Anxiety and/or depression discussion.

Gremlinertia

Welcome back H, though that sounds sort of weird being where we are.

heyday30

CZ 453 wrote: »

Who are you....who who, who who?

I really wanna know ??
:-) :-)

CZ 453

heyday30 wrote: »

I really wanna know ??
:-) :-)

Welcome back to the fun house. How are ya?

heyday30

Thanks Hugo grem and everyone.
I'm doing ok. My cyber space break did no good whatsoever. :O

CZ 453

heyday30 wrote: »

Thanks Hugo grem and everyone.
I'm doing ok. My cyber space brake did no good whatsoever. :O

It was supposed to be a cyber space break not brake. That's where you went wrong. :P

heyday30

CZ 453 wrote: »

It was supposed to be a cyber space break not brake. That's where you went wrong. :P

Hahaha thanks for picking that up CZ ;-)

Gremlinertia

Dictionary shenanigans caught up with ya H!

mg1982

Your welcome back heyday30. I really enjoyed reading your posts from before, very witty. Am feeling like my family dont understand me or never will, they just think im laid back or a lazy git.

TrustedApple

So the so call firend of mine removed me from Facebook there this morring as she sided with her boyfirend of course as it's what she had to do.

I seem the massages he sent he sounds like a complate controlling pig.

But her loss anyone she is getting mind f by him and she will come crying back when he lifts a finger on her.

Still upset over but she was never a ture firend if she acted like this.

scrimshanker

Sorry if this is a stupid question (and I'm sorry it's turned out so rambly) but can I ask you guys how you actually go about.. I dunno, actually seeing someone about anxiety issues? The whole prospect of sitting in a room with someone and bringing up the issue actually makes my throat close up more and the thought of it alone makes me want to run away. But even getting into that room is an issue. I'm in college and there's a health centre and counselling service.. But I'm not sure what I do about it. Fairly certain I have anxiety problems (in fact I was told as much in my previous college that had a much more discreet service) but you have to register in quite a public way to access the counselling service and that is a beyond frightening idea. So that basically rules that out. And the health center is only supposed to be for students who are living away from home, the rest of us are meant to use our own GP. But when I go to my own GP and get something like a prescription for antibiotics/the pill or whatever and he always asks like "so is there anything else I can help you with?" or something like that I smile and say "no thanks, that's everything". Plus I don't have any money to go.

Is there some sort of like. Hint? you can give a doctor to make them ask questions that you have to answer? Because I don't think I can walk in and, god I don't even know what the ideal thing to say is. I think I have the emotional intelligence of a fupping snail or soemthing. Then I thought I'd just say that I still can't breathe after several days of being unable to breathe but then they'd just give me a prescription for an inhaler because I had asthma as a kid so that ones out as well.

I'm sorry this is such an odd question. I've been worrying all day about how to go about it and all the things that just aren't going to work out for me. I thought maybe some of you have some experience in successfully accessing any form of anything that will help and I can try that method.

Drumpot

scrimshanker wrote: »

Sorry if this is a stupid question (and I'm sorry it's turned out so rambly) but can I ask you guys how you actually go about.. I dunno, actually seeing someone about anxiety issues? The whole prospect of sitting in a room with someone and bringing up the issue actually makes my throat close up more and the thought of it alone makes me want to run away. But even getting into that room is an issue. I'm in college and there's a health centre and counselling service.. But I'm not sure what I do about it. Fairly certain I have anxiety problems (in fact I was told as much in my previous college that had a much more discreet service) but you have to register in quite a public way to access the counselling service and that is a beyond frightening idea. So that basically rules that out. And the health center is only supposed to be for students who are living away from home, the rest of us are meant to use our own GP. But when I go to my own GP and get something like a prescription for antibiotics/the pill or whatever and he always asks like "so is there anything else I can help you with?" or something like that I smile and say "no thanks, that's everything". Plus I don't have any money to go.

Is there some sort of like. Hint? you can give a doctor to make them ask questions that you have to answer? Because I don't think I can walk in and, god I don't even know what the ideal thing to say is. I think I have the emotional intelligence of a fupping snail or soemthing. Then I thought I'd just say that I still can't breathe after several days of being unable to breathe but then they'd just give me a prescription for an inhaler because I had asthma as a kid so that ones out as well.

I'm sorry this is such an odd question. I've been worrying all day about how to go about it and all the things that just aren't going to work out for me. I thought maybe some of you have some experience in successfully accessing any form of anything that will help and I can try that method.

Its not always easy to take the first step and any suggestions people make here can look easy on paper. For all the tips and help I try to post here, there are times when my anxiety pretty much cripples me to the point where I just feel like putting my head under the covers and staying there until the fear goes away.

