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Discussion & help on depression & mental health related issues

goodisonopheliac said:
That's the problem with MH meds, so many of them have nasty side effects.
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Very true. You & your GP have to be diligent in ensuring you get the right ones. Like painkillers, they're there to manage the 'issue' while you work through the problem/recovery. I feel for those that are pretty much on them full time but for most of us, taking the edge off can give us moments of clarity that allow us to work the problem.
 
Bungle said:
Apologies if you've mentioned it already mate but have you tried CBT before? My experience has made me a big advocate of it and if you haven't given it a go it might be worth speaking to your GP about. I appreciate it's not for everyone but it might help you to follow a different thought process when that cloud starts to descend and allow you deal with it in a different way.

I know I make that sound easy and i completely appreciate it's anything but that having been in a similar boat, but if you're willing to give it a go for a few sessions and see how it goes then it might help a little. I was hugely apprehensive about it and sceptical about whether I'd get anything from it but it helped me quite a bit.
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Do you mind me asking about this, and how it helped?
I've just been enrolled on an online CBT course for chronic insomnia brought about by sleep anxiety after years of shift work. I am sceptical, but so desperate I'm willing to give anything a go.
 

the golden visionary said:
Posted here ages ago when I was nearly gettin off, I mean close as yer gettin without doin it. I fully believe having this outlet helped me alot. I thank everyone who posts here. Even when it's just reading someone else's reply's to another situation, it doesn't half help. Best thread on any forum.
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Well done for keeping it together! My sister in law took her own life three years ago and every day it is a struggle for my Mrs who suffers from anxiety anyway. the repercussions are terrible. Keep it going fella!
 
The Dunc said:
Do you mind me asking about this, and how it helped?
I've just been enrolled on an online CBT course for chronic insomnia brought about by sleep anxiety after years of shift work. I am sceptical, but so desperate I'm willing to give anything a go.
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Hi mate, I'm a long time anxiety sufferer and have suffered from insomnia for well over a decade as a result.

I've had CBT, albeit face to face and in a nut shell, what it's all about is trying to retrain / reprogramme your thought process, by talking about your problems and getting you to accept them. Once you've done / accepted this, that's when it starts properly.

It's sounds like hippy dippy nonsense, but it really isn't. It's very very beneficial, but I found the hard part was keeping it up after it'd finished.

I'm not sure about how it would work online though.

I manage my anxiety now through aerobic exercise, minimal alcohol intake, managing situations in advance that I know are gonna kick it off and herbal stuff.

Aerobic exercise and keeping the ale low are the big ones for me.

Excersise produces endorphins ( make you feel good ) and ale ramps up anxiety something chronic, so keeping it low really helps.

There's quite a few post on here who've got anxiety / insomnia problems and I'm sure they'd weigh in with their own advice mate.
 
The Dunc said:
Do you mind me asking about this, and how it helped?
I've just been enrolled on an online CBT course for chronic insomnia brought about by sleep anxiety after years of shift work. I am sceptical, but so desperate I'm willing to give anything a go.
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I'm not sure how the online one will work, mine was a face to face thing. It started by talking about the things I got anxious about, why I felt I got anxious and the symptoms i.e increased heart rate, sweating, fidgeting etc.

We broke down absolutely everything I felt and then went through different examples of when I'd felt anxiety and why it was so irrational, it obviously felt anything but irrational in my mind at the time but the more we wrote stuff down and then picked it to pieces I started to see how skewed my thought process had become.

The thing I found most helpful was to write down every emotion I was feeling and every symptom as it was happening, it was difficult to concentrate on doing it because the anxiety would take over but I just listed everything and then went back and looked at how daft the list looked when I had calmed down.

I've not done a great job of explaining it but what I'd say is that I was hugely sceptical, I'm not generally one for talking about this stuff and sharing emotions so it was difficult to start, don't go into it half arsed and be as honest as you can even if you feel a bit stupid coming out with some stuff. I felt embarrassed saying some things but if you get past that and do the homework they give you as well then hopefully it'll help.

Feel free to pm me if you've got any questions or just want to say stuff that you think sounds stupid and is easier to blurt out to a stranger. Good luck with it though mate and fully commit to it to get the most out of it and stick to the things you learn long term, easy to let it slip and end up back at square one.
 
Thanks for replying.
I was devastated when told my issues were in my head. I got insomnia at the same time as palpatations, and until all medical tests came back ok, I didn't think it was all in my head. The palpatations are under control now with beta blockers, but insomnia is a constant struggle. I feel like a failure because I can't sort this out myself. I've never considered myself stressed or anxious, but I'm nervous talking to people about it as there are many people around with real problems and mine seem petty in comparison.
 
The Dunc said:
Thanks for replying.
I was devastated when told my issues were in my head. I got insomnia at the same time as palpatations, and until all medical tests came back ok, I didn't think it was all in my head. The palpatations are under control now with beta blockers, but insomnia is a constant struggle. I feel like a failure because I can't sort this out myself. I've never considered myself stressed or anxious, but I'm nervous talking to people about it as there are many people around with real problems and mine seem petty in comparison.
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All my problems came about due to work, albeit under different circumstances.

