What happened to the mental health support village?

[sadandanxious]

I'm sure a while ago there was a thread running for mental health support - a sort of supportive village where we could all come and talk about our mental health worries or just general life and feel safe and supportive. I posted under a different name back then and can't seem to find it any more.

Does anyone else remember it or have I just imagined it? Either way, would anyone else be up for it? Perhaps a yurt would be a safer, more comfortable place than a village?

Orangecake I'm going on fine, I was surprised to be "discharged in my absence" (which has never happened before! in fact I didn't even know it was A Thing) from hosp, and am with 2ndary services and have CPN, at least to start with. Saw GP today - he is very good and gives me a double appt if I need to see him about anything.

Used to be quite depressed (but never hospitalised with it - paroxatine sorted it enough that I could deal with day to day life), but that has not really happened of late. Even though the last 12 months have been pretty stressful, I haven't felt that ongoing feeling of misery I used to have.

Blimey, Joto, a zip-wire, I am impressed. Am a total physical coward!

Oh and am on Quetiapine.

Silvery it wasn't anything too scary though I am pushing myself when we go on holiday to Wales next month and going in the one in Snowdonia! Can do that but can't get deal with my anxious mind and behaviour I know which is worse!

I am on the ward at the moment.

(I would prefer to be in the yurt.)

Someone is bringing me my flip-flops later, so that I can have a shower. I can't face putting bare feet on the bathroom floor.

I love Snowdonia. I've never climbed Snowden. It's on my to-do list.

erinaceous

I am trying to have a bath atm - the bath is run, not sure I CBA. At least the water is warming up the bathroom.

Did manage one shower when I was in (managed a sort of wash-down with a sponge most days). The shower was a disaster - I had borrowed some shampoo but put too much in. Thereby inventing the (extremely) bubbly foot bath!

Anxious, my suggestion for thinking what to write in your email reads as if you are supposed to end up with pages of it! In fact, part 2 is cutting down what you've written so you end up with sort of expanded bullet points. So a bit like Orange's suggestion, only backwards, iyswim. How did the gardening go?

Thank you Silvery

Joto which one in Snowdonia are you doing? I did the Go Below one last year, lots of climbing in underground caves, zip wires and a free fall jump. It was fantastic!

Silvery how do you find the quetiapine? I'm on 150 mg a day (recently had it increased) and I'm feeling so wiped out and struggling to cope.

Having one of those weeks I think. Feeling overwhelmed by people and work. Monday and Tuesday started off well but it's gradually declined as the week has gone on. I'm very much looking forward to this evening when I get to spend time with my 5 year old DSD I used to get so anxious about her coming but I'm learning slowly that it's okay to not have a clue what I'm doing, that sometimes I make mistakes and that's okay and if I take the pressure off myself to always be perfect then things usually end up going well, better than expected.

Afternoon! I'm looking at the zip world one though the other sounds good too! I r had a similar week at eork. Too much stress and not enough support. Actually looking forward to the weekend and cleaning 😂😂😂

I really have dyslexic fingers on my new phone!!!

Am currently on 200mg ,sadandanxious, and it is suiting me atm. However, I can't drink with it (not much of a drinker anyway) and not supposed to drive if sleepy. Luckily am retired old gimmer, and good local shops, so not a problem for now. (Though car will need turning round soon, as it wasn't driven while I was in and brakes may have seized a bit.)

Hello Orangecake123

I've been drawing and colouring today. Congratulations on getting to the gym.

sadandanxious yes I am quite sleepy - but have the luxury of napping if I feel like it - though there is a lot to do round the house - sorting and cleaning, and only me to do it. If I was in employment outside the house I wouldn't be able to drive there (retired old gimmer - as I see I've already said)

I'm on the fluffy yurt cushions but feeling relaxed having just had an hour long aromatherapy massage. Bliss. 😊 hope you're all ok xxx

Fine here - drinking milky coffee

I'm up - drinking camomile tea.

Still up. Feeling OK. Don't have any flip-flops due to SNAFU - and haven't had a shower. Worried I will catch something if I stand barefoot on the floor in the bathroom. Which is bizarre because I've not worried about this when I've been in hospital in the past, and because I love to swim and walk around public swimming pools, the showers there, and showers in gyms barefoot

Random question: does anyone know, whether staff will come with you to your home the first time you go there from the ward? Is that something that can happen? Or does it have to be a friend or family member?

Morning yurt-ers

erinaceous it's an understandable worry though, don't beat yourself up just because it hasn't worried you before. Did I post the worry tree here before? Sorry if I'm telling you to suck eggs, it's a really simple CBT thing that helps me a lot.

For the showers/flip flops thing I'd reason to myself; is it a hypothetical worry? No, there is a possibility I could catch verrucas/fungal infection. Can I do anything about it? Yes, I could wear flip flops. Make plan to get flip flops. On it, let the worry go.

Obvs not quite that simple all the time but it does help me a lot. In this case what's the worst thing that can happen waiting an extra day or so for the flip flops. You can do a backpacker wash in the meantime (pits and bits in the sink!). It'll be ok.