I suffer from anxiety more then depression (they are on the same spectrum and don't have to be exclusively just one or the other).

Just a couple of suggestions that worked for me.

1. Prioritise your anxiety- Go to your GP purely for your anxiety, don't wait for another reason to go, phone, make the appointment and discuss it explicitly.
2. Keep things simple - Trust that he will try to help guide you. Don't try to anticipate what he says, this doesn't help and might lead you to coming up with an excuse not to go. Forget about what you did or didn't do in the past (not bringing it up to GP etc)
3. Try to consider the fact that it is perfectly normal for people to get anxious. However, people who suffer from chronic anxiety may just have some of their feelings out of balance. Its nothing to beat yourself up over it, but there are plenty of ways of learning to overcome it. But, hard as it can sound at times, it may involve you getting out of your comfort zone. Sometimes taking action, as scary as it may sound, may actually start to bring relief.
4. You are not alone in how you feel. You may feel alone, but believe me when I say that there are many people out there suffering. I don't say that to minimise how you feel, but more to say to you that there are solutions that may work for you. I used to spend a lot of my time lamenting the fact that nothing would work for me when in fact I was allowing my anxiety to prevent me from trying out different techniques/professionals.

Theres plenty of great advice on this thread and plenty of good posters. Keep posting here and asking questions, but try to consider that eventually you will have to start taking action if you want things to change.

scrimshanker

Drumpot wrote: »

Its not always easy to take the first step and any suggestions people make here can look easy on paper. For all the tips and help I try to post here, there are times when my anxiety pretty much cripples me to the point where I just feel like putting my head under the covers and staying there until the fear goes away.

I suffer from anxiety more then depression (they are on the same spectrum and don't have to be exclusively just one or the other).

Just a couple of suggestions that worked for me.

1. Prioritise your anxiety- Go to your GP purely for your anxiety, don't wait for another reason to go, phone, make the appointment and discuss it explicitly.
2. Keep things simple - Trust that he will try to help guide you. Don't try to anticipate what he says, this doesn't help and might lead you to coming up with an excuse not to go. Forget about what you did or didn't do in the past (not bringing it up to GP etc)
3. Try to consider the fact that it is perfectly normal for people to get anxious. However, people who suffer from chronic anxiety may just have some of their feelings out of balance. Its nothing to beat yourself up over it, but there are plenty of ways of learning to overcome it. But, hard as it can sound at times, it may involve you getting out of your comfort zone. Sometimes taking action, as scary as it may sound, may actually start to bring relief.
4. You are not alone in how you feel. You may feel alone, but believe me when I say that there are many people out there suffering. I don't say that to minimise how you feel, but more to say to you that there are solutions that may work for you. I used to spend a lot of my time lamenting the fact that nothing would work for me when in fact I was allowing my anxiety to prevent me from trying out different techniques/professionals.

Theres plenty of great advice on this thread and plenty of good posters. Keep posting here and asking questions, but try to consider that eventually you will have to start taking action if you want things to change.

Thanks for the reply. I know I need to do something at this stage. Eventually the anxiety calms down but it keeps coming back again and again and it's often something really slight causing it. Something has to give at this stage... Its just so hard to find the words to say something's wrong. I just find it so difficult to admit that no, everything isn't ok, but that's worse because by the time I've worked up to going I'm usually a good bit better and then I'm just like a fraud...

Sorry for the rant. Will make an appointment with the college doctor (hopefully won't be turned away for living at home) once exams are done. I don't know what to say when I go in though and I think you only get to the doctor via the nurse, so that's twice I have to say it. You'd swear they don't actually want people to access help..

Would it be very strange to just have a note saying anxiety on it? I'm desperately bad at talking, the whole day gets written off afterwards.

Drumpot

scrimshanker wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I know I need to do something at this stage. Eventually the anxiety calms down but it keeps coming back again and again and it's often something really slight causing it. Something has to give at this stage... Its just so hard to find the words to say something's wrong. I just find it so difficult to admit that no, everything isn't ok, but that's worse because by the time I've worked up to going I'm usually a good bit better and then I'm just like a fraud...

Sorry for the rant. Will make an appointment with the college doctor (hopefully won't be turned away for living at home) once exams are done. I don't know what to say when I go in though and I think you only get to the doctor via the nurse, so that's twice I have to say it. You'd swear they don't actually want people to access help..

Would it be very strange to just have a note saying anxiety on it? I'm desperately bad at talking, the whole day gets written off afterwards.

I understand what you are saying. If you feel that you cant go when you are anxious, try and goto the doctor when you are feeling ok. If you can, write down as many of the feelings you have when you are feeling them.

