thread on which to be factitiously Mentally Normal (NOS)

[Mitchy1nge]

nobody was wondering but not only am I still alive, the horribleness of my back pain has completely stopped is all a bit tender and traumatised but hooray for me

and partial hooray for the weirdness that is tramadol I suppose

Have a great time Mp.

I am just scraping myself out of bed. I could sleep all day on phenelzine. The headaches are getting on my tits too. I am beginning to remember why I stopped taking it I wonder if the depression is cured now and I can stop again.

Are you feeling any better yet, Caulky?

Have managed to get out and bed and dressed today which is an improvement on the last few days. It seems thankfully that I couldn't get out of bed due to being poorly and not an impending depression which is good. I took today off work, which I think was a good thing to do.

There's no point going into work ill. Employers who encourage it are extremely misguided IMO. Hope your recovery goes quickly

My boss is lovely, and very understanding but haven't had since Christmas Day off, and all that I feel a bit guilty being off today. No one else does what I do, so it can't be covered or anything.
But am enjoying sitting in bed watching 15 kids and counting and not jealous about others skiing

That's means to say I haven't been in since Christmas Day!

I'm struggling, CPN is on leave.

Sorry to hear that Snowy - have they assigned someone else you can talk to in the meantime?

CBT person is coming in just over a week.

well that's something isn't it, although weeks can be long can't they - anything else to look forward to before then?

have to get Cock and Ball Torture out of my mind every time I see CBT especially as #3 is doing it and she is a child so it's not appropriate

my mum is being unnaturally kind to me and helpful with #1

I might go into town when it's quieter. That must be difficult re: CBT How's #1 doing?

Would doing a Compulsory Basic Training bike course help with the cock and ball thing?

I'm going to a depression support group tomorrow for the first time, so… that's a thing. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not that I'm not currently depressed, though with any luck there'll be other people there who know a bit more than I do about navigating the local mental health services.

#1 seems much better, am convinced of it, but my parents were shocked and are very concerned, enough to stay on until psych appointment tomorrow (we are not usually in contact unless death/serious illness in family) - has dawned on me that my purse with bank cards etc is missing, last seen on way to gp appt with #1 last week, so am out of petrol etc, bit of a nuisance

will you shop in town snowy? Library, coffee, museum?

support group could be really helpful, nobody should have to go through it alone. Some of my closest friends are from MDF grou

Yes, I'm mildly hopeful that it will be helpful. I'll at least meet some new people though last time I went to the place it's held I mostly bumped into friends of friends and people I'd met in hospital. I did go to a Depression Alliance group a few times several years ago but didn't really feel I had much in common with anyone there and drifted away from it.

I hope your purse turns up Mitch.

for Caulk and Snowy, hope you're both doing okay this evening.

can I go to this appointment in my running kit, that way can have quick run after appointment and before horses or do I really need to pack a bag and find time to change

there is no hint of my purse anywhere

enjoy group!

Yes you can.

Police re purse maybe? Cancel cards etc too.

Window shop probably. I hope your purse turns up. I hope group goes well

Has #1 had the appointment Mitchy, and how did it go?

it went ok from point of view of getting there and psych saying she is definitely manic (she has been taking antidepressants though which was v stupid of whichever prescriber it was, this came to light when we saw Gp who started a rapid withdrawal but this could make things worse) enlisting some extra support and a lot more appointments but nothing terrifying like hospital - #1 is just utterly bemused by it all she has already forgotten who we just saw and what it was about

it's really sad but we have easier access to help in a crisis now and hopefully things will settle down over the next few weeks without need for long term treatment but that's a bridge to cross whenever

Will you still need to be staying there?

#2 is there until start of new term at university, so that's this week at least so hopefully not especially as #3 starts at a new school type thing on Weds which is quite a major change for her, more travel and a longer day - there is a lot of stress going on about this at the moment too so I really need to be here, what with there only being one of me CAMHS tomorrow too

how's your cough?

I hope things settle for #1, mitch, and that you get to CAMHS tomorrow.

Group went well; didn't talk much as it was my first time there but they seem like a nice bunch. It does bother me though that a group which a few years ago would've probably existed mostly to support people longer term with milder mental health conditions seems now to be the primary provision for people who are really quite unwell, and from the sound of it a good few people in the group are having to spend a lot of time and effort worrying about, basically, putting together their own mental health support packages cobbled together out of whatever voluntary provision is available. Three counselling sessions from a church charity here, a user-run support group there, bits and bobs from occupational charities or drug charities or job centre courses - everything seems to have been hived off and it leaves people dangling between various nets. For me, I'd much rather feel I was using state-provided services I'm entitled to use than a charitable service provided me as a favour (albeit partially funded by the taxpayer). Though, of course, these charities have existed for a long time, and I am glad that the support is available, I feel it should exist in addition to local mental health services, not take over parts of essential provision.

All sounds terribly hectic where you are Mitchy. Hope you're looking after yourself a bit too

That sounds good, Enpoid - it's like that round here too, Mind and other charities (such as homeless ones) are taking over what used to be provided by services.

Yes, I worry it's a step on the road to losing mental health support services altogether (or relying on charities funded solely by donations). Our local CMHT was moved to a new health centre which incorporated several local GP practices and some minor hospital services, and in the move, the day hospital went. Now, the CMHT provides a skeleton psychology service, but the groups run at the day hospital don't exist and, instead, people are referred to a largely voluntary-run local service which runs groups with some NHS funding, and where a CMHT CPN is also based. So theyre able to claim there are still services being funded for people. But I wouldn't be surprised if, over time, government funding for the voluntary groups is reduced, and the services strangled - it's a lot easier to hide cuts if you move services to the third sector then make cuts there than it is to hide it when you just get rid of services directly. But I've not been involved with local mental health services for many years so I may be misunderstanding what has happened.