General support thread - come on in

[Kielyflower]

I couldn’t see a recent one of these so thought I’d start one.

I just feel I need to do something positive so will hopefully share some more thoughts later that I hope will help - others as well as myself.

In the meantime, feel free to check in as, if nothing else, it helps to feel less alone.

@JamSandle I'm sorry hun. Do you want to talk about it? Have you seen him? You will move on, it'll take time but you will x

Hello all,
I've not posted for a while. Been taking Sertraline 150 mg for 2 months. Over the last 5 weeks I've definitely seen an improvement in my anxiety and depression.
Having a bad day today though.
Sending solidarity to you all xxx

@ladybee2 hi! Sorry you're having a bad day. I'm sat sobbing to myself as I type. I'm hear for a hand hold and if there's anything you want to talk about x

It was all done very kindly but I feel terrible. Mid 30s starting all over again just like that. Life is cruel.

@JamSandle life is cruel at times it really is. 💔

Youre young enough to start over as much as right now you don't want to at least you're no longer in limbo waiting for an answer, you can live your life now. Take time to grieve your relationship but look forward too x

Morning ladies, I had another cbt session this morning and for those suffering with ocd, anxiety and general doubts about themselves, I wanted to put some things down that I hope might be of some help.

I've mentioned this before but the first step is about taking your thoughts to court. Now this involves taking a worrying thought and looking for evidence for and against. One example could be, am I a bad parent? Evidence for might be that you lost your temper this morning.... evidence against might be you dc is well fed, loved, warm, clean etc and noone is perfect. Hope that makes sense.

Second step is to keep a positive thought log, so writing down all the positive things you've done that day. So using the above example it might look like....

Made dc a nice breakfast
Took dc to the park after school
Made dc and dh a nice meal for tea

I hope this can help someone x

This is good tool for putting thoughts 'on trial'

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/ThoughtRecordSheet7.pdf

Yes! A good tool to use to help :)

Hi all, have been away so not checking in much but wanted to send positivity and solidarity to @ladybee2 and anyone who needs it.

I've actually been doing quite well. I've been on Citalopram for over 3 months now and have also been reading various self help books - not just on mental health but nature, walking and general life stuff.

I find it helpful to take time to notice signs of spring etc.

Riding the waves of ups and downs is also really important I'm finding. Bit of 'it is what it is'.

Hi everyone,

It's nice to read people doing well. Also, what I've noticed in my life, absolutely normal to have one step forward two step backwards days.

@jk24 It's good you're taking your thoughts to court and benefitting from what you're learning. I'm trying writing a gratitude journal myself, 5 small things I'm grateful for.

@ladybee2 Also sending thoughts of support and glad to hear Sertraline works

@Kielyflower Glad that Citalopram helps and that noticing signs of spring. I've been wanting to read Self-Help by Samuel Smiles. I've found that depression and anxiety often send us inwards (overthinking, rumination) and it helps to take the focus outwards (nature, distraction)

Sending everyone on here positive thoughts xx

Nice to hear from you @snowfoxglove thanks for your lovely post.

Totally agree about one step forward two steps back. And sometimes two steps forward, one step back!

Well done on the gratitude journal. I do that from time to time.

Sending positive thoughts to all from me too x

@snowfoxglove how are you? Thank you for the words of support.

@Kielyflower sending positive thoughts to you!

How's everyone else? @Ilovedogs1 @JamSandle and all others x

Hi @Jk24. After a very dark couple of days I'm feeling better. Appetite back a bit but eating very little. Exercise and work are helping me and I've deactivated my social media for a while so I can focus on me.

@JamSandle I'm glad you're feeling a little better. Breakups are definitely good for weight loss!!! One day at a time x

Hi all. I'm not doing to bad atm. @Kielyflower totally agree you have to ride the waves. My level of anxiety is lower than it has been but still getting quite a few intrusive thoughts clouding my headspace. Talking of headspace I've been using the 'Headspace ' meditation app which I've found quite useful. Hope you've all had an ok day. X

How are you today @Jk24? Thanks for asking after me x

@JamSandle I had a rough few days but my therapy session yesterday certainly helped. Thank you x

@Ilovedogs1 thanks for the tip, I'll have a look at downloading that x

Xxx

@Ilovedogs1 Thank you for recommending that app. I think Headspace have their own Netflix series with guided animated meditations and stories for helping with sleep. I don't know if you had seen it?

