What drastically changed your mental health

[Chocolatesaltedballs]

Suffering immensely as of late with my mental health. Stress, anxiety, sometimes suicidal thoughts. Currently going to therapy which I have done many times but feel like I’m maybe going around in circles unfortunately. Want to nail it once and for all if that’s even possible.

so may I ask, If you ever felt like i do presently, what did u do to change it for the better?

Citalopram
Swimming
limited time on the internet

Citalopram and a few weeks in The Priory.

In a strange way cancer treatment, so no HRT or anti-depressants due to that, and chemo, surgeries etc and having to do them even though absolutely terrified or risk dying soon. After doing them despite being scared silly I felt like I could tackle anything.

Also swimming 3 times a week around a mile a time. Also go in jacuzzi, steam room, sauna etc and take DH.

And my wonderful cat who I got during chemo, always trilling.

And cutting out people who aren't helping or are harming, realising quality of people is better than quantity.

Just taking it day by day when things were at their toughest.

Getting good days out as and when you can. Wildlife related for me.

@Iamacatslave what were the main benefits of of those weeks in the Priory. I once enquired about the cost to help with a medication switch if not insured but it was way out of reach.

Watching with interest

DBT therapy.

Reading with interest. Lots of great advice.

I will go back to my gratitude journal it des work.

I'd like to try EMDR, does anyone know a great practitioner in London?

Venlafaxine

I was prescribed venlafaxine but could not get on with it. Going to try setraline again.

Forcing myself to do the things that are so hard when you're depressed. Exercise, keeping busy, seeing friends and family, organising the house, self care. It was a long process of very small steps. I'm unrecognisable from 5 years ago. I have bad days but no more bad weeks/months. I can accept that.

20mg of Citalopram a day.

Citalopram antidepressant. Cutting toxic piss takers out of my life. New boundaries drawn.

Giving up alcohol, HRT and exercise

EMDR therapy to deal with sexual assault, longstanding childhood trauma. and having had major surgery/health issues in quick succession.

This is the only type of therapy that really worked for me as there was so much to deal with.

Then after the therapy I started making some drastic lifestyle changes:

• moving out of London for a quieter life in a small seaside town
• cutting contact with toxic relatives and phasing out one-sided friendships
• taking up weekly pilates class and meditation (just listening to YouTube guided meditation)
• removing myself from the dating scene for now (and maybe forever) after the assault
• adopting a cat from a shelter.

It is still a work in progress and I have some bad days but I feel a 100 times better than I did before and I tend to be more resilient and bounce back faster than before.

The next step is to find a new job, as the current sector I work in has been a stress-inducing factor over the years and I am done with that too...

Greenwitch

Wow, you've made some radical changes - it sounds as if EMDR has been lifechanging.

Best of luck with your job hunting.

@thisawesomebook

Thank you!

I was lucky to be offered the sessions by the NHS quite quickly to help deal with the trauma/PTSD brought on by the assault and that the therapist was really helpful and approachable.

Would love any ideas on where to access EMDR in london too

Same here. I find them very grounding .

Writing anything and everything.

I also love birds singing and when I had cancer treatment on any time off went on puffin spotting trips which really helped.

As well as really thinking exactly what my worries where thinking of what I could do (or others if something others could help with), doing it and then realising nothing can do about the rest and not worth wasting my life worrying about it. The cancer charity I found most helpful was the one that gives days out, the distraction helped.

Taking up horse riding and spending every spare hour helping out around the school. Animals are very therapeutic. Exercise doesn't hurt either.