Andes up - who needs a rock to lean on? Rock on over here!

[ThatVikRinA22]

in honour of ed and her mountain ranges.....

welcome to thread 3 - this is a support thread for anyone needing a hand to hold while they get through depression or any other mental health problems - long term or temporary. All are welcome.

linky to old thread

[bassetfeet]

www.sabp.nhs.uk/Documents/D1.3d2.pdf

This is the score that we used [but it well may have changed ]. Will give you an idea .

See your doctor sooner ......you should not feel like this for so long .

[SnowyMouse]

ciq, I hope things get more sorted for you. I have a psych appt that I'm not looking forward to tomorrow.

Night all. Hugs.

[LEMisdisappointed]

Blimey basset i just did that test - i scored 24 That is really worrying - unless i scored it wrong :(

[ThatVikRinA22]

hi all
nana thank you - you are only saying what the little voice in my head is saying....i know i use alcohol as a crutch. its a habit now. i know i need to stop - im sure my hernia will thank me too.

i wish i was in a happier place. Ive been to the stables today, first time in a month and it was lovely - not long been home. Not had any wine today, and just had dinner. I did manage to ride which was good.
DS has now asked to come home next week instead of this week - he sounds ok ish. im monitoring him. Really not looking forward to going back to work at the weekend. I really wish i enjoyed it more, if im honest, i would rather be mucking out stables for nothing, but that doesnt pay the mortgage. Thinking about buying my own horse later this year. (means i will need lots of ££££!)

we need a new thread guys. What do you think for a title?

[bassetfeet]

Mmm trouble with googling and pasting . Best to see doctor eh?
mine is always through the roof .x

[LEMisdisappointed]

It doesn't come as a surprise really basset, i feel ok today - but yes, am thinking of talking to my doctor before this pack of meds is up. x

[ColouringInQueen]

Thanks snowy good luck tomorrow. Thanks Basset I seemed to score enough to warrant attention. Yep you're probably right about seeing GP earlier. I am seriously daunted by the prospect of switching tho . Will ring GP and try and get an appt for next week I think. Fun and games x

[ColouringInQueen]

Hmm 24 here too LEM what ADs are you on? Have they helped with the anxiety? What do you find helps for you?

Basset sorry to hear yours is always high x.

vicar something with sun/light in the title? I can well imagine mucking stables is more appealing that policing and great to hear you got some riding in.

[EdwiniasRevenge]

Im still here.

Struggling to keep up with everyone. So feel a bit detatched from the conversation if that makes sense.

Been crocheting like mad. But not finished dtds birthday presents for tomorrow :(

Got to wrap the rest of their presents.

Think I have my last therapist session tomorrow...and I haven't been doing my diary...again...

Whilst on the subject...this is the anxiety scoring which my therapist uses with me.

www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Generalised-Anxiety-Disorder-Assessment-(GAD-7).htm.

I typically score about 10-15 on it.

Hugs to all.

Thinking of all

[ColouringInQueen]

vicar your titles have been great. How are you getting on? Random thought - ray of sunshine/hand to hold type thing tho sounds rather cheesy

[ThatVikRinA22]

ok, got around to thinking of a new one..


here we go, thread 4!

[NanaNina]

Hello one and all.

SO relieved that you didn't take offence at my comments about booze Vicar - I won't mention it again.

Not a good morning for me - feel flat and have no motivation (such a familiar bloody feeling) but not nearly as bad as I have done on some days in the past. Trouble is with this sodding illness, just as we start to believe we are recovering and get on with our lives, it creeps back up on us when we're not looking. CiQ I liked your metaphor about your head feeling like a cart that was travelling along the road signposed "Happiness" - and then comes a dip. I think it was you that said something like that!

It's interesting that you feel that the dep/anx is something outside of you (as in your head in the cart which I assume was self propelling!) I always used to think the depression (as that's my main problem) was somethin outside of me, because it felt so alien. A lovely counsellor I saw on the NHS used to gently suggest that the emotions of the depression were part of me and not something outside of me. Eventually I invented the Headmonster, as he is something inside my head. I have heard posters on here in the past talking about a black dog that sometimes lies snoozing peacefully in the kennel, sometimes yapping at their feet and sometimes biting them. That metaphor resonated with me.

Does anyone else feel that when they are O.K they cannot remember or have any perception of what it feels like to be crap and vice versa. That is very much the case with me. I know CiQ and Lem are "fellow fluctuators" oh god that sounds so clumsy but you know what I mean.

Bassett I reckon you've got your book out again with our names in (oh gawd my memory is crap so hope I have that right) either that or you have a very good memory, cus you always say something to everyone which is sooo nice. I am going to copy the names down from your last post, but then there's the problem of remembering what everyone said. So glad I came back on here. Thanks for asking how I am - in spite of the fact that I am having a crap morning I have been so much better since the addition of mirtazapine to my original prescription of imipramine. At least I am not crying with helplessness and hiding under the duvet (mind didn't get up till 12.00) and I am hoping things will improve as the day goes by. I know you said morning were bad for you too. You say so little about yourself B though I know you have some bad times - are you very stoic? Wish I was! Glad to hear that there is better news about your DH.