Remember, its the doctors job to figure out how you feel, you only need to be able to say things like for example :

• I regularly feel really extremely anxious.
• It effects me sleeping
• I feel really down and/or tired during/afterwards
• I avoid certain situations (social/academic/work etc) because of my anxiety
• I have struggled to discuss this with my doctor
• I am constantly/regularly afraid of things that I think about (future, past, present)

I sometimes go into my doctor with a list of random things. They aren't always relevant but they do take some of the pressure I get when I think I will forget to say the most important thing when visiting my GP!

When I was in college I never thought of discussing my anxiety/depression with my doctor so you are ahead of me on that!

What you should try to take from this is that you don't have to figure everything out for yourself. I don't think its uncommon to feel the way you do or be reluctant to discuss it with a nurse/doctor.

The thing to remember in this instance is that its ok for you to not like the thought or action of having to talk about it with a medical professional. But its extremely important that you take the step to speak with one.

scrimshanker

Thanks, that's really helpful. I hadn't considered actually writing it down and going when I'm feeling a bit better. That's probably a whole lot easier than trying to go when I'm so anxious.. I've scribbled down a few things (had to find a notebook I don't mind ruining) so will just bring it in with me. It's good to know that they'll try and figure things out too, I think I'd fail at the appointment if I had to have it all figured out. Takes a lot of pressure off. Fingers crossed. One more week and I'll get this sorted. Just one more week. Thanks for the help.

Drumpot

scrimshanker wrote: »

Thanks, that's really helpful. I hadn't considered actually writing it down and going when I'm feeling a bit better. That's probably a whole lot easier than trying to go when I'm so anxious.. I've scribbled down a few things (had to find a notebook I don't mind ruining) so will just bring it in with me. It's good to know that they'll try and figure things out too, I think I'd fail at the appointment if I had to have it all figured out. Takes a lot of pressure off. Fingers crossed. One more week and I'll get this sorted. Just one more week. Thanks for the help.

You are welcome.

After all these years and the great things I have picked up or learned, I still often go into the doctors with an idea of what I want to discuss and stutter when its finally my turn to talk to him!

Its ok to not know exactly what to say. I find with my GP, he coaxes information out of me and the less I try to say what is wrong with me (self diagnosis) and the more I just tell him how I feel and the things that have been upsetting me.

I remember going to a therapist before and I was saying very serious things to him about when I was younger. I said "I don't actually know if this was a dream or if it actually happened, all I can say is that I remember this stuff". He said to me "you just tell me what comes to mind and as a professional therapist I will be able to interpret the information". He explained to me that 95% of the stuff I discussed with him was irrelevant, but that his job was to spot the important stuff that could get easily mixed up in all the non important stuff. He also stated that part of his expertise was being able to interpret the information I was giving him (eg - how important was the information I said, was I lieing, did I imagine/dream something or did it actually happen).

This was a huge burden lifted off my shoulders. I no longer had to understand or worry about the things that would drive me mad or leave me crippled with anxiety.

Its nice to have somebody whom you feel you can trust and whom is on your side.

scrimshanker

Drumpot wrote: »

Its nice to have somebody whom you feel you can trust and whom is on your side.

That would be so nice to have. I'd love to have someone who could just understand. Absolutely crippled with anxiety today. I think the last time I tried counselling I just didn't give it long enough and I never really clicked with or trusted the counsellor. She was always so sympathetic and nice and that doesn't work for me, it makes me suspicious and I hate people feeling sorry for me but I didn't want to switch to someone else in case I hurt her feelings. Hope that doesn't happen again.

Hugo Stiglitz

scrimshanker wrote: »

That would be so nice to have. I'd love to have someone who could just understand. Absolutely crippled with anxiety today. I think the last time I tried counselling I just didn't give it long enough and I never really clicked with or trusted the counsellor. She was always so sympathetic and nice and that doesn't work for me, it makes me suspicious and I hate people feeling sorry for me but I didn't want to switch to someone else in case I hurt her feelings. Hope that doesn't happen again.

I hope this wave of anxiety passes for you soon there S

scrimshanker

Thanks Hugo, so do I. Didn't get asleep til after 3 this morning and woke just after 7. Desperately hoping this doesn't happen tonight because I'll be even worse tomorrow during my exam if it does. Might see if I can root out some sleeping tablets for tonight.

Hugo Stiglitz

scrimshanker wrote: »

Thanks Hugo, so do I. Didn't get asleep til after 3 this morning and woke just after 7. Desperately hoping this doesn't happen tonight because I'll be even worse tomorrow during my exam if it does. Might see if I can root out some sleeping tablets for tonight.

Best of luck in your exam tomorrow.

Call Me Jimmy

At the point where I can't stand even being awake. I just really hate being alive, I try to sleep as much as I can but every time I wake up it's like 'oh no not more'. Feel like I've nothing left inside me.

