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Mental health

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Original poster

Can someone please reassure me i am doing the right thing? Need a bit of propping up!

45 replies

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 08:46

about 4 weeks ago i went to the GP as I was having panic attacks again. My stomach was constantly going over itself and I felt full of panic. He was really understanding and we had a long chat about things and he prescribed me 20mg paroxetine once a day and reffered me for counselling. Initially I felt relieved I had spoken to the Dr and got it all off my chest. I went and fetched my prescription but it just sat in my bedroom and I never took it. I started to feel less panicky and was 'looking forward' to a counselling appointment assesment.

Well today i felt like i couldnt get out of bed. i have felt lacking in motivation all week. i feel sick and panicky. i have to see the GP this morning to chat to him again. I woke up and took my first AD. now i am sitting here worrying about taking it. i feel sick.

Will someone please reassure me i am doing the right thing. I feel such a mess this morning

OP posts:

jayzmummy · 14/09/2005 08:49

Fio Im sure you have done the right thing.
Have a really good talk with the GP about how you are feeling and I hope the counselling sessions are not to far away.

zippitippitoes · 14/09/2005 08:52

I can't reassure you I'm afraid, but just thought I'd say hello and sorry to hear you're feeling down.

Don't feel you have to take the medication just because it's been prescribed, is your gp easy to talk to?

TracyK · 14/09/2005 08:53

Does it not take a while for AD's to kick in (I mean days/weeks) - so that your first couple won't have much effect and that's why you still feel a bit crap?

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 08:54

I am worrying as I have made that decision to take them, none of this makes sense. I dont know why i am putting so much pressure on myself

OP posts:

zippitippitoes · 14/09/2005 08:58

Sorry, then in order not to panic about the cact that you're taking them..think of it this way.

You are now in control and have decided positively to follow a course of medication. It will take a couple of weeks to a month for the positive effects to be felt.

In the meantime take advantage of counselling, get some fresh air and listen to uplifting music and improve your diet and sleeping patterns if you can.

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 09:04

does anyone have any idea how long it takes to get a counselling appointment usually? i have 'apparently' been reffered but have heard nothing. Do they assess you to see what kind of counselling you need or is it bog standard?

OP posts:

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 10:51

it is going to take 6 months for a counselling appointm,ent to come through, i cant believe it! he has advised me to go private by basically looking through the yellow pages. how on earth do you know if someone is good or not?

OP posts:

zippitippitoes · 14/09/2005 10:53

There is usually a mental health group of some sort, mental health users forum or can you see the same counsellor on a private basis?

MrsMiggins · 14/09/2005 11:04

Fio2 - that is crap - 6 mths!!
Mine took 3 mths and it was almost too long.

Ads take a good 4 weeks to kick in and to be honest, you may feel worse to begin with cos you think you should be feeling better.
Give the ADS time.

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 11:07

i was thinking about a counsellor on a one to one basis. he said he or she will give me specific goals to aim for and only to pay for one session as they might be no good. how do i know if they are good or not though? and how do i know they are 'proper' counsellors?

OP posts:

Harrizeb · 14/09/2005 12:32

Hi fio2 I'm so sorry that you are feeling crap .

My GP was able to get me referred very quickly and I had an appointment within 3 weeks. See if you can find out where and how to get hold of your local mental health team and speak to them directly about gettting an appointment more quickly. The recent guidelines are to use more talking support for people as they are currently underused - although that could just be in our PCT area of course.

Maybe contact your local NCT group and find out where their depression/anxiety support group is and MIND might have some information/group that will help.

I'm just starting to get support AGAIN!! [annoyed at myself face] for depression and I find that even trying to make a decision or stand up for myself is very very hard to do. If you would like me to post links I can do.

Hope the friendly hands on here are helping you.

H x

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 12:48

could you post some links harriezb?

I have just rang around a few places and the price is quite phenominal The local one said i would need at least 15 sessions at 50 pound each i just dont have that kind of money. There is another place i have rang and they said 30 pound a session but as I am on benefits for caring for my daughter they could negotiate the cost, which sounds a little better. I am unsure how much it should cost. there doesnt seem to be any charity type places in the phone book or support groups

thaniks everyone btw

OP posts:

spacedonkey · 14/09/2005 13:20

hugs

I do understand how you feel about the ADs. It's scandalous that you have to wait so long for a counselling appointment, but I think it's the same all over the country. There was an article in the paper the other day about depression and anxiety and the lack of provision in terms of talking therapies. The government are talking about setting up 250 centres across the country offering CBT and counselling - an excellent move in my opinion.

