Support for people with Depression

geminilady

razorbladekisses wrote: »

:wave: I haven't posted on here for a long time. How is everyone? I can't remember if I posted about it before but I recently spent 4 weeks in hospital. Since coming out of hospital I haven't felt too bad, definitely not as low as I was.

Hope to catch up with you all soon x

H RBK:wave: glad you are feeling better after your hospital spell and its lovely to see you posting.

budget_budd

Hi RBK good to see you posting again, I remember both you and Lady M were so nice to me when I first posted, I often wonder how you are doing...
Hi everyone I know and all those I don't know
I am very low at the moment and not coping at all well, I have thought seriously about ending it all but I don't know how, seriously no-one gives a s**t about me, I am so stressed and so tired I am going to bed now but I cannot go on like this anymore. I have to pretend that things are fine tomorrow at work and I should at least try to get some sleep.
Why is life so god damn hard?

Serenity

O

geminilady wrote: »

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Hi Serenity and welcome to the thread.Please do not just stop taking your medication or you may have another breakdown.If your psychiatrist is on the phone insist the secretary makes you an apointment ASP if you were told you would be seen in two weeks you should have been.Meanwhile write down how you are feeling and the fact that you want to be fit for work plus any other concerns so you can refer to it on your apointment.I would not worry too much about weight gain as your mental health is more inportant at the moment.Sorry cannot help about a mind equivelant in Scotland but maybe someone will come along with some information.

Thnk you for the reply. I also just read the first post on the thread and realised we are not meant to talk about medication. I just mentioned it as I was so upset that there don't seem to be any other options.
I have thought of going private for something intensive I am that bad just now but I would have to take out a loan which I would be spending mext 20 years or so paying back

Tulip

:hello: Everyone,

Hope you are all as well as can be,I am fine and very happy.Busy as always,just found some stuff I need for being a gypsy and found it this evening so that delighted me very much.

Please come to my virtual picnic on Facebook,I need 20 people to attend.
need 20 people to attend,Its only a pretend picnic so dont worry.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144767012201825


thank you

love and light,

Katie

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Sorry to hear that so many people out there are struggling at the moment. It's not a good place to be, especially when you have no support networks.

I am still not well & have resorted to vaping an e-cigarette, as I found that smoking regular cigarettes helped my anxiety levels. This is not ideal I know, but due to getting no help & support from "professional" bodies, I've had to resort to "self medicating" with nicotine.

Was a few weeks ago I saw my GP & she was supposed to be organising some support for my OH & I, however, this support has failed to materialise & we are still left struggling along. I honestly don't know what I'd do without my partner. He is a rock & he does what he can to support me. Yet, it's still so unfair that he has to cope alone & hold down a job.

The mental health services really need a shake up. There seems to be some many people out there struggling with mental health problems & yet no help is available or forth coming. This board is pretty much proof of that. It's so depressing at times reading posts from people who are in dire need of assistance.

Horasio

Hi guys

Feeling tired.

The weather is airless and I either have hayfever or a cold.

Felt an irrational rage this morning and felt flat yesterday.

Also, the last 6 weeks have been stressful. A neighbour who is noisy in the garden and has bonfires, the owner of the house using his garage at the end of the garden and stares in when we use the kitchen, a wasp nest in the roof above my bedroom, so get the odd dopey wasp, a coach parked outside the house for days on end. It hasn't been as peaceful as before and we pay a lot of rent, so annoyed. To top it all, I have put on weight:(.

Not sure where we would go if and when we do leave here.

I like sea views but flats are noisy and restrictive.

Feel frustrated and guilty because it is summer and should be enjoying it. Winter is dark and cold but it does keep people in and it is more peaceful.

Horasio

Tulip wrote: »

:hello: Everyone,

Hope you are all as well as can be,I am fine and very happy.Busy as always,just found some stuff I need for being a gypsy and found it this evening so that delighted me very much.

Please come to my virtual picnic on Facebook,I need 20 people to attend.
need 20 people to attend,Its only a pretend picnic so dont worry.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144767012201825


thank you

love and light,

Katie

Only if you add me as a friend on FB;)

Tiff_2

Hi guys!
Hoping we're all as well as we can be today. I've missed you all muchly but first things first...

Sending a sincere Tiffy to bryando (bryan), loveabargain13 (lab), piratefairy (pirate), cmazza and serenity! I'm sure the gang have given you all a warm welcome and I hope you're settling in. You're all very welcome here so please feel frree to post as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Oh - and I just need to point out here to our new friends that I do know that I'm not a cat and that's not the reason why I post on a mental health thread!


And I'm sending an equally sincere to our sazzy, elfen, kati (elmostree), steph, miro (), rbk, arran, budd, rosie, katie-tulip and ccstar! It's really good to hear from you again, guys though I'm sorry to read that some of you are poorly. Any sightings of missus sazzy and her badgie? And just what have you been up to, miss rosie?! Huge hugs to those in need of them at the moment: hang in there peeps - you've beaten it before and you can again.

