, dates and times if possible.

Is this lawyer on a no win no fee charge?

Please let us know what happens.

Geoff.

[Imawombat]

Hi Geoff,

Yes no win no fee , just a free consult on monday . I was hoping my condition may improve or another option re my old work for continue payment of workcover but honestly I don't think Its going to happen . I think Im faced with 2 choices , I'm either able to find other work that I can do or a possible a pension which Centrelink have indercated is a strong possibilty because of my age etc .

The injury was never recorded at work or who I worked for as a subcontractor but was recorded at the doctors .

I did get a copy of my hearing test yesterday .

Cheers

[Imawombat]

The workcover Lawyer was very helpfull , turns out Im well with inn my rights to lodge a claim and my doctor was wrong to discard my injury because of the paperwork and said it was getting more common now re doctors and the time it takes to do the paperwork . I feel better knowing I may get support at least for a little while .

Cheers

[geoff]

Hello Imawombat, that's great news to hear, good on you.

Geoff.