I thought I'd make a thread for Mental Health, with some links to places if you feel like you need some help. We all go through stuff and I can assure you, you are not alone.
Lifeline
13 11 14 (24 hour crisis hotline)
http://www.lifeline.org.au
Kids Help Line
1800 55 1800
Online counselling available at http://www.kidshelpline.com.au
Mensline
1300 78 99 78
http://www.mensline.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service
Free nationwide counselling 1300 659 467
http://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Please feel free to share some stories, what works for you that you think could work for others (remember everyone's different) etc.
Mental Health
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slowlylearning
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1298
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:43 pm
- Location: Bris
Re: Mental Health
Was only talking to Luke a few months back about depression, I paid a visit to the doc and I'm okay for the time being
We have each other on here too!
I'm always up for a chat
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sandboarder
- Part of the Furniture
- Posts: 2764
- Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 1:55 pm
Re: Mental Health
After many years I find I get more annoyed and frustrated when people try to help me and it's always generally the same thing.
"i'm here if you need to talk".... I NEED to, but just can't... that's part of the problem.
(Sincerly no offense intended to anyone on here who has offered me an ear to bend.. I'm just trying to explain my mindset)
And I am not having a go at anyone for trying to help, it is appreciated. I'm just trying to explain how my head is when people do try.
It's like watching a person try to climb a 20 foot concrete wall and saying, you can do it.
A lot of the suggested help out there (at least what I have tried), is contradictory to how I am feeling or what is in my head.
Medication... I won't start on that except to say, it makes me not feel like me, so I don't want to be a numb zombie.
"you need to exercise".... yea, and how do I motivate myself to get up and do that when all I feel is down and don't want to move?!
"you need to be amongst friends and family"... yea, and when i feel like they all hate me and i am not worth loving, why would I want to put myself in that position??
As most people have never suffered deep depression, it's hard to explain how you feel when you get to the point of listening to the invitations to take your own life.
Me personally, i explained it to my wife and kids that i have 2 minds. on 1 hand, I know what is right and logical, but the other mind tells me different things and is more convincing.
an example: I don't want to be around people
I try to organise a get together of friends for a bbq or a game of cards, people don't get back to me for a few days.
so the logical thing is, no big deal, they have lives, probably busy or working out what they are doing that date before replying, trying to organise a baby sitter if that's the case.
the other mind... they don't like me, they are ignoring me so i will forget about them or take the hint they don't want to be around me.
the longer i don't hear from them, the more that mind tells me how unliked i really am.... and then, if they do reply it starts another level.
if they are coming.. why did they take so long to get back to me, could they not come up with a believable excuse not to come.
will they ignore me on the day, just come to appease me and hope that by ignoring me on the day, i won't invite them again. or if they aren't coming.. why aren't they coming, what have i done to make them not like me. and then i run through weeks, even months of my interactions with them to see why they hate me.
the logical mind, they got the message, they were busy, they forgot about it, replied when they remembered. can't come? people have other friends and family.. sometimes people organise things first or have more important events. a wedding supercedes a bbq 'just because'.
remember the old cartoons with an angel on 1 shoulder, a devil on the other.... makes me think now, whoever wrote the scripts for them cartoons, had dealt with deep depression before.
I hit a deep dark place on the weekend and my wife has grabbed me tight and held on.... she is picking me up off the rock bottom.
1 thing that has helped me, is an article I read... it felt like it was written AT and for me.
The best thing it says really is, it's easier said than done.
THAT is the biggest trigger for me.... people can try to help and say all sorts of things but until you have been down that hole, you can't really understand, it's easy to say how to get back.... a lot harder to be able to do it with the voice in your head leading you back down.
So have a read of the article, if you are in a dark place, a really dark place or even slightly grey... it just may help you enough to look up. it has helped me.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/co ... depression
"i'm here if you need to talk".... I NEED to, but just can't... that's part of the problem.
(Sincerly no offense intended to anyone on here who has offered me an ear to bend.. I'm just trying to explain my mindset)
And I am not having a go at anyone for trying to help, it is appreciated. I'm just trying to explain how my head is when people do try.
It's like watching a person try to climb a 20 foot concrete wall and saying, you can do it.
A lot of the suggested help out there (at least what I have tried), is contradictory to how I am feeling or what is in my head.
Medication... I won't start on that except to say, it makes me not feel like me, so I don't want to be a numb zombie.
"you need to exercise".... yea, and how do I motivate myself to get up and do that when all I feel is down and don't want to move?!
"you need to be amongst friends and family"... yea, and when i feel like they all hate me and i am not worth loving, why would I want to put myself in that position??
As most people have never suffered deep depression, it's hard to explain how you feel when you get to the point of listening to the invitations to take your own life.
Me personally, i explained it to my wife and kids that i have 2 minds. on 1 hand, I know what is right and logical, but the other mind tells me different things and is more convincing.
an example: I don't want to be around people
I try to organise a get together of friends for a bbq or a game of cards, people don't get back to me for a few days.
so the logical thing is, no big deal, they have lives, probably busy or working out what they are doing that date before replying, trying to organise a baby sitter if that's the case.
the other mind... they don't like me, they are ignoring me so i will forget about them or take the hint they don't want to be around me.
the longer i don't hear from them, the more that mind tells me how unliked i really am.... and then, if they do reply it starts another level.
if they are coming.. why did they take so long to get back to me, could they not come up with a believable excuse not to come.
will they ignore me on the day, just come to appease me and hope that by ignoring me on the day, i won't invite them again. or if they aren't coming.. why aren't they coming, what have i done to make them not like me. and then i run through weeks, even months of my interactions with them to see why they hate me.
the logical mind, they got the message, they were busy, they forgot about it, replied when they remembered. can't come? people have other friends and family.. sometimes people organise things first or have more important events. a wedding supercedes a bbq 'just because'.
remember the old cartoons with an angel on 1 shoulder, a devil on the other.... makes me think now, whoever wrote the scripts for them cartoons, had dealt with deep depression before.
