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summer heat - in the village we'll meet....oh, those summer nights! support for MH issues, depression, anxiety, what ever the issue come visit the village [titled edited by MNHQ]

917 replies

SomethingVicardThisWayComes · 27/07/2014 18:09

well a well a well a oh tell me more tell me more.....Smile

new thread guys....feels funny doing the threads again! but nice....

so. for any newbies....the purpose of the "village" threads is to support anyone with MH issues....depression, anxiety, anything at all, for what ever reason.

there is an open door policy in the village! so pull up a pew and get stuck in....

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Victrix · 12/09/2014 13:32

Hospital time is a lot slower than normal time. Have you found a cookery program yet? x

Katkins1 · 12/09/2014 14:09

I have phoned my cpn and asked for a call back.I'm really really scared that I'm heading for another episode, my symptoms are almost the same as my first one.

What do I do? I don't feel as though I've reached the psychoti stage, but it's been building for a week or so.

SnowyMouse · 12/09/2014 14:12

All you can do is tell the professionals how you're feeling. And distract/take things one small step at a time etc, but you probably already know that.

fluffydressinggown · 12/09/2014 16:15

Yeah time is slow. Been told I'm in over the weekend and will stay on constant obs for now. Watched some Masterchef.

Katkins you should Def update your cpn it is better to empt things. Voice of experience here! ! X

SnowyMouse · 12/09/2014 16:22

Have you only got your phone as far as technology goes? I know a lot of wards don't allow much. I hope you get a peaceful weekend.

Katkins1 · 12/09/2014 16:46

I added you on fb, fluffy. Let me know how you are doing. I have calmed down a bit, picked dd up from school and went to do a bit of shopping. But now I'm in agony with the pain. Can't win.

LEMmingaround · 12/09/2014 17:24

Fluffy am really sorry you have been sectioned. You seemed to be doing really well. Just a blip. Lets hope its a short stayFlowers

NanaNina · 12/09/2014 19:59

Yes I think there is general agreement that time goes very slowly on a psych ward. I remember seeing fluffy on one of your posts that you do cross stich and colouring - maybe when you feel a bit more settled you can pass some time away like that. I do colouring too (get my "adult" colouring books and felts from Amazon) cus they have really nice stuff even though they don't pay their taxes!

Is the ward very busy or is there a chance of getting a peaceful weekend - hope so.

fluffydressinggown · 12/09/2014 20:43

Have been put on a section 2. It is pretty boring my dh is going to sort me out a laptop with some Internet. I have my colouring in and some magazines and my kindle.

Sorry about your pain katkins xx

ColouringInQueen · 12/09/2014 20:46

fluffy sorry to hear about the section. Hope the break helps and you're home soon.

katkins really sorry to hear you're having so much pain today. Hope you manage to get some sleep tonight.

Katkins1 · 12/09/2014 21:15

(fluffy) I think in an odd way it's positive that you find it a bit boring. As you know, psychosis is all consuming and there's no headspace to be bored! I hope that makes sense, and that being there is helping you to feel safe and that they are working towards an effective plan of medication for you. Hopefully it won't be for long.

fluffydressinggown · 12/09/2014 21:38

They have said I'm not psychotic just stressed. Who knows I just don't want to be here. Need to be at home.

NanaNina · 12/09/2014 22:39

Is it maybe the self harming they are worried about fluffy - good that you can have a laptop and get on the internet. You won't know yet I suppose what the OT is like. The ones in my first IP stay were bloody awful and treated us like children - painting jam jars FFS! The 2nd time - there was a really lovely OT - she had a lovely personality and some of the stuff she did was ok - the relaxation and a giant crossword on the wall was good - helped to pass the time in the mornings.

How's everyone else doing??

Pulled - I think you're having a tough time aren't you.

CIQ - how's the anxiety ?

Katkins have you seen a GP about this pain - if not, you need to!

Snowy - how are you doing...

I've had a good day today but spent too long in a shopping centre (buying birthday presents for my lovely 14 year old grand-daughter) and boring stuff like food shopping. Am zonked out on the sofa.

fluffydressinggown · 12/09/2014 23:03

It's the ligatures they are worried about. I know God wants me too die. Feel very sad tonight. But had some sleepers and Clonazepam xx

SnowyMouse · 13/09/2014 10:12

Morning all Smile I hope you got some sleep, fluffy (and everyone else). I'm glad you had a good day, NN. I have family visiting today, which is nice.

