Seriously, how do I get help?

hey @Jlol! Nice to meet you! I'm one the peer workers here ❤️

Can I ask what do you mean by "serious, actual" help? Do you mean like doing an inpatient program or medication or something else?

I know each of us will have our own idea of what this is so i'd love to hear 😊

Hi TuxedoCat,

I mean along the lines of the following:

• consistent and frequent support from a therapist
• consistent and frequent medication reviews and adjustments from a psychiatrist
• general guidance and direction (eg if I should go to hospital or not)
• help dealing with issues like work and income whilst getting better

I’ve been on many medications over the years and the attitude from both GPs and psychiatrists seems to be throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks - no actual research or science behind it.

Psychologists are way too infrequent to be affective. I always ask to have appointments consecutively if I can but so far they’ve all said no.

Being an inpatient is the same as above but just in hospital.

To be honest the mental health industry seems to just want to do the bare minimum and send you on your way.

And before you do - with all respect- please don’t say “I’m sorry you’ve been so unlucky with you’re treatment”. I’ve seen about 20 different psychologists over as many years and tried so many different medications I’ve lost count.

What I really need is consistent and frequent support. None of this “touching base” stuff.

@Jlol heheh I wasn't going to say THAT. I can't say to know your experience or others, but I do know the mental healthcare system is underfunded and the lack of affordable options has certainly meant I haven't always been able to access what I've needed to at different points. And maybe you have a similar experience but for different reasons.

As a moderator, I do have to be aware that a LOT of people can read this post and I don't want them to be too discouraged from talking to their GP or a psychiatrist. And sometimes the reality of meds is tht everyone responds differently to different things. i've cycled through a lot myself. But I do hear that you aren't getting the support that you want. And that sucks.

I thought I'd tag a few forumites who may be able to tell you about how they've approached similar questions. If they're up to it of course! @Captain24 and @Judi9877 you are a few who come to mind.

I think with accessing hopsital ect. it's just when you think it would help. We have a through threads on What to expect from inpatient treatment which might be helpful for you think about when it could be useful.

As for ongoing support, you could call our drop-in line to get some ideas or even help talk through this question. Or you could look at our guided service where you can get matched with a counsellor or peer worker for 12+ sessions. After the first 12, it gets reviewed every 6 I think. You'll have to check your eligibility as we're only across 12-15 pubic health networks at the moment, but it could be an option.

What do you think?

Hi @Jlol

Welcome to the forums!

Sounds like you’ve had it pretty rough. I don’t know that I can really help but I can tell you my story.

For 20+ years I’ve gone to the doctor because I wasn’t ok. Most of them would say ‘oh it’s just depression’ give me anti-depressants and send me on my way with no follow up. There is no ‘it’s just depression’. It is serious.

I went to a GP just last year. I told home that I wished I was dead and that I couldn’t do it any longer. I got the standard it’s just depression here’s some pills. He also told me that everybody feels that way at times and it’s nothing to worry about.

6 months ago life got really bad. I nearly took my life. A friend got me to contact EAP and get a therapist. I saw her and she said I needed an immediate GP app. I went in a got an appointment with a GP that I had never heard of. She listened. I was in with her for 50 minutes. For the first time I felt heard and supported. She contacted the MH unit at the hospital and from there I haven’t looked back.

My MH nurse is fabulous. I can ring her anytime during business hours and email her. I have appointments with her when I need them. That maybe everyday or weekly. Through the unit I also see a psychiatrist. That’s where I finally got a diagnosis of bipolar 2 not ‘just depression’. My nurse makes the appointments on a need basis but at least monthly until my meds are right.

With my work I have been really lucky. I’ve been honest with my boss, his boss and the HR manager. I work in a high risk industry so I need to put the safety of others first. With the hierarchy understanding what is going on they have made it easy for me. If I call in sick they know why and if I have to go home they understand.

I don’t know if this is any help. I just hope you can find your team.

