@April59
So glad you found the SANE forums. Do take time to look around and read posts you are interested in. It can be reassuring to connect with others who are or have experienced similar things to you.
I have had episodes of depression and anxiety too. Loosing motivation & energy to do things have been common for me when depressed. But also some symptoms that you could consider cognitive, like having trouble concentrating on what I am doing, difficulties remembering things, making decisions, and finding it hard to think. What things do you experience that make you concerned that your cognitive abilities are worsening?
I see it as anxiety hijaking my thoughts - so that my head is mostly taken up with worries and what ifs, with less room to process other thoughts. The more anxious I am the less able I am to think. Lack of sleep also exacerbates my thinking difficulties. Sometimes medications can have side effects too.
It can be difficult to get appointments to see psychologists, and this can feel really worrying when you really want to get some help soon. But like @Eve7 and @Peregrinefalcon have said, it can help to talk it through with your GP. They can help you figure out if the cognitive symptoms you are experiencing could be something else. They can review any medications you are on to check that they are working. They may have suggestions of where you may be able to get a support sooner - perhaps telehealth with a psychologist from a different area, or could help you choose a web-based service.
Some web-based services include Mindspot, Moodgym, E-couch, Mental health online or Thiswayup These web-based services are generally self-help courses which are designed by mental-health professionals and often supported by them. The first 3 are free, the 4th (Mental health online) is free for the self-help but low cost for support from a mental health professional. The 5th (Thiswayup) is free if you are prescribed it by a medical professional, but costs if you sign up yourself. I used Mindspot a few years ago and liked that I could choose to have a mental health professional phone or email to check in how I was going and they kept my GP informed of my progress. You don't need a referral to these services, but I found it useful to keep my GP informed with what I was doing & could have further personalised conversations prompted by what I was learning on the course. Another one that several mental health professionals have reccomended is Centre for Clinical Interventions - self-help resources.
Other options for support include:
Employee Assistance Program - many workplaces have them. Usually allows you a limited number of sessions with a mental health professional (often by phone, but some do in person, Zoom or other ways). They don't usually require your issues to be work related, though what you say is confidential and not revealed to your workplace. Usually but not always someone in your workplace, such as your manager will know that you are accessing services, but nothing more.
If you are studying - your Uni, Tafe or education provider may have other options for mental health/ wellbeing support.
Good luck & remember you are not alone. You can always reach out for more support here on forums.
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