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BrianJ Inpatient units
  • replies: 6

We are trying to work out whether an inpatient unit would be helpful for our son, who has suicidal thoughts. We are looking at both public and private units, and our understanding is that the private units could be less stressful, as they only have v... View more

We are trying to work out whether an inpatient unit would be helpful for our son, who has suicidal thoughts. We are looking at both public and private units, and our understanding is that the private units could be less stressful, as they only have voluntary patients. We are concerned about him being in close proximity with others who have higher needs than him, as he tends to empathise (maybe too much). Thanks

2teray How to help paranoid schizophrenic father with his symptoms
  • replies: 7

My dad was diagnosed over 30 years ago for the most part he has coped very well until 2 years ago when there was a change in his medication and since then he has been on and off his medication he was forcibly hospitalised about a year ago. He doesn’t... View more

My dad was diagnosed over 30 years ago for the most part he has coped very well until 2 years ago when there was a change in his medication and since then he has been on and off his medication he was forcibly hospitalised about a year ago. He doesn’t live local to me but he has a as well as can be expected care team who do their best. He lives alone. My request is for advice on how to talk to my dad about his paranoid thoughts the voices he hears and the firm beliefs that someone is coming into his home when he isn’t home. I think I’m doing it all wrong. I need help. he calls me 4 or 5 times a day sometimes I don’t take his call cos I just can’t I don’t know what to say. He tells me whenever he finds new things in his flat phones clothes ladies products food rubbish I suggested the ladies products were left there by his ex but she left 2 years ago so he’s convinced some lady is storing her things in his bathroom cabinet. I asked him to check the best before dates and sure enough they had 2015 on them but he then says someone has put the stuff in old bottles so you’ll think they are from a long time ago. do I simply say nothing or ok or prompt reality checks or Just agree with him or what ????? i can’t go to him because he can get so paranoid that he doesn’t believe I’m me at times also he waiting for the day he actually catches these “intruders” and if I’m there one day when he happens to not believe I’m me and maybe see me as an intruder we’ll it could be dangerous. I have spoken with his case worker who says he sees dad weekly yet dad says he doesn’t case worker also says he’ll call me if there are any issues but doesn’t call I call him monthly when I can’t cope and ask for advice and he says leave it with him. I need advice on how to talk with my dad. I try to change the topic but he doesn’t respond well to that either. I even tried to say what if I said to him this or that was happening to me what would his advice be to me and believe it or not he changes and says the same things I have said to him maybe you forgot you put it there maybe you forgot to lock the door maybe you forgot you had those items. Then when I point out that it’s the same situation and ask why he doesn’t challenge his own thoughts the same way he says it’s different with me I know there are intruders coming in and out of here touching my things using my things bringing things in and storing them here. I really need advice please

Willoughby27 can’t see psychologist anymore
  • replies: 2

I’ve been seeing a psychologist for 6 months, part of the oncology department at the hospital. The reason for this is that I was referred there for help with dealing with my partners cancer diagnosis. While seeing this psychologist I experienced DV. ... View more

I’ve been seeing a psychologist for 6 months, part of the oncology department at the hospital. The reason for this is that I was referred there for help with dealing with my partners cancer diagnosis. While seeing this psychologist I experienced DV. There have been several incidents since, all of which have been discussed during appointments. Now the time has come that I cannot see this psychologist anymore. My partner has recovered from cancer and the services are no longer available to me. Unfortunately, the domestic violence has continued. I am actually devastated at the loss of support and am feeling quite depressed. I have been referred to the domestic violence support services and can pick up further counselling there but I am anxious at the thought of having to go over everything that has already happened again with someone new. I’m also extremely resistant to commit to “domestic violence support services” as I feel this puts me in a box, makes me a victim, makes it official that I have experienced DV. I am emotionally exhausted and in the last week have begun to withdraw from my friends & family, ignoring texts & phone calls and staying home. I don’t think I can bring myself to go to my psychologists appointment later this week - it will most likely be the last one and I’m just not prepared for it. I’ve attempted to see psychologists in the past but never met with one I felt I could continue with. This is the furthest I have ever gone in therapy & because of everything that’s happened during I guess I’ve really relied on it. I’m scared of how I’m going to feel once it’s taken away. It was extremely hard for me to get this far - I’ve always avoided dealing with things and I’ve really had to push myself to keep going and to think and talk about everything that’s happened. Going to therapy was really helpful but it never made me feel good, in fact for a few days after I always felt quite introspective and sad but I figured this meant that it was working. I’m sure that having to change psychologists is common and normal when ‘in therapy’ so why is it making me feel so bad? I feel like cancelling everything right now and just ignoring all my problems in the hope they’ll just go away. I’m trying to convince myself seeing a new counsellor isn’t ‘starting again’ but it isn’t working. I just feel like I don’t have the energy to start again.

