I think I'm going to go to the doctors about my issues...

[PumpkinPie]

...SP/ SA and depression. I can't live like this any more, what sort of life is this for us? I contacted NHS direct and they said that a GP will be sure to help me.
Do you think I will have to discuss the cause of my depression because I really don't want to talk about stuff like that, I just want to be fixed

I haven't been out of the house for at least 6 years, don't have any friends, never been to a pub/ bar or even into town with people before. I look horrid, this is the basis of my problems...constant rejection adds to my mental anguish.

 

[footballfan]

You gotta talk about all your problems that you think give you dpression, if you don't want them to affect you anymore. And you might even find things that about yourself that you didn't realise give you depression.
good luck, hope you get what you want out of it.

 

[Remus]

there's no magic wand for SA/Depression, no magic pills, you have to fight your way through it, CBT is very helpful but at the end of the day YOU are the fix, it just takes a hell of alot of trial and error to find what works best and what works best for one person dose not exactly work for another. So you have to find your own kinda way.

It's bloody hard work too! I'm doing it and still struggling 20 years on but better than being back at square one in my teenage years and not knowing shit about how to help myself

 

[DannieCleo]

how well any kind of counselling/therapy works depends largley on how ready you are to get better and not live like this any more.

being sick of feeling depressed doesn't necessarily mean you are ready to do something about it. Lets be honest, everyone who is depressed is sick of being depressed!!

you have to have the fight in you. if you really feel that you do, then by all means visit your GP. Even if you don't, go anyway. Just be prepared for the process to take a little longer. If you don't really have the "fight" you will be more inclined to think its not working and quit, putting you back to square one.

Also, look into AvPD (avoidant personality disorder) I spent a year thinking i had SA, but AvPD was a much better fit. Since its discovery i have found the fight in me to get rid of it. I have been trying self imposed exposure therapy for the past couple of weeks and so far so good. I just have to remember not to push myself too hard or beat myself up when i don't go as far as i wanted. Most importantly i have to remember to celebrate my every little success.

I am going to give it another month and see how far i get with self help. If i really feel like i have made no progress (although i already seem to be) or if i feel i am slipping back, then i will visit my GP.

Good luck with whatever route you decide to take

 

[Chod77]

The more you tell them about yourself and the root of your problems the more they can understand and help you. It's not easy seeing a shrink but you can do it. If you go a couple times eventually you will be able to open up.

Good luck with everything.

 

[PumpkinPie]

I don't know if I want to go now...to be honest I'm not very well, I have an illness that cannot be cured so I don't think talking to a doctor about it will help. There is no resolution to the problem here so I really don't know...I thought maybe they could give me some pills or something, I guess not though.

 

[Slothrop]

The biggest problem you face right now is in thinking it's hopeless. It isn't hopeless. You can get better.

Medication helps a lot, but it isn't magic. It can lift the shroud over your life and give you an idea of how much better things can be. It will take work on your part, work that is well worth the effort. Ask anyone that's taken the steps to get the help they need and they'll tell you they wish they had done it sooner.

There is nothing gained by waiting. Left untreated, it only gets worse. By now you should know that. I suspect most people here can look at their life and see that.

Therapy is nothing to be afraid of. I know that saying that doesn't make it less uncomfortable a thought, but it's the truth. A therapist is a person whose job it is to help you work out the stuff that's so uncomfortable for you to work out. In modern therapy it's mostly about the patterns of thinking that you experience every day, not whatever past demons might still haunt you. If you want to know more about what it's like, just ask.

(Be thankful you have NHS, too. People in the US and elsewhere frequently have no way of getting the care they need.)

 

[PumpkinPie]

I changed my mind about talking to someone, even if I was free of depression all of my problems would still exist, some things just can't be changed and some people are just not meant to be.

 

[Slothrop]

I changed my mind about talking to someone, even if I was free of depression all of my problems would still exist, some things just can't be changed and some people are just not meant to be.

