Is there more help?

[serialtester]

Was diagnosed with depression a year ago. Been on antidepressants (currently on 30mg citalopram) done CBT but am currently in a state where I'm just avoiding life, can't work, can't be bothered getting dressed and barely manage the basics. What do I do next?

I've been where you are. It's hard, really hard. Then there's the guilt of being sick too. Go to your doctor and ask for a referral to your local mental health team. There should be some sort of resource for someone to either come see you or meet you somewhere just to talk and offer any relevant support. They're obviously complete strangers so you don't have the worry of being judged by friends or family. I found my mental health worker invaluable for the few months I needed it. Other than that are there any local charities or support groups you could access so you feel less alone?
Sending hugs xxx

Thank you so much. It's just such an effort to see my GP. Everything is an effort - even brushing my teeth and getting dressed. I feel like a burden and a total failure at life.

Do you remember any of the techniques you learnt in CBT? I too get how you are describing and am quick to recognise the symptoms but not always so quick to act.

Set yourself small goals and when you achieve them be proud of yourself so, tomorrow get up shower and clean your teeth. I know it's hard but you know if you keep going this way it will get harder. You can do this. It is an effort but it's worth it. Do you practice mindfulness? I do find this helps to ground me. Do you have anyone at home?

Do you have a friend who could advocate for you? Accompany/make you go to an appointment? I got help after my friend rang on my behalf, made me get in a taxi and talked to the doctor the whole way through the initial appointment. I just sat their. No feelings, couldn't be bothered to talk, just completely detached. It was hard but once the ball is rolling and you're in the system the support in my experience was really good. Have they mentioned trying DBT? I found that course really helpful in terms of practical tips.

It's awful but I can't even be bothered with mindfulness! Again it's an effort. Tomorrow I will try and wash my hair and phone the doctors. Thank you to everyone who has replied.

Today I've kind of had a few thoughts about being dead. I'm not suicidal but just the thought that if I was dead I wouldn't feel this tired. I managed to wash and dress today and tomorrow I'm seeing my GP. Thanks for the replies.

That's positive that you managed to wash/dress and book a GP appointment. Keep that in mind when u feel rubbish. I can appreciate that feeling of not wanting to be here it requires less effort but, it's a bad sign. Hope you get what you need from your GP and keep talking on here. Let us know how you get on.

I was where you are last year, I didn't see any point in being here even if it got better.

Unfortunately my suggestion is to go private and see a psychologist if you can afford it.

The NHS is great, but I too did their counselling and cbt and it did absolutely nothing, it felt like a waste of time being given the take home steps etc to improve my life because nothing changed.

Seeing a practicing psychologist changed everything somehow, it's like he understood why I felt how I did and how to deal with it from inside my own head, on the long term. Not just a therapist giving me methods to try to use.

It's so hard and I feel for you enormously but it will get easier if you can find the effort to keep going. Do you have something good in your life to focus on?

Ps. Feel free to pm me if you want to talk to someone, I'm not a barrel of laughs and can be a bit miserable too but I understand how you feel and sometimes it's helpful

Your medication may need reviewing or changing, which your GP can do.

The NICE guidelines suggest if no response to trying 2 antidepressants and CBT in primary care a referral should be made to secondary mental health services. They can advise on further medication changes and/or consider psychotherapy.

Unfortunately services are sorely under resourced so the days when you would be offered a CPN for support are long gone.

You could also Google your local Mind services, or the Trust may have what is known as a Recovery College. They run courses and seminars on how to manage your mental health effectively. They run sessions on subjects like Mindfulness, Managing your own recovery, etc down o practical things like money management and quitting smoking. The group's are run in conjunction with a mental health professional and peer support workers-people with lived experience of mental health issues.

You could also try mainstream community facilities....stuff like yoga classes, gardening groups, even stuff like Borrow my Doggy......anything tggat gets you out and getting some light exercise.

I'm a mental health nurse and was also on anti depressants for years. What got me off the meds was getting a dog. Better than any meds! Obviously not for everyone but shows what helps is not always obvious.

How did the doctors appointment go?

I hope your appointment was good. My gp is much more helpful than secondary services who just increase my meds every time I see them. Nothing much else they can do because of lack of resources. So I am lucky to have a good gp.

So I went to see my GP and got signed off work for a month. No increase or change in meds but she wants me to check in with her every week.