Hearing you @Jlol ,

The consistency of care is so important.

As a starting point, have you looked at SANE's Guided Service? Maybe this can be some form of support in the interim?

https://www.sane.org/referral

You can have a look at what the service offers in the above link. You can see if you are interested in the service and whether you are eligible.

Take care,

tyme

I completely agree with Tyme on that link about public MH units being just holding pens. Sometimes when I’ve been there weren’t even enough beds and people slept on the floor (I assume it’s different in different states).

Not too keen on doing the whole counseling thing again - as mentioned I find it too inconsistent and too far apart. And I’ve done it heaps before. To paraphrase Einstein: “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results”. I think it’s pretty clear that talking therapy isn’t for me.

Hey @Jlol

I’m genuinely sorry that you haven’t found the right support for you. And that you are so far along in your mental health journey and you’re still struggling so much.

I started battling with my mh in 2020, since then I’ve had a number of psychologist AND psychiatrist AND gps. I kept begging community mh to take me on but they always said no. It wasn’t until numerous suicide attempts and a long hospital admission in 2021 that they finally allocated me a psychologist. She is so amazing. I see her weekly. She also referred me to the case management team at community mh, where I now have a case manager who I see up to 3 times a week and can contact her any time during business hours. I see a psychiatrist on that team as well and my case manager books appointments whenever I need them, usually at least once a month. I also have access to after hours support until 10pm.
I have an amazing gp also, who has put a note on my file that I can call up and ask to see her and she will make time for me.

It is a lot of support… my psychologist tells me it’s the most she has seen. Some days when things are horrible it doesn’t feel enough, but I just reach out and call someone or go and see one of my supports and I some how get through.

I know none of that helps you, but the support is out there and I know it doesn’t help by saying it just takes times cause you have been looking for a long time by the sounds of it.

Do you have a community mental health centre?
Do you have NDIS funding?

@tyme @Former-Member

Hi @Jlol , I hope you don't mind me jumping into your message. It all sucks - you know you need help but finding it can make things even harder and can feel really invalidating.

Like the others, I can only go by my personal experience. I now have a great psychologist but struggled for many many years to find anyone that I felt understood me, could fit me in and seemed to really care. I know it's their job but some therapists do go above and beyond.

I have been thinking about your comment that you don't think talking therapy is for you. I pondered whether to post but here I am.

Talking therapy is such a wide and generic term. I have had a tendency to fall into the all-or-nothing thinking and possibly it sounds like that may be the case when you say this about talking therapy.

I am not sure how we can negotiate our mental health without some aspect of talking. Whether it is DBT, CBT, talking on a forum (great job for putting yourself on here), schema therapy, or active listening support - it all involves talking.

It's finding someone that just gets you but to find them we need to talk about ourselves - our traumas, our needs and wants and express if we are not comfortable with something they do. I had a psychologist once who insisted I do an inner child thing that I was not at all comfortable with. I did it anyway and felt so unheard and vulnerable. So, when I found my current psych I said upfront that I will not be doing inner child stuff, she listened and respected that. I have realised that I do need to do some of that stuff but 2 years into treatment with her I am still not ready.

I never thought I would be with someone for 2 years and still need them and look forward to our sessions. Shouldn't I just be cured I used to think? I have learnt that my psychologist is an important part of my well-being and I am grateful I gave her the chance. 6 months into seeing her I rang and told her I didn't need her anymore. I thought I could do it alone. Turns out I couldn't and chose to go back to her. We now have a shared history and she can tailor each session for me. Sometimes I come in with a list and I just talk the whole time.

Best of luck @Jlol , we all deserve to be listened to.

Hello @Jlol

Hearing u and just wanting to show a little support, if it's OK, and say hey

Consistent support is important. I hate sometimes how I'm expected to be endlessly forgiving of late, absent, distracted, not present, forgetful professionals...,but if I miss 2 sessions consecutively in my treatment, I'm promptly discharged.

Keep fighting for Ur rights