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A new start (kind of)

A new start (kind of)

Hi @Shaz51 @Zoe7 @outlander @TAB @Sam3 @utopia @Faith-and-Hope @Appleblossom @oceangirl @Sans911 @Snowie @Former-Member @soul @BryanaCamp @Former-Member @Bunniekins and whoever else is there in forumland

I have tagged some of you because we are speaking lots and some others haven't been around for long. If it's too much for you then that's okay I respect that. I won't take it personally.

I have decied to start up a new thread after my psychiatrist appointment today. Off to a new start.

Simply put, he made the point that I am pressuring myself to do stuff far more quickly than what I thought I could. When this approach fails, it feeds back into the loop that was there before (the "i am not good enough", "I have limited time", "I have wasted my life" etc).

He said it was good I didn't go to hospital and avoided ending up there. This doesn't help. What does help is changing the approach etc.

It was a good appointment. I see him again in the morning and then maybe someone else next week.

So it's not entirely hopeless or lost now.

He thought that pressuring myself to go and get this visa would be the wrong decision, given my state of panic yesterday and also this morning.

He said that I need to hold off on pressuring myself. By saying "okay now that I am in Australia for a bit longer, I need to go and find a job quickly" because this is simply unhelpful. It's the wrong attitude and will only feed back into those loops.

So am I feeling more settled? Yes. Do I know what is next? No. Does this bother me? No.

I see my psychologist tomorrow afternoon. I will get something from my psychiatrist in the morning about all of this I think, which he said he can send off as part of the extension on the visa (which lasts for 2 years anyway). It's just a case of extending the timeframe for when I can receive it.

This would effect my chances of working in defence, mi6 etc but these are already off the table for me given my history anyway. The same is the case for the military and police. It does seem like some things are cancelled out because of my MH, but maybe they are things I was never keen on anyways.

That's a side issue for now.

Going to the UK - still a goal. It's a case of how I get there and WHAT I do when I get there. We have established that rocking up with no job or place to live is too chaotic. Especially based on my experience and degree background and skills. But the UK is a goal. My Psychiatrist said "Poland is always there" so I think it might be worthwhile sending them an email asking if I could be either placed on next year's list OR alternatively get some of my money back given the circumstances. Again, not my concern for now.

My concern at the moment is explaining all this to dad. My Psych spoke to my mum today too so she is in the loop. I think he will understand, he wants what is best for me. It takes some adjustment and time. But this is life and how we live it.

THanks forumites. See you a bit later today

Edit: I heard today that one of my old tutees that i helped in 2017 is working and is at uni. Doing well and studying. I joked that we should meet up for coffee and then i can get a job at the same place lol. So today has had a silver lining. This was the student who nearly quit school. But I can only take as much credit for what they achieved. Most of it was them

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In response to: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

Hey @MDT did you get some sleep? I took some medication last night, so I was asleep very early.

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

Yeah I did thanks @Molliex
Had a few dreams too.
Off to gym this morning

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

Hope the medication was helpful @Molliex

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

@outlander @oceangirl @Shaz51 @Zoe7 @TAB @Bunniekins @BlueBay @Meowmy @Everan @Teej @Appleblossom @eudemonism @frog @eth @Gazza75 @Everan @Former-Member @Angels333 @Doglover @Sophia1 @saturnzoon @Faith-and-Hope @CheerBear @Former-Member @Molliex

I have decided to reduce my meds again. By half. So I will take half the dosage of both meds I take.

This is because I have for a long time hated taking them.
I believe they have helped. However that was at a different point in my life.
Now that things are changing I do believe for the better, so I want to be less reliant on them and less influenced by them at a physiological level.

I'm sure we all have our own opinions on these matters. I am convinced now that my medications have helped for a small time. However that time is over now. So I'm not saying what others can and can't do.
At the point in my life when I took medications I was desperately in need of anything. Compared to getting counselling, taking care of my health and studying and working with the right balance I got better.

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

ohhhhh my @MDT

just a couple of questions my friend

are the meds working ??

what happened when you reduced them last time ??

My mr shaz has tried before to reduce his meds and after a few days he has had to go back on to them

one day i said to mr shaz to write down the pros and cons with taking the meds -- can you do this for me @MDT

I know we start feeling good and then want to cut back is understandale , it is the same with me with my physical problems

I know it is up to you in the long run and I am saying this because i really care for you and for where you want to go in the future xoxo

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

Hey @MDT - sounds like you have been doing a lot thinking about your treatment options and your future. Just wanted to check in that you are tapering your meds with your doctor? If you are changing your dose, it's really important to do it in partnership with with your prescribing doctor... You may have already talked about talking to your doctor - I just wasn't sure from what youve posted here....

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

Are the meds working @Shaz51
I'm not sure. I can't tell. It seems to be that a lot of the improvements in my mental health have come about through actions I have taken that are unrelated to medications. Improving my physical health, my diet, regular social meetings and balancing that out with me time. Also, focusing on finding work.

I'm unsure if the improvements I have made in my life can be attributed to meds. I know that out of two of the meds I take one is stronger than the other and that I have noticed it impacting my sleep and it has made me more settled. I don't plan on touching that. I plan on reducing the one that I believe hasn't had much effect in the past few months.

When I reduced them last time - the one that is stronger - very little changed. I was as content as I was before I went off of it.

My plan is to reduce the weaker of the meds by 50%. That's all. See what happens. It's bad to quit cold turkey as it is a shock to your physiology.

I do appreciate your concern my friend. You are a great look out 🙂

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

@MDT, I've done something similar myself. It might take a while before you notice any difference. 4-6 weeks for the meds I was on to get out of my system. I have noticed some positive signs after 3 or 4 weeks.

I still have a stockpile of them in case I need to revert back to taking them. I'm sure you have given it a lot of thought and are being careful about it.

Wishing you all the best with it.

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

hi @s-jay thanks for checking in

My Pdoc is the one that prescribes the medications. From regular appointments with him he has said I am intelligent enough and smart enough to decide on medications myself. No one is forcing me onto them.

Most of my MH derives from experiences and perceptions. Possibly a genetic predisposition to neurosis I get from my mum and then the erratic side from my dad but I'm not too sure about that.

Either way, I plan on reducing it by 50%. I never stop cold turkey as it's a shock to the system and body. Particularly now that the stronger of the two meds is more researched and based on science - the other not so much.

In response to: Re: A new start (kind of)

Re: A new start (kind of)

have you talked to your doctor @MDT

go slowly off them , don`t do it quickly

please talk to your doctor how to decrease your meds safely xx

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