Hj1981 I think I need to start medication
  • replies: 5

I suffer from CPTSD and I think my anxiety issues are getting worse. I think I might need to start medication but I’m so scared to do so. I’m scared because I’m sensitive to drugs, I’m scared as I feel that once on them there is no going back. I’m sc... View more

I suffer from CPTSD and I think my anxiety issues are getting worse. I think I might need to start medication but I’m so scared to do so. I’m scared because I’m sensitive to drugs, I’m scared as I feel that once on them there is no going back. I’m scared because I’ve had friends on meds and they didn’t help them or stop them from taking their lives. What was the deciding factor for you to go on meds? Where do i start? Did medication help? Were the side effects bad? Once on them can you come off them? And be ok? They don’t fix anything do they? They just hide the problem.

16sundayz Day Hospital or Day Group
  • replies: 1

Does anyone know of a therapeutic community in Melbourne that I can stay overnight like once a week or just go there for a month during the day and have activities, group and individual counselling and chill time and then I'm free to go, not a psych ... View more

Does anyone know of a therapeutic community in Melbourne that I can stay overnight like once a week or just go there for a month during the day and have activities, group and individual counselling and chill time and then I'm free to go, not a psych ward though.

Hannerilana Med withdrawal
  • replies: 1

Where is there support for medication withdrawal? I find a lot of doctors know very little about what to expect , advise including health direct that withdrawal symptoms will resolve quickly. Where is the adequate support and what are we doing to cha... View more

Where is there support for medication withdrawal? I find a lot of doctors know very little about what to expect , advise including health direct that withdrawal symptoms will resolve quickly. Where is the adequate support and what are we doing to change that?

JamesM1 Seeking advice: The compounding effects of BPPV/Tinnitus & GAD
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I'm sure i'm not alone in this thought; 'Is it physical or psychological?'. This is a question I often ask myself, especially when experiencing an acute bout of anxiety, with the main symptoms being vertigo and presyncope and general panic. F... View more

Hi all, I'm sure i'm not alone in this thought; 'Is it physical or psychological?'. This is a question I often ask myself, especially when experiencing an acute bout of anxiety, with the main symptoms being vertigo and presyncope and general panic. For a brief overview, approx 5 months ago I picked up a standard head cold which escalated to a respiratory tract infection, then to bronchitis and finally pneumonia. It started with the usual trips to the GP where I was told to just rest, drink fluids etc. Finally, I drove myself to the ER but on the way was briefly losing consciousness at red lights due to breathing issues, which wasn't fun. This was a triggering point I think. An x-ray confirmed the issue, I was given antibiotics for a bacterial infection. My initial recovery was quick, within 48hrs I started feeling better. My chest has cleared many months ago, however, I still have persistent symptoms which include, vertigo, tinnitus and presyncope. In addition I also have GAD symptoms as I've been advised(by a GP) which include a bounding pulse(I can put a book or paper on my chest and you can see if move to the beat of my heart, this seems odd to me), feeling of falling through the floor, heavy feet, dizziness. The list goes on. Physically I do have BPPV(Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) in conjunction with tinnitus. When I moved my lower jaw forward the pitch and tone of the tinnitus goes up, it's pretty constant. Left ear only with fluid behind the ear drum and BPPV confirmed by doing the epley maneuver or just tilting in general. I've been though a barrage of tests; bloodwork, x-rays,ECG and BP monitoring, nothing has been found. The only thing I noticed for the first 2 months post infection, was sudden spikes in BP, It would suddenly rise to 160/100 then fall to 125/75 within 5min. The whole time however, my heart rate would be steady on 65-70BPM and I wasn't panicking or feeling anxious. I just don't feel well to put it simply, some days are fine others are of very poor quality. I sometimes find myself rocking or swaying. I'm still struggling and trying to justify, and in disbelief on the physical effects of a mental condition. Any advice would be appreciated. Best regards, James.