Hugo Stiglitz

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

At the point where I can't stand even being awake. I just really hate being alive, I try to sleep as much as I can but every time I wake up it's like 'oh no not more'. Feel like I've nothing left inside me.

I hear ya Jim. I've been getting waves of emptiness the last few days myself. Hopefully it'll pass for us both soon.

subscriber

Hi folks,

Writing on behalf of my mum here. She has struggled with depression, anxiety and excessive excessive nedeless worrying for many years.

She attended group sessions with AWARE a couple of months ago which seemed to be CBT focused and her mental health at the time was the best it had been for a very long time, alas the sessions only lasted a few weeks and she is finding herself in trouble again.

Does anyone know of any long term CBT based support groups based in Galway that she could potentionally attend? Living 6 miles outside Galway City.

Thanks Folks
Subscriber

greenfrogs

Hi Subscriber. I don't live in Galway but my GP referred me to the Mental Health Services for my area. I then had a meeting with a psychiatrist and they said I was suitable for CBT. It took nearly 10 weeks from me first going to my GP to actually starting the CBT. It is one on one and I find it extremely helpful. This is a free service. You don't require a medical card. And you get the care as long as you require it.

subscriber

greenfrogs wrote: »

Hi Subscriber. I don't live in Galway but my GP referred me to the Mental Health Services for my area. I then had a meeting with a psychiatrist and they said I was suitable for CBT. It took nearly 10 weeks from me first going to my GP to actually starting the CBT. It is one on one and I find it extremely helpful. This is a free service. You don't require a medical card. And you get the care as long as you require it.

Thanks for your response but she has been down that road many times before with no success. She has had several meetings with our local mental health services by referal through her GP but our local services seems to be a mix bag of health care professionals whomb are not qualified psycothearpist's / psychiatrists themselves.

One meeting she had was a young trainee MD Doctor just out of university whomb was on his work placements..Go figure!!!

Another was a community based nurse acting as a general councellor who claimed to have knowledge in CBT but clearly had only done a short weekend course or similar, (according to my mum) and was not all that knowledgeable in the process.

I could give more examples. Anyhow, after years of trying different approaches to combat her anxiety and depression, the resource she has found most useful was the group CBT classes she had previously attended with AWARE. Now unfortunately, AWARE themselves only run these classes as six week intervals repeating over the year. She is looking for something on offer on a more long term badis that she can continue to go to over time.

So if anyone is aware of any in the Galway region drop me a line.

Many thanks

loveisdivine

I keep flipping between feeling full of hope and positivity and then feeling like whats the point, I already know I'm gonna let this whole mess eat me up till I end up running away and ruining my marriage.

Edit to add - I also hate it when people say to jus trust your inner voice. How can I trust my inner voice when its telling me a different thing every minute!

Graces7

loveisdivine wrote: »

I keep flipping between feeling full of hope and positivity and then feeling like whats the point, I already know I'm gonna let this whole mess eat me up till I end up running away and ruining my marriage.

Edit to add - I also hate it when people say to jus trust your inner voice. How can I trust my inner voice when its telling me a different thing every minute!

May sound odd but in the years I was in this kind of state, I knitted, for needy folk. It is a stable and useful work and very simple with no ramifications or questions or emotions. Many have found eg knitting to be a great therapy. If i am very unwell or wake in the night in pain, I knit... could be any hand/eye USEFUL creative work. Nothing to do with inner voices etc! Just sent off a large parcel of warm scarves and hats for street people.

Roquentin

scrimshanker

scrimshanker wrote: »

Thanks Hugo, so do I. Didn't get asleep til after 3 this morning and woke just after 7. Desperately hoping this doesn't happen tonight because I'll be even worse tomorrow during my exam if it does. Might see if I can root out some sleeping tablets for tonight.

So, disaster, as expected. I'm physically in pain after it and I'd say I got 25% at most (pass mark 50%). Got to sleep earlyish but woke after 3 hours and couldn't sleep. Woke up with the most overwhelmingly miserable and awful feeling ever, desperate. Wondering what's the point. Will have to sent apology emails to the lecturers who were amazing because I've really let them down.

Hugo Stiglitz

scrimshanker wrote: »

So, disaster, as expected. I'm physically in pain after it and I'd say I got 25% at most (pass mark 50%). Got to sleep earlyish but woke after 3 hours and couldn't sleep. Woke up with the most overwhelmingly miserable and awful feeling ever, desperate. Wondering what's the point. Will have to sent apology emails to the lecturers who were amazing because I've really let them down.

Don't beat yourself up over it S. These things happen. I'm sure your lecturers will understand that you're going through some stuff at the moment. Can you submit a mitigating circumstances appeal to the school office?

guitarzero

Roquentin wrote: »

Lord buddha was a nazi?!