I've been up every few hours in the night with some kind of D&V bug or maybe cos I accidentally ate some gluteny stuff yesterday. Had to call in sick for an evening shift last night. I NEVER call in sick last minute. Feel so guilty for my colleagues being left short staffed but I spent the whole evening either in the bathroom or shivering under a blanket. Extra annoying that some of my OCD rituals involve the toilet so it all takes longer than it should. Haven't had to go now for a few hours, still feel wobbly and abdo cramps, but I have a few hours of clinics to run today and they'd really struggle to find cover last minute so as long as I can stand I have to go in or appointments will be cancelled. Will pay close attention to hand hygiene etc in case!

I think I've forgotten my meds with all the upchucking as well.

Gardening has been going great in fact before I started heaving last night I judged my daily mood score as a 4 which is good for me! Starting the day with time in the garden before work is brilliant. The place is starting to look more like the vision I have in my head and less like a pile of mud and weeds and I get a sense of achievement whenever I look at it as well as fresh air, exercise, using my creative brain etc. DP is worried about me not resting enough and burning myself out but I think it's fine.

Well done on the massage joto I think I might book myself something similar soon! I have got an appointment for a gel manicure later actually after the afternoon clinic. I usually get them done every 4 weeks but have neglected it the past few months. It's a little thing that makes me feel better whenever I see my hands. My DP does a mean shoulder massage as well but he's on night shifts till Tuesday now :( (although he's probably glad he missed last night's ickfest).

Hope everyone is feeling ok today. I will try to make a start on the counselling email tonight. Thanks for the ideas on how to get going with it. I have a particular type of A4 lined notebook and particular type of pen I use (which I keep in a drawer of every colour) - sounds like you'd approve silvery - so I should get them out later and just make a start. Eat the frog. I think there are 3 main areas I want to explain/explore; the OCD, the cyclothymia (and how it impacts on the OCD), and my mother. I have around 1000 words. Feels like a school essay brief

Sorry for rambling on!

Thanks Anxious! I had a shower in the end. I went for a walk in the park this morning. The park is lovely. Feeling overwhelmed at the moment.

I have a long history of trying to run before I can walk, so am trying to pace myself and take things slowly.

I too have a long history of trying to walk before I can run! At least I had a bath. Thought I was near to going to town, but then phone wanted charging... And I haven't even had breakfast yet. Seems I have no choice but to take things slowly!

erinaceous well done on shower and going out for a walk - hope that's not patronising, I genuinely am impressed!

Have just called in sick for the afternoon clinic. Feel awful but I just can't do it.

One thing at a time! When I'm feeling overwhelmed I try to remember to just focus on the next thing. Go get a drink. Whilst drinking the drink think, I might get in the shower. Then get in the shower. Don't worry about what's going to happen after just the next one thing.

It's all easier said than done though isn't it.

Am back shivering under a blanket again now with a washing up bowl handy just in case 🤢. Feel so guilty letting people down at work. Can I crawl back into the yurt....but I'll stay in my own corner so as not to infect you all, in case this isn't gluten-induced.

No, it's not patronizing. It's the first time I have done something like that in a long time.

Anxious sorry you're feeling so poorly. Curl up in the corner of the yurt.

Hello, I 'lived' in the original village. I had a beautiful cottage!
I struggle to keep up with threads but wanted to say even if I don't post I will be following and thinking of you all.
I'm struggling with stress and anxiety really badly, I can't even tell if there's a chink of depression in there as well.
My lovely comfortable reclusive life has come crashing down around me. Scared I'm going to lose my home, scared I'm going to have to go into rl and face people. I'm probably rambling but it's all too long and complicated and awful. None of it my doing. I was quite happy as a recluse, I just want to go back there.

It's amazing how something as simple as a little walk, can sometimes be so overwhelmingly unacheivable (may as well suggest we go climb Mt Everest) but then when we do manage it, how much of a positive impact it can have on our state of mind. You should def feel a sense of achievement about that.

Knittedfrog welcome 'back'! I think of all places MH support threads should be somewhere we understand that people will drop in and out of whenever they feel able to post support or need to ask for the same. It sounds like you're having a pretty rough time of it, worrying about losing your home is awful. Have a comfy cushion somewhere near the fire and we'll be here to chat if you feel the need.

I still have the little crocheted eagle that flew in from the village. It has pride of place among my collection of furry animals (which also includes a platypus!)

Fuck. I just saw bugs in my room. I told a nurse that I wasn't sure if I was hallucinating or there were bugs in my room.

The nurse told me that there are bugs in my room. I wasn't hallucinating.

Gave me a fright. Visual hallucinations would have been a new symptom and I could use not getting any new symptoms right now.

My heart rate is coming down slowly after that shock.

Welcome back Knitted. I wasn't in the village and I never met Fluffy. She sounds like a lovely person. Crumbs, worrying about losing your home sounds scary.

Thanks Anxious

Hi Silvery

I have lots of RL support and am very open about my MH stuff, so have some visitors to look forward to in the coming week. Not sure how long I'll be here but met my Consultant on Friday. I remember him saying he is in no hurry to discharge me which was a relief. I was a bit worried I would be discharged before I felt ready.

I feel guilty for sort of barging into the village. I didn't want to start my own thread. I've been on the MH boards for a bit now. I feel as if I'm rambling, I'm so, so tired. Going to try to rest now.