Matches Undiagnosed Acquired Brain Injury
  • replies: 2

I'm seeking advice from anyone who has had brain scans/imaging (structural and functional) and discovered that they have had a significant brain injury (possibly from childhood trauma, or cerebrovascular accident). And, has any discovery provided ben... View more

I'm seeking advice from anyone who has had brain scans/imaging (structural and functional) and discovered that they have had a significant brain injury (possibly from childhood trauma, or cerebrovascular accident). And, has any discovery provided benefit to your treatment and quality of life? Is it worthwhile seeing a neurologist?

MakeTheWorldABetterPlace rTMS: One personal experience and one vent (n=1)
  • replies: 2

Firstly, it would be great if mental health professionals dealing with rTMS had first-hand experience of receiving the treatment, even just one session. I am onto my third daily treatment now (9000 pulses in total now). I was not prepared for the lev... View more

Firstly, it would be great if mental health professionals dealing with rTMS had first-hand experience of receiving the treatment, even just one session. I am onto my third daily treatment now (9000 pulses in total now). I was not prepared for the level of discomfort. Moreover, only one of the people treating me has experienced anything more than the initial setup test-run. It's often regarded as a relatively 'light-touch' or non-invasive procedure. You might hear/feel some slight tapping. I've read that you have a sensation like you've been struck by a rubber band. Being struck by a rubber band is a good description. However, it is more accurately described as a rapid fire machine gun of rubber band stings for four seconds, followed by an eleven second reprieve, until it begins again. For me, this was only one side my head and it was only for 20 minutes. Also, I have a few fillings so for me it was like going to the dentist, my teeth would ache with each onslaught. Also, they hit incidental nerves in the process of delivering this treatment, this can lead to a spasm with each series of rubber band flicks in: your jaw, your mouth/lip, your face, your eyebrow, your nose etc... I'm sticking with it because I'm hoping it'll be worth it. Unless you're a masochist, the pain doesn't do much for you from a hedonistic perspective. It could also be compared to getting IPL done on a sensitive area. Something I've grudgingly had to do for medical reasons in the past myself. There is some pain involved which shouldn't be discounted or ignored and the benefits may only be short-lived. If your mental health professional seems confused by or don't believe your point about discomfort it is unlikely they have experienced the treatment themselves. The evidence at the moment points to a short-term moderate effect size for depression, with caveats (e.g. co-morbidness and 'treatment resistant-ness'), and is most robust for the bilateral variant. Little is known about how long the treatment effects last or what, if any, long-term side effects there may be. I hope this helps other people to weigh up the costs versus the benefits of this treatment. I have an inkling many people discontinue the treatment early. This is just my experience so far; I'm sticking with it despite all this.

Strugglingbuttrying Psychological therapy vs medication- advice please
  • replies: 3

Hi this is my first post. I have been feeling anxious for about 2 years and depressed for about 6 months. The last month or so things have gotten particularly bad and I’ve fleetingly thought of suicide and my personal relationships, health and work a... View more

Hi this is my first post. I have been feeling anxious for about 2 years and depressed for about 6 months. The last month or so things have gotten particularly bad and I’ve fleetingly thought of suicide and my personal relationships, health and work are being affected. Today I finally took a big step and went to see a GO. I scored 35 on a K10 test and have been referred to a psychologist. He also touched on the topic of medication which I am not really keen on. He has said to come back after 2-3 sessions to discuss medication again as he didn’t want to push the idea today. I am not keen but I want to tackle this head on and feel like I should trust him and try. I am afraid of becoming dependant on medication and one day feeling ok then not being able to cope without them. I am also afraid of side effects. GP and reading reputable sites say that both work well hand in hand- therapy and medication. Does anyone have any experience with this? Wishing you all strength on your journeys.