NanaNina · 13/09/2014 12:02

Hello to everyone and hope you are all "as well as can be expected" (the old phrase used by hospitals....) Oh dear fluffy ligatures don't sound good. Hope the sleepers gave you a decent night's sleep. I remember weekends being a bit better on the ward as the staff seemed more relaxed - no doctors around, but still very boring.

Hope you enjoy your day snowy with your family.

Katkins1 · 13/09/2014 12:07

fluffy I have pm'd you. I am relieved for you that they think it's stress and not psychosis; though it's no less serious. Hopefully the ip stay will give you a bit of a rest, as much as is possible in a hospital anyway. I hope they will be assesing you after the weekend, and talking with you about getting stable and home asap.

nana I've got the GP review on Monday, and can pick up my meds increase then, too. I phoned my CpN yesterday because I'm still really really struggling with lethargy, thoughts of suicide and psychosis. And the pain. I've had some feelings of sickness in the mornings too (not pregnant, no partner), something which I had before my psychotic episde last time. Have been having weird dreams, too, and overthinking everything, even comments on this thread. I keep thinking I'm not ill or unwell at all, I'm just making it up, but then on the other hand I get annoyed at the lack of support I'm getting (mh services are all like that where I live, my friends who are also service users, and who I used to work with on service user advocacy projects, say the same). This morning, I was looking at the curtain rail and trying to think if this was a good way to hang myself. Still in pain, but it's better if I do nothing. Haven't got dressed yet but have done lots of housework (as usual).

My friend offered to take DD but haven't arranged it yet. I said I was scared that if she went with them and I didn't have that responibility, I'd probbably act on my thoughts. She said she understands- but can't agree with- my logic.

On a lighter note, here's how my new cat shaped arrival is doing...

summer heat - in the village we'll meet....oh, those summer nights! support for MH issues, depression, anxiety, what ever the issue come visit the village [titled edited by MNHQ]
summer heat - in the village we'll meet....oh, those summer nights! support for MH issues, depression, anxiety, what ever the issue come visit the village [titled edited by MNHQ]
NanaNina · 13/09/2014 14:42

Forgive me for saying this Katkins but I think you are a tab over focused on psychotic illness. You sometimes say you can "feel psychosis coming on" but being psychotic means that you are out of touch with reality - you have delusions, as in believing things that aren't true. As far as my understanding goes the person who is psychotic doesn't realise they are mentally ill because their delusions are very real to them, and so often can't understand why there is concern for them. I think there may be some signs in the early stages (and I think I've seen this sometimes on the thread when people who suffer from this particular mental illness talk of disturbed sleep and wonder if they are "slipping" or whatever) I don't know anyone in RL with this illness but have noticed on this and other threads that the first sign seems to be when people state quite categorically that something is happening e.g. the meds are poisoning them, the TV is sending them messages, and the scary thing is for sufferers is that they really believe these deluded thoughts.

Ah just remembered I know someone whose son has Bipolar disorder which is well controlled with medication but he is absolutely certain there is nothing wrong with him, so stops taking the meds and hey presto the psychosis returns. It's very distressing for her because he has to be sectioned every time this happens, and ultimately of course it's distressing for him. I think this is just another example of how certain people are of their deluded thoughts with psychotic illness.

SO you certainly don't seem to be out of touch with reality and you aren't being treated for a psychotic illness but for depression (and I assume anxiety) as the two usually go hand in hand. I think having suicidal thoughts is very common in depression and I can't count the number of days this summer I've sat in the garden wondering which tree I could hang myself from. I've looked up stuff on the internet about suicide and made quite elaborate plans. That doesn't mean I have a psychotic illness - it means my depression is quite severe. I have intermittent depression and so can be fine one day and down the next.

You say yourself you are "over thinking" things and I think that's true. I am not absolutely not saying "pull yourself together" but I do wonder if you have too much time to ruminate and worry about your mental and physical health. You need to see the GP about these pains definitely, but can you maybe distract yourself sometimes with things that interest you so that you have less time to dwell on whether you are ill or not.

When is your graduation ceremony?

Katkins1 · 13/09/2014 15:28

Nana, that feels a little bit rude. As did your comment on "it's all about what's best for your dd isn't it?" upthread. I AM being treated for psychotic illness, and have hallucinations and delusions almost every day: that's how I learn to recognise what I'm thinking and feeling isn't real. They think my depression is causing my hallucinations. The reason dd is allowed at home with me is because I manage it well. I have PLENTY to distract me thanks, I'm a single Mum, have started freelance workshopping and teaching again, go out with my friends when I'm able (I'm not always because I feel spaced out, lack energy, or do things like loose my bank card, set the toastee on fire, leave the hair irons on, have absences where I can't recall how I crossed the road). Some days, I can barely get DD to school.

