Lived Experience Forum

[Minnymouse]

Hello, 

We're to start I am new to this sort of chat thing. But I am really struggling with my mental health right now. 

I am married with 2 kids and work upward of 30 hours a week and my job is adding to my struggling. I feel lost and angry and worried about everything all the time. 

Help please anyone 

[NatureLover]

Hi and welcome, @Minnymouse , it's good to have you here.

I'm sorry to hear your mental health is not good at the moment 😞

Do you have any professional support? Like a counsellor, meds, psychologist or psychiatrist?

If not, then the first step is to visit your GP and ask for a Mental Health Care Plan. This will entitle you to 10 (20 during Covid) subsidised sessions with a psychologist per year. The only thing is that psychologists are so overwhelmed with demand at the moment that it could take 6 months to get in to see one. But it's a good idea to get on the waiting list now. 

You can help this process by googling then ringing round psychologists in your area to ask: are they taking new patients at the moment, what is the wait time for a new patient to start, what are the costs, etc. Then you can take a name to your GP for the Mental Health Care Plan referral. (GPs might not know which psychologists are taking new patients and which have stopped as they are full.)

Good luck...

A handy forum tip is if you type @ and then click on a name in the drop-down box, that person will get a notification and won't miss your reply. 🙂

I hope you find the forums supportive...

[hanami]

Hi @Minnymouse 

Welcome to the forums. I'm one of the peer workers here at Sane. 

I was diagnosed with anxiety in my late 30s when my children were young but have had it for as long as I can remember. I think it really ramped up as my kids were growing up and I started to have even more to worry about (in my mind anyway). It's an awful feeling. 

@NatureLover has given some amazing advice. 

If you want to see some of our social spaces here (where we can chat about lighter topics) check it out here.

Looking forward to seeing you around

Hanami

[FloatingFeather]

Hi @Minnymouse,

Welcome to the forums. My name is FloatingFeather and I am one of the peer support workers at SANE. I'm sorry to read that things are tough for you at the moment. You have found a safe place to talk anonymously here. We have many supportive members with a variety of lived experience.

It's great that have found us and expressing your feelings. Your feelings are valid and make complete sense to me.   

Is there someone you feel you could talk to that would be supportive and non-judgemental? Perhaps a friend, family member or GP? That feeling of being overwhelmed all the time is exhausting - I really understand that feeling. 

It sounds like your life is pretty hectic with your family and work - do you do anything just for yourself to help you unwind and destress? Even if it's just a 30 minute walk, having a coffee with a friend, listening to music - just something that is all about you that helps remind you of life's little pleasures.

Like you I went through a very difficult phase where I worried about anything and everything. It was exhausting and it really took away from what was in front of my face - the pleasure of my family. I was so busy worry about the future and what may be that I wasn't living in the present and (for me at least) the present is the only thing that is assured.

I wish you all the best and look forward to reading what others have to say.

Take care,

FloatingFeather 

[BPDSurvivor]

Hi @Minnymouse ,

Welcome! Thank you for posting. I think anxiety hits everyone at one point or another. Actually, come to think of it, anxiety is built into us to help us survive.

It is when anxiety stops us from doing things, that it poses a problem.

Nowadays, I’ve learnt to ‘breathe’ through my anxiety as well as use a lot of healthy ‘self talk’. Perhaps a therapist can help with this?

 All the best!

[Former-Member]

Hello @Minnymouse 

I can relate, I too feel overwhelmed.

Today I tried to relax, stop the freight train of thought, but with little resolve to any method working.
I am anxious about returning to work, and study. 😬

I need to work financially and hate being frozen and numb to get myself moving.