Snowymouse HELLO! I know you have a meeting with the psychiatrist today and don't know what time, but hope it goes well and they feel that you are safe and well enough to be taken off the section. You mentioned something about the weekend - do these long weekends drag for you. I'm not sure what RL support you have Snowy - I'll certainly be around all weekend - no plans here, other than a bit of weeding IF the spirit moves me, which is unlikely. I don't really like gardening - it always seems like housework outdoors to me.
Snowy can I ask you, did you used to post under another name. It's just that you sound so like someone else who was struggling with a psychotic illness and there was a very long thread. Let us know how the meeting went anyway.

Ed you always make me smile with your lists of things that you do. I reckon you cram an awful lot into your day, even if you do need "pick me up" naps. You always manage to sound reasonably up-beat.

Hmmm - new thread title. How about Psst struggling with mental illness - come over here! Not very original I know, maybe someone will come up with something better. OR "3rd edition of the Mental Health Club - free membership" I think it's the 3rd thread isn't it but I went AWOL for a while so might be wrong on that.

Sorry for long rambling post. Love to all.

[LEMisdisappointed]

Glad you are ok Ed i hope you don't get RSI from all that crochet :)

Effing awful morning today - i texted the woman from the MHT but she hasn't got back to me.

[ColouringInQueen]

LEM. Hope she gets back to you soon. Hang in there, thinking of you.

Better day for me today. Went for a 3 mile walk after school run, came home, made some lists, had lunch and lie down (no sleep tho) and cleaner has just come. Never had a cleaner before. She has come to spring clean downstairs today tho do feel bit embarrassed to be at home while someone else cleans!

School run again... hello everyone hope you're OK x.

[ThatVikRinA22]

nana - i know we have the new thread but wanted to just respond on this one....re the drinking. i need to talk to DH - he doesnt drink at all but he is an "enabler" - i say time and time again "i need to stop drinking" but then he buys me wine on the shopping (taht said - it has to be me that wants to stop - and he knows i think that when i stop things - i just stop - its how i stopped smoking - one day i smoked - the next i didnt)

it would help me if he was around on an evening - i tend to drink more when im alone, i just sip away while on the internet, or watching tv....im going to talk to him, and ask him to keep me on track when i do stop. I know its not his responsibility - but he can support me.

I dont know what the hole is that drinking fills. (Probably the one left by quitting smoking!) i wish i could get addicted to something healthy like running (i need to start running again due to yearly fitness tests).

i keep saying when i get a horse i wont drink as much (probably true - when im at hte stables i dont eat much and when i get home its late so its bath, tea, bed)
i wonder if i can convince DH that a horse would be good for my health - mental and physical! might try that.....

[NanaNina]

Hmm I wasn't going to mention booze again Vicar but since you have brought it up I guess it's ok. It's difficult to understand why your DH is as you say an "enabler" without knowing either of you, or the dynamics of your relationship. Does he maybe feel that alcohol makes you more relaxed and that make life easier for him .....I don't know. If you think about it you might be able to suss out the reason behind his "enabling" He clearly recognises that this "I really must stop drinking" is said without any resolve really and so disregards it.

Where is DH in the evening - though to be honest Vicar (and since you don't seem to be offended by my frankness) I think that's possibly something of an excuse. How would DH being around be a help to you. Anyway I think it's a really good idea to talk things through with him. Do you reckon you need to give up altogether or could you cut down to something that gives you pleasure but is more moderate than at the present. You say you want him to support you, but I think you need to be specific with him what you want him to do, not buy the wine with the shopping, or what?

I think the interesting phrase in your post is "I don't know what the hole is that drinking fills" - because I think you're right, we do sometimes do things to excess eg drinking, eating, smoking, to sort of "self medicate" our emotional needs. On the other hand you may be like many people who find alcohol relaxing and loosens inhibitions and giving a mild feeling of euphoria. It's difficult for me because I don't drink alcohol - not that I have anything against it - my DP drinks, (and has in the past been on the brink of alcohol abuse) as do all of my friends. I just can't tolerate it, in the sense that 1 glass of wine would give me a terrific hangover - really. A family friend is a scientist and says that alcohol is broken down in the body in 2 stages, and people who are intolerant to it, lack the enzymes that break it down in the 2nd stage. That must be me. It doesn't relax me because I am worrying about how I am going to feel the next day!

This thing about "I will stop drinking when I get a horse, when my DH is home in the evening, when this that or the other happens! You are an intelligent perceptive woman Vicar and you know that you will only stop when you are motivated, regardless of horses or anything else. Right?

It's up to you to find the motivation (or not) and I think you will as you are giving it a lot of thought which is a good sign. You have to cut the crap though and face up to the fact that you are risking your health. People often talk about "IF ONLY this that or the next thing happened I wouldn't drink so much" or "I'll stop WHEN this that or the next thing.
It's called being human really but it doesn't get us anywhere.

Some people have an addictive personality and will be more prone to getting addicted to booze or fags or junk food or whatever. You may be one of those people but you've also demonstrated remarkable resolve in the past to quit smoking, as nicotine is a hugely difficult drug to give up and its addictive component is totally underestimated. I started smoking in the 60s when I was in my teens and stopped when I was pregnant and bringing up my kids, but started again when I started social work, and was on around 40-60 a day (Players No 6!) but did manage to give up many years ago but it was a hard slog.

Hope whatever you decide is right for you and your family. You've come through a nasty depressive illness and tremendous work stresses that are on going, but have also come to realise that your drinking is getting out of hand. I think you've taken the first step.................