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

998 replies

LEMoncehadacatcalledSANTA · 20/12/2013 21:52

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!

OP posts:
SnowyMouse · 03/02/2014 11:30

Don't be too hard on yourself, CIQ. Glad you're feeling better about things, DD32

I'm waiting for my blood test :/

ColouringInQueen · 03/02/2014 12:07

Thabjs dumdum, snowy

dd glad to hear you're getting more support and care, a great step on yr road to recovery.

snowy whats the blood test for?

Well I have done upstairs. Now down...

ColouringInQueen · 03/02/2014 12:07

Or thanks even!

LollipopViolet · 03/02/2014 13:14

Well, I've been off the radar for a bit, no real reason, I'm fine :)

Or, I will be when this stupid virus goes away!

You know the start of college, that thing I've been looking forward to for months? I've just rung in ill. I wouldn't be any use in the state I'm in, and I was sick this morning :(

I'd also hate for anyone else to get it, especially if they have little ones or a compromised immune system.

Better safe than sorry.

DumDum32 · 03/02/2014 13:37

Aww voilet feel better soon x

snowy hope the blood test result goes well n hope u doing ok!

We've just had lunch now waiting for next session to start. Had mindfulness this morning which I found quite hard to grasp but apparently it's a good coping technique!
Hoping the next session is more relaxing!

LollipopViolet · 03/02/2014 13:49

Does being physically ill, make your MH harder to manage? I've just had a little cry as I was posting on a support thread in Bereavement - I am seriously missing my granddad today.

Just want to climb back into bed and wake up when I'm better! I hate being ill and he was always lovely to me when I was.

SnowyMouse · 03/02/2014 14:28

If you take clozapine you have to have regular blood tests. I hope you feel better soon, Violet, it's a shame it happened now.

I think being physically ill does affect how you cope with your mental health.

NanaNina · 03/02/2014 14:40

Feeling mega crap here - I keep a score of my good days every month and I usually average about 80% good and the remainder mixed (getting better through the day or crap altogether) but January I only got 43% good days, my lowest score since I relapsed in 2010. Had 3 good days and thought I was going back to my usual pattern but the bloody headmonster is on the rampage again today. Had just got used to being "me" - forced myself out of bed to shower etc at 1.30.

Sorry folks I don't usually post on bad days cus I like to reach out to others. I shouldn't grumble, I am retired, family all grown up, have a nice warm house, no financial worries, and a loving DP when so many people are so much worse off. I also have a lovely CPN who I see by appointment once a month but I can phone her if I'm in a state, or e mail her. She has mentioned the possibility of adding lithium to my meds (I'm on imipramine and mirtazapine) but it's a bit "heavy end" drug and the list of side effects is scary, and it interacts (in a bad way) with imipramine, and it's also so hit and miss I find. She is going to talk to the psychiatrist about the possibility. I have an apt with him early March.

Also on the NHS I have a therapist (who is specifically for "older people" with mental health issues) and I saw her for about 20 sessions a year or so ago and she went on maternity leave but is now back so I am seeing her weekly. She saw me on a bad day (for the first time ever) last week and was really good - I was crying and shaking and feeling scared and saying "sorry" at every verse end which is what I do on bad days. She helped me to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth and on the out breath she gently pushed my shoulders down as they are usually tense. It did help and I'm trying to do the breathing now.

SO I can hardly complain about lack of support can I. And still I am complaining. I know you'll all understand though. I haven't seen my lovely grand-daughter for a month - she's coming 14 but she doesn't know about my problems and I don't want her to, and I was so hoping to see her today. Enough of me.

DumDum are the CPNs introducing themselves to you prior to discharge. Glad you have a good feeling about them.

Lollipop sorry you're ill - also don't know about your mental health issues though could scroll back. Are you a dancer or an actress - just something I thought I'd read/

Snowy how are things - on a scale of 0 - 10 (0 being lowest) have the CPNs been today. Are the blood tests related to your meds. Really hope you can stay at home and I know you struggle but you can distract yourself a weeny bit I know. Keep on keeping on as that's all we can do really.

Hello CIQ and LEM and anyone else on the thread.

LEMmingaround · 03/02/2014 15:00

Sorry you are feeling rubbish nana. I wonder if you could do with running some bloods. Could be some deficiencies etc that are causing you to feel bad? Especially if you can't identify a trigger. Worth a try maybe?

LEMmingaround · 03/02/2014 15:03

Feel ok today. Went to help dd1 clean her flat. It wasn't that bad and it was nice to clean somewhere practicality new. So it all came up bright and sparkly. My house is practically falling down so its less rewarding. Was good to see her, I don't see enough of her. She wants me to go next week too. But not to clean :) cheeky mare.

LEMmingaround · 03/02/2014 15:04

Even managed the trains without too much anxiety - huge plus that

DumDum32 · 03/02/2014 15:27

Sorry ur feeling rubbish NN the idea about checking bloods is good from lem I get low vit D which makes me feel low!

lem sounds like a great accomplishment today for u well done :)

I love this thread as it's keeping me going in between the waiting around in hospital. My challenge is to make my way home from here in a bit by public transport on my own. Feeling a bit anxious but I'm going to Chanel my energy into seeing as a step forward & maybe reward myself with a treat when I get home! M

DumDum32 · 03/02/2014 15:29

NN I'm in here for the next 2 weeks I saw the cpn for the first time today but after Friday was feeling a bit unwanted. They made that feeling go away hence feeling a bit better about attending here now.