Bullshit. That's depression, not reality. When you start acting against your depression, you'll see things differently. You'll see ways to solve problems you didn't think were solvable, you'll have more energy to solve them, and even problems you can't solve will feel less burdensome. I know you'll have trouble believing that, because I've been there too, but it's the truth.

You have nothing to lose by seeking help.

 

[PumpkinPie]

You're right, sometimes illnesses like this cloud your judgement so much that you can't think straight. I think seeking help would be a good idea, like you said, I have nothing to lose at the moment.

Thank you )

 

[Janx]

It can be so hard to ask for help. It took all my courage to go to the GP and ask for help and then I burst into tears in front of her! I was so embarrassed.
You must go to your GP as soon as you can. I went to see mine back in March and I'm still waiting for an appointment with a counselling service. That's 7 months! Too long to wait for help.
I don't know what waiting lists are like where you are, but you'll feel better for taking this first step. I know its hard, but you're not alone.

 

[PumpkinPie]

Okay, I decided to go. I have an appointment to see the doc on Tuesday (4 days), I wanted to speak with them about my tonsils hurting anyway so I thought I can kill two bird with one stone. I'll let you know how it goes.

Steve.

 

[PumpkinPie]

Okay, tomorrow is the big day and I'm nervous about what to say...I'm sort of glad that I'm finally going now.

Anyhow...shall I just say:

I have felt depressed for about 7 years and have never really been out of the house...

?

 

[Slothrop]

That's an entirely fine thing to say. Really, there's no bad way to put it as long as you're getting the truth across. It's just like a physical problem; all you need to do is point to where it hurts.

I'm glad you're getting help, and I hope everything goes great for you.

 

[PumpkinPie]

Well I went and he said 'we don't have time to talk about it, come back another time'. So now the doctor is on holiday for 2 weeks and I have to wait until then to talk about it... :?

Since doctors are free in the UK, we apparently have 5 minute time limits on seeing them.

 

[Janx]

Your doctor sounds a bit crappy. Is there another doctor at your practice that you can see? The same thing kind of happened to me once, but last time I burst into tears - she couldn't wait to get rid of me!

I've finally got an appointment for a Counselling Service for the week after next. I'm the same as you - not sure what the hell I'm going to say.

Try not to be disheartened about this, make another appointment and make them listen to you. (I know that's easier said than done!)

 

[PumpkinPie]

he just said 'you'll have to make another appointment, I haven't got time today' :?

 

[PumpkinPie]

I'm putting it aside for the moment, I feel seriously ill (seriously...) this week so I'm going to hospital on wednesday. At least depression doesn't enter my mind when I'm ill, probably because I'm too busy checking which body parts are still attached and functioning.

I told the doctor I wasn't feeling too good when I went, hence the reason we ran out of time, surprise surprise he made me do tests for STI's even though I told him that wasn't what it was. Of course, the only illnesses that people under 25 get are STI's, silly me...

 

[Sheils]

Pumpkinpie - I am really shocked at the attitude of your doctor.

I haven't talked to my doctor either mainly because I have such a phobia of doctors/hospitals that I don't think I would get there!

I don't know how I would cope if my doctor had an attitude like yours had.

I'm hoping to find the courage to go as I know my anxieties are getting worse and i think it's time I admitted I need professional help.

 

[Ellabella]

Hi,
I'm new here, but have suffered from anxiety and social anxiety for about 24 yrs, off and on and only went to get help recently.
I know you were treated badly by your doctor when you went to see him, but I agree with others when they say you should go back. It won't go away on its own - believe me I know, I've spent years in denial. Also I have heard the sooner you go the better and quicker recovery is.
I have now been to see the mental health nurse twice, and already what she has said makes sense to me.
You said you don't want to talk about the past, my step mother was an alcoholic and I would hate to have to talk about it. I told the nurse briefly, but I am doing CBT which focuses more on the present, you don't have to go into lots of detail about your past.
Wishing you lots of luck and the courage to go back to see your doctor.
Ella x