Banishing the winter blues, warming each other up in The Village

[LEMoncehadacatcalledSANTA]

Err, we need a new thread guys - I know this is Vicar's job so i hope you like the name.

This thread is a support group for those with mental health issues and generally feeling crap, some of us are on medication, some of us have help.

So come on in, grab a stool at the pub, the fires warm and the welcome is warmer - stay a while or move right on in!

All welcome

Ha! im not very good at this!

Bloody AOL i am always getting hacked and it sends out spurious emails to my contacts - so thats everyone i've ever emailed. Its usually for viagra or something equally embarrasing Really annoying but i think people generally know its spam. I just have to change my password - AOL are shite though, i really should change. I don't think always had to provide the account number, you can choose to answer different questions - so alternate email address or security question. Its a pain in the arse though.

Had a lovely day with DD2 and DP today, we went to the V&A in london, i love london so much, wouldn't want to live there though. I just love the diversity and the fact that you can sit outside a coffee shop at 8pm on a Sunday evening, having a Chai latte and chocolate cake :) So bloody expensive though :( (we take a packed lunch so that we can afford the cake shop treat otherwise we couldnt afford the visit - £1.70 for a can of coke in the science museum - we found a water fountain!) Everything shuts here on a Sunday and no one apart from the local layabouts are out after 6 during the week anyway. Still really pissed off with DP but have decided not to say anything and let it go (difficult for me). DD1 got upset that i didn't ask her to come - err, she has never liked museums, she is living with her DP and usually works on a sunday but i still feel really bad and it has taken the shine off the day for me. Hey ho - theres brandy in the cupboard - one wouldn't hurt :)

Wide awake at stupid o'clock again :(

As for AOL - we had them years ago & the problem was getting online in the first place (admittedly they were quite new then) so after 3 months of pure misery we changed back to BT & still with them now.

London is fab on the weekend lem with no one around & I don't like museums much neither but I think ur DD1 just felt left out even for a grown up - shows her love for u :) well done on being strong & the bigger person re ur DP - something not easily done! Oh sorry about the prices all these corporations love to make a few £££ from us & it's the same in hospitals. Dad was in all day today at hospital & we spend about £20 just getting 2 sandwiches (tiny as well), 2 bottle drink & chips (again small portion) sorry feel as if should have warned u but been busy with dad :(

I hope I go back to bed soon :(

It's me (OnDasher) back to my pre-Christmas name. Got an email from work today with a reminder list of upcoming meetings and I felt really panicky. I have a bad cold and chesty cough still so that's my excuse for not going to the first one, I really couldn't face it even if I was physically well. I know I can't avoid it forever, I just feel really lightheaded at the thought of having extra pressure and responsibility. I desperately want these tablets to start working soon but I have no idea how I'll know when they actually are.

I've replied to the email so that's out of the way but I can't help feeling wobbly and upset. I need to focus on me for a bit, and want this cough to shift.

Hardly got out of bed for a few days and had worst night's sleep ever last night, a mixture of coughing and anxiety attack. Hugs to all. Will be a better thread follower soon, how are you all today?

You have my sympathy errorerror. I feel exactly the same. I keep getting work emails and they're panicking me. I don't know what to do. I want to leave my job but can't face all the things I need to do to do that. Scared about seeing new doctor later too. Argh.

This morning I went for a walk!!! I left the house!!! After 4 days in bed crying/staring/sleeping I actually got up and walked around the block. I know it doesn't sound like much but ..... Seeing psychiatrist tomorrow and thinking he might not admit me if I can do some small stuff (y'know, eat, speak,walk!)

That sounds like a lot, Queenofknickers, it is so hard to do those basic things! I'll keep fingers crossed the right thing happens for you.

I hope your appointment is ok, Cherrypi. I had my clozapine blood test today, went ok.

How long have you been taking the new tablets, ErrorError ?

Did you get back to sleep, DumDum32?

Glad you had a nice day, LEM

I've been trying to replace the basics from my ruined cupboards, £££ I don't have The plumber said because it was drain water, the goods are ruined.

How is everyone doing?

New doctor was lovely. That was a whole panic over nothing as usual. She signed me off without me even having to ask.