Try looking at it this way mate, you`re head can break, same as any other part of your body, but for some reason there`s a stigma attached to it.

It`s only natural that you should feel nervous about talking to people about it, but do you have someone close to you who you can talk to properly about it - your misuss, a good mate ?

When I "came out " one of my mates admitted on the sly that he was on medication too, but I was to keep it secret, due to the perceived stigma.

This is why this thread is so good mate, as there`s no stigma and we`re all together on here.
 

COYBL25 said:
All my problems came about due to work, albeit under different circumstances.

Try looking at it this way mate, you`re head can break, same as any other part of your body, but for some reason there`s a stigma attached to it.

It`s only natural that you should feel nervous about talking to people about it, but do you have someone close to you who you can talk to properly about it - your misuss, a good mate ?

When I "came out " one of my mates admitted on the sly that he was on medication too, but I was to keep it secret, due to the perceived stigma.

This is why this thread is so good mate, as there`s no stigma and we`re all together on here.
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To be honest that's why I posted on here. My profession is pretty macho, we deal with so much and laugh it off, if it does effect us we certainly don't talk about it.
My wife thinks I'm a bit of a 'hard man' and I can deal with anything, I could never let her know I'm weaker than she thinks.
Reading some stories on here is inspiring, but opening up to people who know me is not something I can do. I have a good life, no major issues or worries, but haven't slept for more than 3 hours on a night since April. I just want to be able to sleep when I'm tired.
 
The Dunc said:
To be honest that's why I posted on here. My profession is pretty macho, we deal with so much and laugh it off, if it does effect us we certainly don't talk about it.
My wife thinks I'm a bit of a 'hard man' and I can deal with anything, I could never let her know I'm weaker than she thinks.
Reading some stories on here is inspiring, but opening up to people who know me is not something I can do. I have a good life, no major issues or worries, but haven't slept for more than 3 hours on a night since April. I just want to be able to sleep when I'm tired.
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Mate, read back some of my posts in here. I have pretty much word for word said the same ! My wife is nowadays very understanding but I was terrified of being perceived as weak by letting anyone know I was in a bad way! This forum is great and posters like coybl25 deserve massive credit for always offering help and advice
Feel free to pm me for a chat, might reply at odd hours of the night as we got a new born in the house!!
 
The Dunc said:
To be honest that's why I posted on here. My profession is pretty macho, we deal with so much and laugh it off, if it does effect us we certainly don't talk about it.
My wife thinks I'm a bit of a 'hard man' and I can deal with anything, I could never let her know I'm weaker than she thinks.
Reading some stories on here is inspiring, but opening up to people who know me is not something I can do. I have a good life, no major issues or worries, but haven't slept for more than 3 hours on a night since April. I just want to be able to sleep when I'm tired.
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I fully understand the situation with your job and your missus mate, most fellas are in the same boat.

Insomnia is an evil thing mate, as it effects everything you do, both physically and mentally.

Have you thought about trying to get onto a sleep clinic ?

Some health trusts run them and are always looking for volunteers.
 
COYBL25 said:
I fully understand the situation with your job and your missus mate, most fellas are in the same boat.

Insomnia is an evil thing mate, as it effects everything you do, both physically and mentally.

Have you thought about trying to get onto a sleep clinic ?

Some health trusts run them and are always looking for volunteers.
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My GP sent me to a sleep clinic but they only tested for sleep apnea.
I had thought that the palpatations caused the insomnia, but now he says it's the other way around and it's a phycological problem. He offered no help after, other than saying we're the same age and he has no health issues ( implying that neither should I) and it was through work I've been put on a NHS run CBT program.
I'm slowly working through this thread from the start to try and identify if I belong here.
Do I think I'm depressed, No. I deal with people all the time who are and don't recognize it in myself.
Do I suffer from anxiety, No. Most things wash over me.
Now I can see similarities with others on this thread.
I have an iva through financial stupidity even though I have a well paid job.
I have dealt with extremely traumatic circumstances in my job that I think about from time to time, including horrific deaths and people living through incredibly tough situations.
I got passed over for promotion last year when everyone thought I was a dead cert ( coz they think I'm so clever).
My 15 yr old son told my wife he is gay, he won't tell me because he thinks I won't like him anymore, so I avoid it and haven't spoken about it with him.
The truth is I couldn't care less about that, but, and this is the worst bit, I get stupidly angry with him over trivial things like the state of his bedroom, or getting detention at school. I get so mad I scare myself that I'm going to strike him.
I love him to bits and will do anything for him, I'd die and I'd kill for him, but it's hard to admit that i have little in common with him, and the older he gets the more we grow apart.
I've worked shifts for 15 yrs, but took time off in April because I was falling asleep during the day as I was so tired through lack of sleep. I'm not back to full shifts or full hours yet. My workmates have been fine, but I secretly think I'm letting them down because there's nothing physically wrong with me.
Trivial nonsense I know. Yet here I am at 3am writing this rubbish down when all I want to do is sleep. I start work at 5pm tomorrow and go until 3am, I can't carry on like this.
 

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