Are you OK ?

[DavidH]

Thanks to all for your comments^. 

It's really important to keep the openness around mental health.

Got a couple of issues that I spent some money/time/effort on fixing.

There can be light in the black box :-) to find our way out.

Not to make short of this really important issue.
Reckon the best cure for me is Dak Dak & a camp .

Cheers

[KIWI]

This way up has online programs covering things including mental health, chronic conditions, wellbeing etc.
Some are free, if you want to do a paid program your clinician can 'prescribe' it for you so it is free.
This Way Up
PR

[grumble]

…..and I found that when I was in the hole, time stopped and the days just melted together….and became months…..and in turn, became years….
Very hard to realise just how much time is spent dwelling on “stuff” that needs to be resolved ……permanently if possible. 
For myself, years of trying to do it all myself did not work.

Mark unfortunately it mostly seems that no one cares and you tend to isolate yourself which makes it even worse, the voices play over and over in your head which makes you isolate even more until you explode or even worse.
I have experienced a mate who went through this and it took a lot of strength on both of our parts to get him  to agree to get help for him. Unfortunately some people in the mental health system should never be allowed to have access to or treat people in trouble as they just dose them until they are vegetables and without someone to back them up and ask questions the person sometimes makes the wrong decision which is often fatal.

[Melissa]

It can be a vicious circle - I had a patient call today to complain that she had not seen the pain psychologist and what were we doing? - upon investigation we got approval for her to come for an appointment in June - we tried for 4 weeks to call her, leaving messages each time. We ended up letting the GP know we could not get hold of her - she told me today she was in such a bad place with a pain flare that she didn't want to deal with her phone - if she had answered and got back to us we could have got her in - now she has to wait another 5 weeks for an appointment - I got the impression it was still our fault.

[Oldman]

Thanks Les…..there is no “easy fix”, hey and everyone’s circumstances are different.
The experience of my own perceived isolation created a disconnect with the people that actually did care.
Feeling alone and weighed down with troubles is a recipe for that downward spiral that is soooo hard to come back from.
I do believe that there is a place for medication, if appropriately prescribed. 
The lack of serotonin uptake in your brain can lead to irrational thoughts……..all part of the picture.
For myself, a serotonin supplement “cleared” my thoughts and allowed me to start to rationalise properly.
It’s a fine balancing act and Ihad to reduce the dose gradually until I was off altogether.
Learning coping strategies, I found, was pivotal to avoiding a reliance on any further medication….

It’s a long and bumpy road and no one should walk it alone………

[Mr Beckstar]

Many thanks for chiming in Chris…..every and any bit of support information is worth knowing about.
I’m fine, now…..thanks for asking mate   After I hit rock bottom I accepted that I needed unbiased, professional help. Just making that step to accept that I had lost control was a massive thing for me to deal with…..and I’m sure others will relate. The more we talk about this, the more aware we become that many people  around us are also affected……
A huge thank you to Sharyn and yourself for unselfishly giving your time to help others in troubled times.

Getting help is the courageous move. Well done on taking that step; it's the single best thing anyone can do! Keep up the good work Mark.

[grumble]

Thanks Les…..there is no “easy fix”, hey and everyone’s circumstances are different.
The experience of my own perceived isolation created a disconnect with the people that actually did care.
Feeling alone and weighed down with troubles is a recipe for that downward spiral that is soooo hard to come back from.
I do believe that there is a place for medication, if appropriately prescribed. 
The lack of serotonin uptake in your brain can lead to irrational thoughts……..all part of the picture.
For myself, a serotonin supplement “cleared” my thoughts and allowed me to start to rationalise properly.
It’s a fine balancing act and Ihad to reduce the dose gradually until I was off altogether.
Learning coping strategies, I found, was pivotal to avoiding a reliance on any further medication….

It’s a long and bumpy road and no one should walk it alone………

Mark you are right there is no easy fix and isolating usually pushes the people who care away. I am so pleased that you managed to beat it and are helping others to do so too. Cheers. Les

[Oldman]

Bumping this as I’ve been involved in a number of tragic circumstances recently………
Please make an effort to reach out to anyone you feel may seem withdrawn, or you know is going through the fire…..the Silly Season is a terrible time for many of our friends and family.
We all need a shoulder at some time…….

[ruby6689]

Bumping this as I’ve been involved in a number of tragic circumstances recently………
Please make an effort to reach out to anyone you feel may seem withdrawn, or you know is going through the fire…..the Silly Season is a terrible time for many of our friends and family.
We all need a shoulder at some time…….

Thanks Mark, it is a particularly hard time for a lot of us. I personally HATE Christmas Day. It brings me no joy whatsoever.

Apart from Andy, the only family I will have around is my Mother but not the person I know as Mum but a mere shell in Gods waiting room stripped of any recognition or memories. I'll visit, sit and hold her cold hands as she falls in and out of sleep until I feel that it's OK to leave. This will most likely be her last Christmas.

I know I am not the only one that will struggle at this time of year and I feel for them too.

[Oldman]

Just a reminder to those that may be struggling today….
There are lots of good people with your interests at heart, that are thinking of you.
You are not alone