Sadly, some of the clan are still AWOL. So if anyone comes across our beth and shaz and elona and ilgd and ettie b. and lm and cb2 to name but a few, please drag them back here kicking and screaming and make them post. Seriously though, I really hope you're all well and that things are going well for you all.

I'd better get on with then, hadn't I?
Safe journeys guys and be kind to yourself.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Tiff_2

Hi gem!
How are you, sweetheart?
And there was me thinking I'd gotten away with it and snuck in under the radar!


Here I iz - reporting for tiffing duty as ordered!

B]quote=gem[/B Tiff Noticed you have been online hope you are ok.I think you are a little like me and don't like posting about yourself but remember you have lots of people who care about you on this thread who worry when you don't post.I used to love reading your chronicles maybe because i have always been more interested in people than material things but understand if you are not up to posting much at the moment.To be honest i have been struggling myself lately and have had to go back on medication two weeks ago,hopefully things will improve soon.I know my depression is out of control when i start waking in the early hours with a feeling of dispair which makes me think it is a chemical imbalance rather than something which can be managed.Anyway post when you feel up to it this thread is missing the tiffing. [/quote]
Bless your heart - thank you for thinking of the ol' Tiffster, hunnie. You're one of the thread's guardian angels. You - and all the other pilgrims here - mean a lot to me and I honestly feel bad for neglecting you and the rest of the clan. I've been tempted more than once to come running here for cover when things have been hard. You are right hunnie, I don't particularly like posting about myself because there are days where I feel that if I started, I wouldn't be able to stop. Thank you for understanding that I'm subject to the same twists of Fate as everyone else is, and I promise I'll try to be good from now on. Chronicles appearing soon. (Put those wellies away, rosie! )

I'm really sorry to hear you've had a setback and gone back on the meds, gem but I hope they'll do their job and get you back on your feet again soon. They've helped you before so hopefully they will again. You should know by now that I and everyone else are always here if you want to talk, gem. You give so much support to others here and there's nothing wrong in accepting it yourself in return. (Yes, I know - ''pot-kettle-black''! ).

If you think about it, angel - depression and mental ill health could accurately be described as being due to a chemical imbalance. That's why there are meds to work with our body's chemistry. Where we lack one chemical or have too much of another one, our meds are prescribed to address this imbalance. You tell someone you've got a mental health illness and watch them start backing away, but if you tell them it's a chemical imbalance, they'll be tucking you in and feeding you grapes before you can say 'anti-depressant'! Isn't it amazing the difference semantics can make?

Please look after yourself sweetheart. Be kind to yourself.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Tiff_2

Hi serenity!
Welcome to the thread, angel.
I'm sorry that you're having such a hard time at the moment. I've put both of your posts together here - let's have a look...

sernity wrote:

I got put on - meds - a few weeks go after having a major breakdown. I stupidly stopped taking my previous medication back in Jan and it all built up. I don't even know why I am on all of this. I mean I know what each pill is for but the crisis psychiatrist hardly saw me before he prescribed all this and then sid he would see me in 2 weeks to see how I was doing but that was 3 weeks ago and nothing (I have been chasing). Also my Cpn said he would see me the day after I saw the psychiatrist but again nothing. Everytime I call the office he is on the phone. I don't want go be medicated but this seems their only answer and I am not getting any other help. Doped to my eyeballs. I think they just want me to sleep, maybe that's their solution. Currently signed off from work but I don't want to be. Also really worried bout weight gain as I hve no energy to move and it is a side effect of mirtazapine and seroquel anyway. Thinking of just quitting them all again. Least then I can do stuff. Sorry rant over. Actually not quite, I saw MIND mentioned in another thread but it's only for England nd Wales. Is there an equivalent in Scotland?

i'm glad you posted, hun - it sounds like you needed a bit of a rant and some support. I can reassure you straight away by telling you that everything you're feeling isn't unusual given the circumstances. It's so easy to feel that it's you that has the problem and that it's too much trouble trying to get the help you need. Okay sweetheart, let's be practical here and separate the issues - they're easier to deal with one at a time.
Meds:
As usual, our gem is spot on with her advice about stopping your meds. No-one should ever stop taking their meds without medical supervision. You say yourself that you ''stupidly stopped taking my previous medication back in Jan and it all built up.'' You already know that this caused more problems for you than it solved. You recognize that this was a mistake which allowed all your problems to build up, so repeating that step will likely only cause a repeat performance. So let's just say that this shouldn't be an option atm.
Trust me hun, no-one in their right mind - or out of it! - wants to take meds, and sometimes it can be difficult while our bodies adjust to the meds and for the effects to settle down. I'm sure they don't just want to ''dope'' you up to the eyeballs, angel - if that were the case, we'd all be fast asleep right now - * NB - my catnaps don't count! * - and there'd be no waiting lists. Three weeks is still a very short time and things may settle down for you over the next few weeks. That said, you should always consult your dr if you have any questions or doubts about your meds. They should discuss with you the options, including other meds, available if these meds aren't right for you. Quitting your meds is very unlikely to enable you to do stuff again, serenity - if that were the case, you wouldn't have been in crisis 3 weeks ago and have to see a crisis psychiatrist, would you?
Weight gain from meds is a possibility but not necessarily always a definite. It may just mean you'll have to be a little careful about what you eat. Tbh hunnie, your mental health needs ought to come first and if you need help to lose weight, your dr can help you to access services for that too. And I'm not being patronising here, angel - this advice is coming from a Tiffster who's size gives her the right to register with Greenpeace!