I do think it's worth trying the ADs - they take about a month to start working. I found prozac helpful in that it lifted me enough to be able to cope with the day-to-day stuff. The problem with it is that it doesn't address any underlying issues. But the ADs might help you at least while you're waiting for the counselling.

more hugs

Lonelymum · 14/09/2005 13:27

Sorry you feel this way Fio. It took me 6 months to get my counselling appt and all she did was tell me she couldn't help me and gave me some numbers to ring. Well, of course, i can't bring myself to ring the numbers so I am back at square one. I hope that at least you will feel better soon now that you have decided to take the pills.

Marina · 14/09/2005 13:27

Fio, I found a collective of therapists in a town near you that seems to charge between £25 and £35 a session, with lower rates negotiable. They all seem accredited etc.
I found them through this site

If you search on your county you can browse and select by location.

I do hope it helps a little. xxx

merrygoround · 14/09/2005 13:28

Have you got the list from the British Association of Counselling and Psyhchotherapy? (I think that's what it's called). It lists all counsellors by area, and includes info re their qualifications, as well as a bit of blurb as to what they specialise in. Myself and dp are currently seeing a couple counsellor, through the Salvation Army counselling service. It is therefore more affordable than going "private" as they operate a "whatever you can afford" policy. I only found out about them through the BACP list I mentioned above.

The waiting time you've been quoted does sound excessive, but perhaps is a worst case scenario? Are you very restricted as to what time slot you need? That can make a huge difference as to availability.

I feel that taking the ADs is probably a good idea. I have taken them myself and am fairly sure they don't do any harm, and some people definitely see huge improvements with them. In my case they seemed less important once I'd admitted how depressed I was - I was depressed but trying to hide it. I had a spell of counselling in the past which was fantastic - it really helped to have someone listen and give me realistic feedback. I also once had a dodgy counsellor - but on that score you simply must trust your instincts. It can happen in any area of life after all.

I do hope you manage to find someone soon.

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 16:11

Thank you everyone this has really helped and thanks spacedonkey for porpping me up on msn this afternoon.

marina, i have found a centre on that site you posted that are giving me an assesment on tuesday. it is 35 quid for the assesment but they advise you on the type of therapies etc available and what would be most suitable. They sounded very approachable on the phone (I phoned a few!) and I think i feel more comfortable knowing it is ina building and not in someones house iykwim. i find it all very scarey tbh

This place do special rates if you go with a trainee aswell, which will most probably help me. Thanks everyone, this is a big thing for me and you ahve all really helped

OP posts:

KristinaM · 14/09/2005 16:15

Someone I know went for counselling with a "trainee" psychotherapist and she was brilliant. Apparently they are in training for about 6 years so its not like they have no experience. And they get regular supervision. Go for it!

cadbury · 14/09/2005 16:16

No advice I'm afraid. Just lots of hugs and warm wishes fir you. The pills will start to help in a while. I had to wail about 6 months for counselling through the drs too. Hope you find someone you are comfortable with. You know where I am if you fancy a chat / glass of vino / change of scenery

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 18:01

cadbury, you know i love you

lonelymum, i am really sorry. i meant to say in my last post I felkt really pissed off for you that you waited that lkong for an appointment and then the counsellor said she couldnt help you anyway did you see anyone at all in the end?

OP posts:

cadbury · 14/09/2005 18:03

fio

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 18:07

hehe

its really weird because I rang my friend who lives up in the midlands still today (I miss her so much ) and I said I had got a counsellor and was taking ADs etc and had a chat with her and she said to me "thank god fiona you have finally admitted this" she said she has been worrying about me for years because I have been putting on this smiley exterior and getting on with things and she has been secretly worrying to death about me

OP posts:

Lonelymum · 14/09/2005 18:37

Only the counsellor. I went through my problem, which I find embarrassing to talk about at the best of times, and she said I was a classic phobic but I was not depressed so there was nothing she could do. So all that embarrassment and humiliation for nothing! She did give me some numbers to ring but I haven't got the nerve at the moment. Probably next time I have a crisis, I will get desperate enough to ring one.

I hope your situation improves soon

Original poster

Fio2 · 14/09/2005 18:43

dont feel humiliated. i would ring now whuilst you are feeling okay as sometimes the therapy makes you feel worse before it makes you feel better iykwim. Are you settling ok btw? and is your H's job going ok?

OP posts:

Lonelymum · 14/09/2005 19:56

Well for news on settling, there was a very long thread last week about how can I make friends, but I made a concerted effort last week to be more open to people, and I feel a bit better about it now. I am starting an evening class next week and ds3 started playgroup etc. So it is getting there.

Dh's job seems to be going well for him but it is not ideal for me. I worked it out the other day: he was in China in July, USA in August and currently, he is coming back from Moscow! All right for some eh?

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