I hit a deep dark place on the weekend and my wife has grabbed me tight and held on.... she is picking me up off the rock bottom.
1 thing that has helped me, is an article I read... it felt like it was written AT and for me.
The best thing it says really is, it's easier said than done.
THAT is the biggest trigger for me.... people can try to help and say all sorts of things but until you have been down that hole, you can't really understand, it's easy to say how to get back.... a lot harder to be able to do it with the voice in your head leading you back down.
So have a read of the article, if you are in a dark place, a really dark place or even slightly grey... it just may help you enough to look up. it has helped me.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/co ... depression
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you
Re: Mental Health
And just a little thank you to KC and bear for the texts... they are appreciated, even if I don't always reply.
And thanks to KC for posting this thread too.
And thanks to KC for posting this thread too.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you
Re: Mental Health
I have trouble with depression most of my life, Stood on a high bridge once looking at the jump when some old bloke said tomorrow is a better day. Second time I came closer to ending it I was sitting with a loaded rife, Something made me get up and ask for help. Over the years I talk to a lot of ones that listen to you then tell you that you have to work it out yourself 
Had one who help a lot she told me to get a blank thick school book and write things down in, anything and everything each day then close it and don't read it again, each time you write in the book start a new page. Which helps a bit.
Out of the blue a niece rang me saying that she wanted to come for a visit, told her what day would be good to come, she did not show up then yesterday she rang with some story about her phone playing up and her new boy friend had to work. Few years back I would of let it get to me but no more, its her problem not mine.
I been working on my depression since I was seven year old coming from a broken home and been put in Fairbridge Farm in '63 to '71, That was a shock cryed for two weeks. Had to grow up with out been able to get close to my brothers and sisters that were there too.
have my dark days still but have slowly worked out a lot by myself.
Had one who help a lot she told me to get a blank thick school book and write things down in, anything and everything each day then close it and don't read it again, each time you write in the book start a new page. Which helps a bit.
Out of the blue a niece rang me saying that she wanted to come for a visit, told her what day would be good to come, she did not show up then yesterday she rang with some story about her phone playing up and her new boy friend had to work. Few years back I would of let it get to me but no more, its her problem not mine.
I been working on my depression since I was seven year old coming from a broken home and been put in Fairbridge Farm in '63 to '71, That was a shock cryed for two weeks. Had to grow up with out been able to get close to my brothers and sisters that were there too.
have my dark days still but have slowly worked out a lot by myself.
Re: Mental Health
Today there is more help out there them 20 years ago maybe my brother would be still here if he could of gotten help.
When I know I am starting to feel myself going to the dark side I catch myself and go and do something to take my mind of it, been doing a lot of train spotting on a bridge and getting some good photos that I can use in my art.
I find its a bit of time out just for me to think and stop worrying about ever thing.
When I know I am starting to feel myself going to the dark side I catch myself and go and do something to take my mind of it, been doing a lot of train spotting on a bridge and getting some good photos that I can use in my art.
I find its a bit of time out just for me to think and stop worrying about ever thing.
Re: Mental Health
Here is some thing to read.
SERENTY PRAYER
GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITITY
TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE
COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN
AND THE WISDON TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
SERENTY PRAYER
GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITITY
TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE
COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN
AND THE WISDON TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
Re: Mental Health
I guess I am pretty lucky, I have a Psychologist for my wife. She is an amazing woman.
The type of Psychology she does is Positive Psych, focusing mainly on what is right not what is wrong. She teaches a lot of coping strategies which I know have helped me in the past.
I guess the main thing is, don't be afraid to ask for help, you are not weak for doing so, if anything it shows strength to ask for help. Listen to your friends and family, they know you best, if they think you have a problem, fair chance you do.
Go see your GP for a referral, if you are not happy with what your doctor has to say, go see another one. I
f you go to a Psychologist, if you are not happy with them, ask to be referred to someone else, as in all walks of life, they are all different and have different ways of treating you, find one you are comfortable with. If you don't think what they are teaching you is helping then tell them BUT listen to what they say and put into practice their strategies, they can't help you if you don't want to help yourself. There is no quick fix.
Cheers
Kirk
The type of Psychology she does is Positive Psych, focusing mainly on what is right not what is wrong. She teaches a lot of coping strategies which I know have helped me in the past.
I guess the main thing is, don't be afraid to ask for help, you are not weak for doing so, if anything it shows strength to ask for help. Listen to your friends and family, they know you best, if they think you have a problem, fair chance you do.
Go see your GP for a referral, if you are not happy with what your doctor has to say, go see another one. I
f you go to a Psychologist, if you are not happy with them, ask to be referred to someone else, as in all walks of life, they are all different and have different ways of treating you, find one you are comfortable with. If you don't think what they are teaching you is helping then tell them BUT listen to what they say and put into practice their strategies, they can't help you if you don't want to help yourself. There is no quick fix.
Cheers
Kirk
Re: Mental Health
Chin up Bodgy and Soldier on dude