I'm okay too and still struggle with intrusive thoughts. 🤐 Some family members scare me and make me nervous so I reduced contact.

@Jk24 I'm okay though still struggling. Sleep patterns not ideal. I'm definitely grateful for this thread and people on it. Not every day is going to be an okay day so having you all helps whether days are okay or bad.

How are you doing? I'm glad therapy helps you, and I love your meme. I agree, the hardest person to forgive is yourself sometomed. Sending you unmumsnetty hugs hun xx

Sometimes* not sometomed

Hi everyone, can I join please? I’m really really struggling. Crying as I write this. I just can’t do it anymore. Panic attacks, depression, OCD intrusive thoughts mainly suicide related ( I have no intent but scared It will get that way) I have a wonderful 2 year old and a lovely husband why the hell do I feel this way. I’m not on any meds because I had a severe allergic reaction to sertraline so I feel terrified to try anything else which then makes me feel worse because I feel hopeless that I can’t be helped. Have a GP appointment tomorrow but going to try and move it to today because I feel like I’m slipping into crisis. I’m a SAHM so it’s not like I can get signed off work to get a break and my 2 year old albeit wonderful is FULL on so I don’t get a second during the day even if I’m having a panic attack. I feel like such a burden to everyone around me. This is where the intrusive thoughts come in that they would be better off if I’m not here and these awful feelings I have will finally go away. Sending love to everyone who is struggling xxx

@snowfoxglove I hope you managed to get some sleep. I find they're some of my worse days are after a bad night's sleep. The above is actually a page from a book I was reading. My SIL bought it me for Xmas as her friend bought it her when she was struggling. It's called the boy, the fox, the mole and the horse. I'd recommend it. Sending you hugs too I hope you're doing ok xx

@Riley1989 hey hun and welcome to the thread. I'm sorry to hear you're struggling. Did you manage to move your appointment forward? Do they know what it was that gave you the reaction? I ask because for my ocd I've been put on fluoxitine. Sending hugs xx

Well done on finding this thread and reaching out here and to your GP @Riley1989

Ive been where you are and it is Hell. I promise you it will get better.

Do you have any family or friends close by to have your DS so you can get some rest? This stuff is exhausting for starters.

And can you get out for some exercise - take DS in the pushchair for a brisk walk if you are able to?

Deep breaths x

@Jk24 thank you, yea I have I’m going at 3:30pm today. The lady I spoke to was a Dr as I had filled out an online appointment form and out about the suicidal thoughts so she called to assess me before making me an appointment so that was good. She said after my appointment today I will probably have the crisis team coming to the house again to help me through until I get into therapy. Which is great but the last time that happened my daughter was a baby so was much easier, now she’s a 2 year old and I have no idea how I’m supposed to engage in therapy or crisis meetings with her running around like a tornado! Just told my husband I’m having suicidal intrusive thoughts again (I hadn’t told him yet) and the sheer look of terror on his face made me feel so terrible. My last mental health crisis really effected him and this is where the suicidal intrusive thoughts get worse that they are all better off without me causing them all this stress 😢 but I WANT to live and I’m desperate to get better so there is this massive battle going on in my head constantly. They have basically said because the reaction was so bad (anaphylactic shock) that I can’t take any type of SSRI or any meds that act the same as SSRIs so I’m a bit buggered on the medication side of things, which makes me so hopeless even though I managed to get out of my last crisis without them it was just really really hard intensive work and obviously hasn’t completely worked xx

@Kielyflower thank you, my family are soo supportive I’m so lucky but they live over an hour away and work full time including my parents. They are here as often as they can be. My husband also works over an hour away and long hours so I’m alone most of the time with my little girl and I’m just sooo tired of trying to pretend all day that I’m ok because I’m terrified I’m going to damage her mental health. It’s absolutely pissing it down here (the weather is expressing my mood lol) but I definitely need to start exercising and looking after myself more but this anxiety, depression and OCD makes it so hard for me to get motivated and I’m just so tired all of the time xxx