LEMmingaround · 03/02/2014 19:03

Dumdum - thats a fair challenge, i find trains a challenge, im fine once im on the train but its waiting for the bloody thing to pull into the station that makes me on edge. What will your treat be?

DumDum32 · 03/02/2014 19:51

Oh I will not even venture near a train yet!!! The journey home was not too bad & I quite enjoyed it Hmm don't know if tomorrow I'll feel the same.

I treated myself to a nice twirl chocolate bar :)

Going to have an early night today so bid u all good night & a safe one x

SnowyMouse · 03/02/2014 19:53

Sorry you're feeling so awful, NN. It's good to get support from those on this thread, hugs.

I am distracting myself.

Well done for today, LEM Smile

I hope your days are going ok, DD32, and that you're not on edge.

SnowyMouse · 03/02/2014 19:54

Have a good night DD32

ColouringInQueen · 03/02/2014 20:51

Night night dd

nana im so sorry to hear you're not doing so good lately. But really glad you have good support.

lem good work on the cleaning - you and I were cleaning at the same time this morning!

Not so great here tonight. Maybe I'm just ruminating too much. But feel like I have a grey blanket hanging around and not in a good way. I don't have that interesting a week ahead which doesn't help with my poor motivation. The being excluded by those mums has hit me hard. It provides me with evidence for all my social Anxiety and makes it harder to keep being brave and putting myself out there.

ColouringInQueen · 04/02/2014 09:47

Morning all. Off to hairdressers in a mo (deep breath) and counselling later, so hoping that will be helpful.

Hope everyone's doing OK this morning.

DumDum32 · 04/02/2014 10:44

Morning all,

I've managed to catch a cold :( but I've made it in to hospital nonetheless so hoping to be ok during the day!

Hairdressers sounds like a good plan ciq I need to go at some point this I've not had mine cut for about 1 year now!

Hope u all have a good morning :)

ColouringInQueen · 04/02/2014 11:24

Hi dd well done for getting into hosp. Hope you have a helpful day.

Hairdressers was OK Smile have reverted to student curly (messy) hairstyle which I 'm enjoying and hairdresser was positive about too which was nice. Have managed to do some yoga too this morning, which is helping to keep racing mind at bay... next sewing Hmm

LollipopViolet · 04/02/2014 12:22

Nana no, I'm no actress or dancer. I do ice skate though, and do ice dance :)

I should be skating today, but I've got a lovely headache and still don't feel right thanks to this silly virus. But as I told my lovely friend who is ill with pleurisy "There's plenty of time for skating - once you're better" so I need to follow my own advice really!

I spent most of yesterday sleeping, but managed to eat some chicken and have had some melon today. I'm also drinking lots. I'm just worried about trying to eat normal meals again - would hate to be sick all over again :( But I know I need to eventually.

I actually feel better in myself, which is good :) Think I was feeling a bit sorry for myself yesterday.

Hope everyone has a good day today :)

ErrorError · 04/02/2014 12:47

Hi all, sorry I've not been around in a while. Having some annoying technical problems with the laptop. Hope you are all well/coping/keeping busy/peaceful and any other positive adjectives.

Been a hectic month for me. In a nutshell... my fluoxetine dose was doubled to 40mg daily, because even though the down feelings, weepiness and lethargy were starting to leve out, my anxiety was still sky high. So trying out the new dose for a couple of months.

I handed my notice in at work. It was not worth the level of anxiety it caused. They have been very understanding with me and hopefully when I am better and more motivated I can put in some effort to rejoin the productive workforce again.

I met a nice new man. We've not started a relationship officially (I didn't know if it was a good idea during my recovery or not) but we have grown close and I feel like I can talk to him about anything. On our second date he confided in me that he suffers with anxiety and depression. I felt instant relief when he told me, because now I have nothing to hide.

Going to visit my sister for a few days for a change of scenery. I get cabin fever in the house.

Love to all. Smile

SnowyMouse · 04/02/2014 14:01

On the advice of my OU tutor, I've submitted 60% of my assignment (didn't do the essay as I can't concentrate). The most I can get is a 2:2, a third is more likely. Sad

Enjoy your visit, ErrorError

I hope you feel better soon, Violet

I hope day hospital goes well, DD32

Sound like good distractions, CIQ

NanaNina · 04/02/2014 16:28

Oh Snowy the fact that you are doing the OU at all given your mental health issues, is pretty amazing as far as I'm concerned.

Feel better today and had appointment with my therapist but she had left a message on my phone today that I didn't pick up, to say she wasn't in work - so wasted journey.

My fluctuations aren't related to vitamin deficiency and I can never identify a trigger, the bad days just come out of the blue and mercifully go again, so I suppose I have to be grateful for that and usually I can manage the bad days as they are often just a few days a month and not consecutive - it's just January was shite. Hoping for better Feb

Hope everyone is keeping warm - freezing cold today though I suppose we should expect that in Feb. I have a birthday soon with a very nasty 0 so am trying to ignore it.

CIQ you just mentioned about your curly messy hair and I wonder if any of you wonder what we all look like. I do. I have pictures in my head for many posters - anyone fancy sharing?