Bad memories

Hi @Floop ,

Thank you for sharing.

We wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you to the forums.

We hope that you find the forums a great place to connect with other members, share stories and ideas, and find the support and connection you deserve.

I'm sorry to hear your experience with the counsellor. That must be tough for you, after all the courage you put together to reach out...But what I want to say is, don't let this stop you from getting better. I know it can be hard to trust someone again, perhaps you can start slowly, share things you are comfortable sharing first, to assess the situation before you fully share your stories?

I hope you will be able to received more support from members in here. 💪

Hi @Floop,

It can feel extremely overwhelming when your mind keeps looping like that. It's great you have acknowledged this and reached out for support. Do you have a hobby you like to do? A friend who is easy to be around? Someone you can trust to talk to about what these thoughts and feelings are for now?

Unfortunately, not all counsellors and/or psych's are created equal and it can be hard to find someone you feel comfortable enough with and who you feel understands and offers the best support and insight for you. There are some new services around - The Mental Health and Wellbeing Local's. Here you will find peer support workers and clinicians of various expertise to chat to and support you to find your way forward. Click here to find one near you (hopefully). I used to work within one of these and there are some amazing people, providing some amazing support and it's free! Hope this helps 🙂

Hi @HopefulHeart001 ,

Welcome for joining us!

Thank you for the support and the great resources you provided here. What brought you here? Are you looking for some support as well?

Hi @GardensHeart,

I have only recently become aware of the forums that Sane have. I jumped in out of curiosity, and felt that I had something to offer @Floop that was useful. I guess on some level I am looking for support, just not sure what that is just yet.

@Floop

Warm welcome to the forum. Hope you can find some helpful and supportive connections here.

I really hear you about how getting stuck on bad memories from the past can impact emotional health.

I think it’s human nature to think about past mistakes...and it can take a while to forgive oneself and let go of the past. When these memories become obsessive, it will certainly start to have an impact your mental health. Have you tried any mindfulness or focusing strategies to help redirect your negative thoughts? Are there things you enjoy to do, that you know will break these cyclic thoughts? I like walking along the beach, singing with a local choir, drumming, playing music, spending time with friends and also cooking and gardening. These activities engage my five senses and help to bring me back to the present moment, where I can experience that everything is ok.

I certainly find taking a break from scrolling through social media can be helpful...in fact avoiding anything that feels addictive and focusing instead on being creative... can help me break these obsessive patterns.

If ruminating on these memories starts to interfere with your well-being, it may be a good idea to talk to a good mental health professional. Maybe SANE is a good place to start?

Get support (sane.org)

@HopefulHeart001

nice to meet you too!

Hello @Floop, welcome to the sane forums,

I am sorry to hear about how you're ruminating on a lot of past things that are upsetting and distressing. I have been through periods like this too, it is not a nice place to be in and can be like a spiral of worsening thoughts.

Please don't let an experience with a bad counsellor put you off. Unfortunately they are not all created equal and you might have to go through a few before you find the right person who gets you and gives the support you need. Don't let this discourage you because it is not a you problem.

When I was unable to benefit from counselling and therapy I turned to writing and journaling. To me writing is like a safe place to get out all my thoughts and feelings and it really helps to clear my mind. If writing isn't your thing I know people find they're able to express themselves through other mediums like art, dance, gardening or exercise, it could probably be any kind of outlet you enjoy.

What do you think you would like to try?