I used to have a very active social life, and work life, plus I have a degree. Do you really think I WANT to feel like this? To not be working to have no money and to be completely on my own, struggling through each day?

I come to this thread for support- and to support others. You seem to be suggesting that I don't have a real illness because it's not like fluffy's (who hears messages from the TV) or because I've not been sectioned.

I wasn't aware I didn't 'deserve' to be on the thread because my illness isn't SERIOUS or REAL enough for you. I'll go somewhere else now thanks.

Katkins1 · 13/09/2014 15:43

Nana you don't know what I do or don't experience or what I'm being treated for, because I didn't put it on here. They are stuck between psychotic depression or schritoprehia, and they don't know which yet. They are treating my depression first with the aim that the psychotic symptoms I experience every day will diminish, if not, then they will diagnose me with the other; most likely. They haven't diagnosed me yet because they think I'm too unwell, and I can't go out anymore because I'm scared of the hallucinations and delusions; plus I'm scared of even minor things- like taking dd to dance class- bringing on more pain and I don't like it outside. Every time I go out I experience psychosis. I happen to know what it is because of my studies (I wrote about it for my thesis, not knowing I was ill), and naming it helps me to keep it in check. I have things like electric shocks in my head, and even walking dd to school, the cars have faces. Some mornings, I hallucinate dead people in the bath even though the door is closed, think her toys are real, see dead people (from the spirit world, I think at the time) and feel so spaced out I can't recall how I got home. At the time, I truly believe it, but I shake it off and get on with my day, then tell my CpN after. Then we talk about how to manage it. They won't give me anti-p's as they say 70% is self managment, 30% meds and they think I'm doing well.

I'm sorry I sound cross, but I've been told everything from I drink too much coffee, work too hard and don't sleep enough. Of course I do- I've got a child to look after single handley! By the way, I was raped when I was 5, abused for 2 years until I was 7, my Mum left me when I was 7, my Dad was a violent drunk, I was so neglected I almost starved to death and never had any clean clothes, bedsheets or shoes. I had to wash in cold water, was covered in cat fleas and nits. I stank and was bullied at school. I stayed up every night watching my Dad beat up my Stepmother and our cats. I've self-harmed nearly all of teen years, my dd is the result of an abusive relationship with a man who is 60 years old and I've attempted suicide nearly 15 times over the past ten years.
My Mum has schritoprehia, I've not seen her since I was 6. It was my Step Father who abused me. All of my siblings are in care.

And my biggest problem is that I tell myself I'm making my illness up. I am really very upset by your post that belittles my feelings when I try so hard.

I might leave the thread for a bit. Thoughts to all x

LEMmingaround · 13/09/2014 16:28

Katkins and nina i thunk you have mis understood each other. :(

I think nana meant that you were maybe so scared of another psychotic episode that you are hyper aware of possible symptoms. No one is saying you are not ill. Please don't think that and i certainly think you are abandoned by mh services and its not good.

I do worry that the pain maybe a sign of something else and needs investigating. I think you need to pestering your gp about this as a separate issue. Sorry if ive missed you have already done this.

What support are you being offered? What medication are you on just now. I know that i have some pretty messed up dreams due to mymeds.

Posting now as phone battery going

LEMmingaround · 13/09/2014 16:31

Please stay on the thread katkins and nana. We have all got to know each other quite well and we may well have disagreements but youare bothso supportive and much valued members of the village.

KeemaNaanAndCurryOn · 13/09/2014 17:11

To be fair to NanaNina, when I've got psychotic, I've not realised that I was psychotic. I sometimes have been able to work it out afterwards - e.g. When I hear people calling my name and I've run out onto the street in my sodding nightie and there's no one there.

AFAIK There is something called pseudo psychosis which is where you may experience things, but be aware that they're not real. To my knowledge, this is caused by something other than schizophrenia / bipolar etc. I expect that is why your HCPs are being careful with a diagnosis and not prescribing anti-psychotics until they're certain of what is going on.

This doesn't mean you're not unwell and Nana was clearly acknowledging that you have quite severe depression. I hope that you can both move on from this.

KeemaNaanAndCurryOn · 13/09/2014 17:18

fluffy. Really sorry to hear that you're back in hospital. That seriously sucks arse big time. Please take care of yourself and I hope you're out soon x

Hope everyone else is well :)

fluffydressinggown · 13/09/2014 17:19

I hate to see any type of disagreement on here. I would ditto Keema that psychosis can present in different ways. I can imagine how hard it is for you katkins xx