Discussion & help on depression & mental health related issues

[ToffeeRapt]

Been off here for a while but need to vent a bit.
Getting married this year, anxiety has hit a all time high. Things I used to do day to day im avoiding massively. I play football at a pretty ok level and been claiming i'm injured for a while now to avoid going. Haven't had a haircut for about 3 months as the thought of sitting in a chair and not being able to move for the duration of the haircut is horrible. Even at work I dealt with customers with ease previously, now I avoid contact at all costs. Anxiety is eating away at me recently and finding life hard to deal with.

Describing anxiety as eating away at you is a good description, step by step it takes more and more away from your life. But there are quite a few things you can do, to help yourself. Medication may help, as some antidepressants also treat anxiety, so discuss this with your GP. Other resources incl, Umbrella Centre, or Merseycare Life Rooms, both run short courses on managing anxiety. I recommend these. If you were to decide you dont want to return to your current football team EitC have MH teams of various abilities.
On a personal level, I find when my anxiety gets a bit overwhelming, it helps me manage if I break things I need to do down into small steps, set myself 1 or 2 goals I will complete. And acknowledged and congratulate myself when I reach them. So for example don’t try to dive straight back into your football time, just get yourself to see them training
Lastly, anxiety is awful, but it’s the most common MH difficulty and it is treatable.

 

[GwladysPhil]

I got drunk last night. Relapsed. First drink in 3 weeks. If I don't count the Christmas period that's 2nd time I've been drunk in 5 months. Right back to square one. Hate myself today

It's a temporary side effect, it's not good but it'll pass,

 

[GwladysPhil]

This thread gives me hope for humanity. Great non-judgemental support. In bits reading some of the posts.

Brilliant isn't it. I'm fortunate not to have to deal with some of the issues, but I've seen first hand what people go through and know how support is very helpful. Big shout out to @Groucho

 

[witchdoc187]

It's a temporary side effect, it's not good but it'll pass,

Yeah gotta keep going. Only drinking a few times over the last 5 months is pretty good considering where I was before that. Breaking a habit of a lifetime that runs in the family will take some doing. Shouldn't feel so bad about it. It will pass

 

[anjelikaferrett]

I got drunk last night. Relapsed. First drink in 3 weeks. If I don't count the Christmas period that's 2nd time I've been drunk in 5 months. Right back to square one. Hate myself today

Draw a line under it. Move on. look forward not back.

Reading your subsequent posts you've come a long way already. Be nice to yourself about that

 

[COYBL25]

Describing anxiety as eating away at you is a good description, step by step it takes more and more away from your life. But there are quite a few things you can do, to help yourself. Medication may help, as some antidepressants also treat anxiety, so discuss this with your GP. Other resources incl, Umbrella Centre, or Merseycare Life Rooms, both run short courses on managing anxiety. I recommend these. If you were to decide you dont want to return to your current football team EitC have MH teams of various abilities.
On a personal level, I find when my anxiety gets a bit overwhelming, it helps me manage if I break things I need to do down into small steps, set myself 1 or 2 goals I will complete. And acknowledged and congratulate myself when I reach them. So for example don’t try to dive straight back into your football time, just get yourself to see them training
Lastly, anxiety is awful, but it’s the most common MH difficulty and it is treatable.

Exercise keeps the lid on mine mate and complete avoidance of caffeine and caffeine based products.

 

[witchdoc187]

Draw a line under it. Move on. look forward not back.

Reading your subsequent posts you've come a long way already. Be nice to yourself about that

Thanks. I guess I have. Should be proud of that at least

 

[AmericasToffee]

I got drunk last night. Relapsed. First drink in 3 weeks. If I don't count the Christmas period that's 2nd time I've been drunk in 5 months. Right back to square one. Hate myself today

You climbed a good ways out of a pit. Just because you fell back a bit doesn't put you back at the beginning.

 

[wgtwiddle]

... but am getting horrible intrusive thoughts fairly often. Anyone else get these? Any tips for dealing with them?

Guess intrusive thoughts take many guises, for me the following advice has helped...

"Whatever goes on in your head can do no harm to anyone and is not subject to the laws of right and wrong as our actions are."

Nine Myths that Contribute to Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts

Bust these myths to keep your thoughts from getting stuck.

www.psychologytoday.com

 

[witchdoc187]

You climbed a good ways out of a pit. Just because you fell back a bit doesn't put you back at the beginning.