Oh good, Cherrypi

Good news Cherrypi, you'll be relieved about that now. I do know the feeling, I want to give up my job too, but the process of doing it seems so daunting right now, but I do want to be better so I can have the motivation to look for something else, hopefully in another town or city.

Snowy I've been taking my tablets for 23 days. I don't have the daily headaches anymore but I'm still not feeling any more positive about anything, and the cold definitely doesn't help. DSis is on fluoxetine as well and said it took a few weeks for it to kick in and she started to feel like she was more motivated and less anxious. Taking the edge off was how she put it. I want to start planning my life again even though I don't quite have the motivation yet, but I think I'm getting a bit impatient. It's like my body hasn't caught up with my brain yet.

I hope things improve for you soon Snowy and the kitchen is sorted soon.

Dad again in hospital today :(

He said it was my fault he had the stroke I caused his disabilities now :( haven't stopped crying since! Just wish I was dead!!!

I am so proud - I have sorted college properly, and am going to talk to student support about some in class support to help with my note taking :)

I also went to the SureStart children's centre that's just down the road from the college and asked about volunteering to help with the course - they were thrilled, welcomed me with open arms and I'm going back on Friday to finish all the paperwork for the DBS check etc

Good Day! And I got my diary

Oh Dumdum - am with your dad on your behalf. Of course it wasn't your fault! Stupid man! I imagine that his cognitive ability isn't what it was and he is probably confused so do try not to take it to heart. You have been really good since it happened a its obvious to all of us on here that you care for him deeply. My mum is similar so i understand.

No need to warn me about london prices though - we know its expensive, which is why we take a picnic and then can enjoy the cake with less guilt :)

Snowy i hope you got your cupboards sorted x

DD back at school tomorrow - :(

I hope the fluoxetine kicks in soon, ErrorError

Oh DumDum32, of course that isn't so. (((((( DumDum32 )))))

Oh that's great news Violet !

I've bagged up 5 bags of rubbish, hoping my carer will take them out for me later.

Why are you sad about back to school, LEM?

How's it going today? I had a lie in until 11:30

Wow snowy that is a proper lay in!! Jealous!!

I went swimming and for a sit in the steam room.... lovely.

My kids were all back at school today and i had no work so just me and the dogs singing along to the radio...

It's clozapine that makes me sleep so much. I get up at 7:30 (when my carers come), get dressed and go back to bed.

Oh, steam room sounds gorgeous, I miss swimming etc.

Did you enjoy your quiet day?

Oh yes i did... the Christmas holidays were long and VERY noisy.... we are a noisy family anyway so had to have the radio on for some background noise. I don't actually like silence unless i am reading.

I liked the steam room the best... it's my reward for the swimming !

I tend to have the tv on in the background.

Good point, good way to exercise, and rewards are good!

I'm back to the knitting as distraction.

Well i survived the first day back :) Snowy, i just miss my DD when she is at school but this was the first holiday when part of me was pretty relieved when she went back. She has had lots of excess energy as the weather has been so dire that we haven't been able to get out and about much for her to burn it off. Wetwetwet - i actually savour the silence when im on my own - i didn't used to but i rarely put the radio on and never ever have the TV on in the day. I tend to get anxious if there is background noise.

My anxiety was +++ earlier today but seem to be settling down more. I did find it hard this morning with DD back at school. DP was still around doing quotes and i wanted hiim to feck off to work and get back to normal. I am working with him next week, doing a decorating job should be a welcome break. I got soaked through today, took my dogs and my mum's dog for a walk and the heavens opened. I had to put my coat in the tumble dryer and my clothes are still on the bathroom floor, you would actually wring them out - even my bra! I was MISERABLE as you can imagine, but i had a lovely bath afterwards so it made me feel better. Didn't manage to get any real tidying up done which was my mission for today, so will have to buck up tomorrow - didn't turn computor on until just now though - feel better for that.

Hope you are all having an OK day - i don't know about you guys but i am very ready for the wind and rain to sod off now, even if DP is getting more jobs because of it.

I'm not good, low and keep hearing voices.

Sorry to read that snowy :( Can you push on with the knitting? maybe put some relaxing music on?

Thanks LEM, carer just been which distracts (she kindly put 20 minutes into cleaning the kitchen).
Looking at the knitting now.

I'm drinking and stuffing chocolate as a distraction - my news years resolution never even got off the ground .