Hello act1810, and welcome to the BeyondBlue forums. Its really good that you are being proactive in seeking advice in order to allow yourself to move forward and be happy.
The good news is that this can be achieved. There are a number of psych therapies, medications and self-help methods which will help you to do this.
The best way to start the process is to:
1. Go and see your GP and ask to be put on a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). Your GP will want to know some information about you and your circumstances in order to ascertain whether you need some psychological assistance. Once they establish that it would be beneficial for you to undergo some form of therapy, your GP will put you on a MHCP. This then allows you up to 10 Medicare subsidised psych visits each calendar year. Medicare currently pays $124.50 per visit, so if your psych charges more than that, you will most likely be required to pay the gap.
2. If you have specific questions you'd like answers to, and would like to speak to a 'real' person, you can call the BeyondBlue helpline on 1300 22 4636. You will find them very helpful and they will be able to provide you with advice as to where best for you to go in order to find the services you need.
Irrespective of seeking professional help, most people also benefit from peer support. So I would encourage you to read some of the threads here on BB which relate to your own situation. You will find the members here to be very understanding, kind and supportive. Members will welcome any input you choose to make on any existing threads, so please feel free to comment, advise or ask questions if you'd like.
I hope this information helps, and I would very much welcome further updates from you.
Taurus