Thanks mate. Feel a lot better this afternoon because I have made great strides and I'm determined to beat it

 

[AmericasToffee]

Good man. Its boss isn't it?! Weird how it helps to unburden yourself onto strangers on a chat forum! It really helps me to know I'm not the only sufferer out there! I'm doing ok at the mo, back on a low dose of citalopram which is helping. Good days far outnumbering the bad but am getting horrible intrusive thoughts fairly often. Anyone else get these? Any tips for dealing with them?

Been there, done that.

OCD Does Not Lead to Terrorism

In the wake of the recent mass shootings, mental illness has become a scapegoat for terrorists with access to guns.

www.psychologytoday.com

Intrusive thoughts are the nature of being human. OCD or not, we all experience them at one time or another. The difference is that those with OCD have a brain that is wired differently. Their intrusive thoughts stick and they become obsessions because they are so opposite to what the person actually values.

Biggest thing is trying to lower your stress (and stress hormones) so it's easier to manage the nonsense.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Been off here for a while but need to vent a bit.
Getting married this year, anxiety has hit a all time high. Things I used to do day to day im avoiding massively. I play football at a pretty ok level and been claiming i'm injured for a while now to avoid going. Haven't had a haircut for about 3 months as the thought of sitting in a chair and not being able to move for the duration of the haircut is horrible. Even at work I dealt with customers with ease previously, now I avoid contact at all costs. Anxiety is eating away at me recently and finding life hard to deal with.

Is the anxiety caused by the upcoming wedding? I always found the months before my wedding made me stress out alot.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Morning everyone,

I'm after some advice if possible, I really am all over the place at the minute and have no clue what I'm meant to do or how I'm going to get through this.

I haven't spoken to anyone yet so here it goes...

Long story short, a drunken lads weekend in Prague a few weeks ago led to a brass house. A split condom and weeks later and here I am, just finding out that I have contracted HIV. I've been so stressed over the past few weeks, crunching the statistical numbers trying to concise myself I haven't got it. A 3% chance a prostitute would carry the virus in Prague, then a 0.08% chance of contracting it... I guess I found myself in that small number!

Symptom after symptom appeared in the weeks following, I kept putting them down to other things but I could feel deep down I had it.

To make matters worse and this is what is killing me, I have been with my girlfriend for 7 years and love her so much. I've held off any sexual contact for the past 6 weeks, she's in bits thinking I don't love her and I've found someone else... and I'm telling her it's stress with work... But she knows it's not.

I live with my girlfriends parents at the minute as we try to save for a house.

I really don't know how I'm going to tell her.

I don't want people knowing about my having the virus too. My girlfriend and friends know each other, and I know things are going to get around very quick and soon I will be spoken about everywhere and the stigma of HIV will hang above my head.

If I'm kicked out of her house and she splits up with me, I don't know what I'll do. I haven't got any parents except a brother who has his own family and I wouldn't want to be a burden. I feel like I can't tell any of my friends of family

All of this is just spiralling around my head, all right before Christmas.

I've got a job that can be very stressful and is client facing , meaning I've got to portray that I'm ok all of the time

I really don't know what to do

Heavy that mate - how are things going? hope you have found some help since bud.

 

[EFCPaul]

Started feeling restless and bored the past few weeks, can feel a rut coming on.

I really would like to do another evening course or something like that, just I'm not having much luck finding one that interests me. The course I previously did finished in December and the next level, the next chance to do that won't be until September. Definitely need something before then.

Does anyone know of any courses/clubs/volunteer work, preferably something in the evenings?

 

[the golden visionary]

Ive just sat there writing out a 15 minute rant, on here.
By the time i reached the end i read it back and didnt need to post it because it was gone. Which reminded me of a chapter in Jordan Petersens book, this is the jist of it.

Sometimes writing down what bothered you actually acts as a conversation, but its between you and the paper/post or whatever.

Not all conversations are 2 way somerimes its just 1 person ranting and one sitting there listening, a conversation is like a map, the person ranting is drawing the map with each passing sentence, they will hit dead ends, but if they carry on long enough they will finish the map and solve whats bothering them.

The trick for the listener is to not respond untill the first person asks them a direct question, theres nothing more annoying than someone answering a hypothetical question. Actually there is, its when the listener gets up an walks out. Which just happened to me, which forced me to write it down, and honestly it worked better for me.

The various help guides to mental health suggests opening up with someone, [Poor language removed] that, get a piece of paper write down all the madness, read it back, laugh if you can, and throw it away. Dont throw it away, keep it, put it in a file. Refer back to it next time it crops up.

Even if its a temporary solution, which lets be honest it usually is, we all know exactly the same bollocks will pop up again, at least it'll be gone for a short while.

So yeah, im having a stressful time at the minute , @EFCPaul this is one of my techniques.

Hopefully ill sleep tonight.