Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.

47,612Members
1,358,869Posts
1,400,000Visitors

Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

NikNikSenior Contributor22 May 2015, 5:32 pm AEST

Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

Hi there!

Ask Anything Monday (AAM) gives you the opportunity to ask us anything that you may feel too apprehensive the community. We will post your question anonymously.

To find this week's question, click here

This is how it works:

Email your question to team@saneforums.org with Ask Anything Monday in the subject line
Every Monday the team at SANE Forums will collate the questions that come into our inbox and post them in this thread. We will not attach your name or username to the question. This means that no one will know who has asked what questions.
Other moderators and members will answer the question for you throughout the week
A new set of questions will be posted the following Monday.

Anyone can send us through a question anonymously, so please, don’t hold back!

Please keep an eye on the thread, even if you haven’t submitted a question, you may be able to provide support or advice for another member.

Nik

342 replies

21 - 30 of 342

1 2 3 4...35

In response to: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

MevisageCasual Contributor13 July 2015, 10:39 am AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Hi,

Thanks for the advice,

Boys are 11 and 14 and do help a little, but could do more.

Will talk to doctor on next visit about hubbies anxiety levels also.

In response to: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

MevisageCasual Contributor13 July 2015, 10:48 am AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Hi,

This is a hard one. You must be beside yourself with worry. It is a good thing though that the girlfriend has confided in you about the situation. I would be communicating regularly through her to keep you posted. She sounds like she cares a lot about him. Could you seek further advice from doctors here to pass on to her to help him? I think she will be your best option for supporting your son. Are you also able to talk to him directly about this yourself. I think he will need lots of love and encouragement right now and to know he has people around him to support him through this is a valuable first step.

I really hope it improves for all of you.

In response to: Re: Ask Anything Monday!

MevisageCasual Contributor13 July 2015, 10:49 am AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Sorry, it is your brother not son.

In response to: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

PeppiPattySenior Contributor13 July 2015, 11:26 am AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Hi @NikNik

How are you?

Could you relay to the lady re: her brother that the advice given is mine, i am not a profecional but my lived experience,' of succsssfully being the person that my son listens to. He lives other side of the country than me.

my son is 25 yrs old and has had 3 major psychotic episodes ...one a year.

Did she know that just being a good influence is enough. , there is not enough published that distanced care is very effective.

That saying to the girlfriend that you, his sister, are here, the phone is open for her to call can give the girlfriend a lot of confidence but also........giving her times to call will also be beneficial for the situation. For example: say you cant call after 8pm.....

Because you see, something the sister needs to manage is how to manage fhe situation in a positive way. And she can give positive support to the girlfriend......

And that support is to tell her, the girl friend : she must stay safe. If moving out will keep her safe, that is what she must to.

The sister needs to tell her that her brother is using unsafe tatics .......the only rescue for him is if he decides to search for help and until then, this is what she needs to do.

There is no need for anyone to put a mortgage on the home with a big drama queen rescue package but just to relay positive structured advise on staying safe.

For instance. Is she able to access support for only her: the girlfriend. in this situation? for instance, does your brother's girlfriend have a Mum?

Also, to have MEHRL s number on hand. This is the number of Perth Psychiatric call out line.

does the hospitals have the families phone numbers in france when he does go to hospital?

I dont know if she should call her brother? Does anyone else.

Because she needs to remember the stronger she and her brothers girlfriend is, the better her brother will be.

In response to: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

Unknown userMember13 July 2015, 5:27 pm AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Hi,

I would say the first step is if you have not already done so is to contact your brother. If he is happy to discuss his issues with you then you might be able to help. You cannot just assume that his girlfriend in right about how he is coping. He may be living at his workplace and he may be telling her that he is working 24 hours a day 7 days a week but that might be him avoiding her.

Unless you know his girlfriend really well I would not think of doing anything just based on her reporting.

cheers,

Carer101

In response to: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

PeppiPattySenior Contributor14 July 2015, 9:19 pm AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

MEHRL 's number is 1300555788

This is the Perth Mental Health Emergency Response Line.

I edited my response and added this information

In response to: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

PeppiPattySenior Contributor14 July 2015, 9:29 pm AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Dear @NikNik

I just want to tell you that the question about the sister comcerned about her brothers remind me of so many past dramas from both my own son and husband..

I remember those times, calling MEHRL and feeling completely helpless at the time. Oh.....I smile, the only thing that got me through was having the support i had.

Also, i feel weird being this honest .......but you gotta be.....but two amazing amazing people gave me flight tickets so i could go over to see my son during two of his psychotic episodes.

In response to: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

LongdistanceCasual Contributor19 July 2015, 1:55 am AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

Thank you for the replies. Since he original post, I spoke to him and he took stuff on board, he agreed to go to some counseling with his girlfriend, to stop smiling and to get some help with his business. So I was relieved. The. Just a few days later the girlfriend contacted me again to say he had got too anxious about seeing someone, so he went back to smoking and has cut himself off.

He doesn't answer his phone but I know he reads my messages that I send him. I send him supportiveness ages to tell him he is not alone but he is scared to get help. He gets his meds from and internet doctor so here is no GP I speak to.

In response to: Re: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

PeppiPattySenior Contributor19 July 2015, 4:53 am AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

hello,

How are you? Its fantastic that he trusts you enough to read your texts.

How are you coping with it all?

What do you think is the best thing for you to do?

In response to: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

LongdistanceCasual Contributor19 July 2015, 6:40 am AEST

Re: Ask Anything Monday: Have a question you feel too apprehensive to ask?

Thanks for the reply. I notice a lot of typos in my post so I hope people understand what I am saying! He responded to my last message. I took note of the responses here and will try to continue to offer positive support. But equally, I want him to be brave enough to get the help he needs. He said today he is trying to sleep and stay "clean". I feel that I can't believe he is doing drugs. We lost our mum three years ago (of course, that doesn't help), and she would be horrified if she knew what he was doing (of course, I don't say that to him). When I contact him I try really hard to encourage him. But he is so damaged by his life, his childhood and the choices he has made. I think we need to have therapy together! But that would make me feel better but not him. I don't know how to make him feel better. That is what is so hard. To know he is in pain but not to be able to stop it.

21 - 30 of 342

1 2 3 4...35