Depression and not wanting to go out.

Rachel021967

I'm feeling depressed and paranoid. I'm not agrophobic but I get days where I'm too frightened to go out, even into my back garden. I need to go to the shop to buy somethings for my girls pack lunch and I just can't do it. I promised my little girl I'd take her to an Easter Egg hunt. Thought I could really do it as I had several good days on the trot, but come the day I could not. Now I feel really guilty. Does anybody have any suggestions?

daska

I do feel for you, having been in exactly this position I know what it's like. You really do need to speak with your GP and explain how bad it's getting. Would you be able to get to the surgery with a friend or family member?

Rachel021967

Thanks daska. I've been under CMHT for the past 9 years. I am always fearful about going out but most days I can talk myself into going out and I have done a lot of activities with my daughter over the holidays. Its just that some days it gets the better of me and I go and hide under the duvet. Its the unpredictability that makes it hard for my family and I. It makes it very hard to plan anything or get excited about a forthecoming event.

daska

Yep, I get that, it's a pig not being able to know whether you'll be able to do something until the day itself, and though my family are very good about it now it took them some time to get used to it. Perhaps, like me, you need to concentrate on back-up plans e.g. always arrange things like easter egg hunts with someone who won't have a problem so that you can drop out if necessary without cancelling the whole shebang (but that's probably teaching granny to suck eggs if you've been dealing with it for 9+ years) Hope this episode passes soon and your daughter isn't too disappointed.

harveybobbles

We used to have an Occupational Therapist that used to help my OH to go out to places like the shops etc. They do work, but it takes a lot of time.

System

I second the OT, i have one and she helps me make lists of things do do and i try and work through the lists. Also my CPN is forever telling me the more you avoid something, the harder it becomes to do that thing. I know that is easier said than done, especially when you're feeling really low. Would you feel more confortable if you had someone some with you to do the shopping? My flatmate does his shopping on a sunday so i tend to tag along with him so i'm not on my own. Sometimes i find i have to force myself to do things.

Would CBT help at all? AFAIK it helps you change the way you think about things so maybe it could help? As someone else said try and have back-up plans so if it comes to the day and you're not up to it there's something else that can be done.

carolannie

Hello. I'm the same. I have to go out soon to pick up my pills, but I am panicking at the thought of it.

I wish was normal

SingleSue

I do know the feeling, I still get it now even after a supposed recovery from a complete breakdown.

For me, the way I got over it was that I had no choice. I was the one who had to take the boys to school, to their appointments etc, there was no way out, no alternative person to take them (even though I was married at the time of the breakdown)...so I had to force myself. If it hadn't been for that, I think I would have still been stuck in the house now.

I would be sat in the car, shaking from head to foot, probably crying and feeling absolutely hopeless but after the event, would be proud I managed to do it.....in a way (I am probably wording this incorrectly), I had beaten myself.

SingleSue

I have never claimed any kind of benefit for my battles with mental health.......still took me several years to 'recover' from my breakdown, if what you call where I am now, a recovery.

A mental health issue is not just a case of bucking your ideas up, yes you can control some of it to a certain extent through positive thinking (although this is impossible when things are really really bad) but on the whole, time is the greatest healer for a broken mind.

lilly81

I suffer from the same thing, get really paraniod in shops etc.
No chance of claiming benefits as would be too freaked out to go to the 6 assesments needed for work and support
I was given a support worker to go to the supermarket with me but I hated it, just felt even more noticable and paranoid that she was judging my food choice!
You could always make cardboard easter eggs and stick them all over the house and give her a prize?
Good luck Rachel

dori2o

OP.

I do understand how you feel. I've been sufferring from depression for a couple of years now as a result of chronic pain.

I have found counselling to be very effective. It has allowed me to see what more there is to life.

Would it be possible for you to get a referral from your GP to the MH team at your local NHS?

Also I have found the get self help website useful. Here is a link to thier free CBT. Have a look and read through it may be of some help.

http://getselfhelp.co.uk/cbtstep1.htm