Your medical team:
I know you have been chasing up your dr and your cpn and it's really frustrating when they don't get back to you. The dr is a week late in seeing you and your cpn is attached to the phone. Don't be put off hunnie - when we need help badly, we have to be very persistent and yes, I know it's hard to keep picking up the phone. I know these professionals have huge case loads, but you are one them and you need their input. If you can't get to speak to your own cpn because he's on the phone, tell them you really need to speak to someone now and ask to speak to the duty worker there instead. They can flag up your situation to the team and hopefully get everyone involved now. Failing that, you can also call your crisis team who will also be able to access your dr. Don't feel bad about asking for help until you get it, sweetie. Don't stop communicating with them.

Work:
You have been signed off work because in the dr's opinion, you aren't well enough to work. I don't know what your job is hun, but going back before everything else is sorted will probably make things worse. Your reserves of strength are low atm and it doesn't sound like you've got much to fall back on if things get hectic. It's much better to return to work when you're better, than to get into the return-relapse-return-relapse pattern.


B]quote=sernity to gem[/BThnk you for the reply. I also just read the first post on the thread and realised we are not meant to talk about medication. I just mentioned it as I was so upset that there don't seem to be any other options. I have thought of going private for something intensive I am that bad just now but I would have to take out a loan which I would be spending mext 20 years or so paying back [/quote]
Don't feel bad angel - it was your first post and you weren't aware that we're not allowed to talk about specific meds because it's something we need to leave to the professionals. It's okay to be upset. This is a helpful point to raise for all of our new clan members and you weren't the only one hunnie. You could probably say something along the lines of, ''I'm having a few problems with my meds...'', but not to mention them by name.
I know it's none of my beeswax, serenity but if you're not well and you're not working, taking out a loan to pay for private treatment could open up a whole new world of hurt for you. I don't know what treatment you're talking about but generally speaking there are no miraculous quick fixes and remember the old adage: if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is! I know you're very disillusioned with the NHS atm sweetie, but getting yourself into huge debt for something like this is only going to give you more problems. If you can comfortably
afford it without going into debt, talk to your team and if they say okay, then go for it. Take some time, get some information and get some advice from the professionals before you go anywhere near that road. It seems like a good idea now because you're not getting the information and resources you need from the NHS atm.

You also mentioned not having any mental health support information relevant to Scotland. Well I've been down to the Tiff archives and dusted off a few scrolls and I found some links which may be helpful to you.

Scottish Association for Mental Health - ''SAMH operates a range of services across Scotland for people with mental health problems.''
http://www.samh.org.uk/index.php

Breathing Space - ''Anyone can feel down or depressed from time to time. It helps to get some Breathing Space. You are not alone and talking about how you feel is a positive first step in getting help. So don't let problems get out of hand, phone Breathing Space where experienced advisors will listen and provide information and advice.''
http://www.breathingspacescotland.co.uk/bspace/CCC_FirstPage.jsp

Young Scotland in Mind - ''Our aim is to improve mental health and wellbeing of all Children and Young People in Scotland.''
http://www.youngscotlandinmind.org.uk/

Depression Alliance Scotland - ''We run self help support groups in various parts of Scotland. They offer people affected by depression the opportunity for confidential local support, contact with others in a similar situation and the opportunity to explore positive ways of coping with depression. Anyone who has depression is welcome to come along to a group.''
http://www.dascot.org/
This part of the site lists lnks to support and information in various areas of Scotland.
http://www.dascot.org/links/scotland.php#general
This part of the site has links to advocacy agencies. Advocacy is a fantastic resource to help people with mental ill health access free services, information, support and advice.
http://www.dascot.org/links/scotland.php#advocacy

'see me' Scotland - '''see me' is Scotland’s national campaign to end the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health.''
http://www.seemescotland.org/

Edinburgh Mental Health Information - ''Welcome to the edspace online information service.''
http://www.edspace.org.uk/

Mental Health in Scotland - Information and links from the Scottish government.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/mental-health
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/mental-health/links

There you go hunnie - a little light reading for bedtime!

Right - you've heard more than enough out of me for one day, so I'll close now. Please feel free to post anytime, even if you just need to vent.
But above all else, be kind to yourself angel.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx