**The Mental Health Thread**

How’s everyone doing ?

My Anxiety is still coming in waves now and again. Still horrid and just as intense but I try to push through knowing it will pass. Had a few struggles when it’s intense especially with the weird thoughts which I find the hardest.

It’s not a nice illness to deal with and I hope everyone is doing as best as they can.
 
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rhobbyh said:
If I were of pensionable age and retired, I would much rather shop during midweek when the supermarket was virtually deserted rather than the hustle and bustle of a weekend which can be the only chance people who are working get a chance. Maybe its just a case of ignorance on the part of the pensioners who haven't worked it out, or maybe they just really enjoy wasting their time queuing to go down isles come a weekend as they haven't got much else to do.
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Tuesday or Thursday mornings are my favourites. Just a few mums and old farts.
 
MOOGLEYS said:
How’s everyone doing ?

My Anxiety is still coming in waves now and again. Still horrid and just as intense but I try to push through knowing it will pass. Had a few struggles when it’s intense especially with the weird thoughts which I find the hardest.

It’s not a nice illness to deal with and I hope everyone is doing as best as they can.
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Since I started the SSRIs, my day-to-day anxiety has fallen considerably. I can get through most days without being anxious - unless I have a timed appointment to attend (usually involves meeting other people). Then it just goes through the roof. I am totally fine if I'm on my own but the mere thought of having to meet someone, somewhere other than home just gets the old adrenaline going in buckets.
 
MOOGLEYS said:
How’s everyone doing ?

My Anxiety is still coming in waves now and again. Still horrid and just as intense but I try to push through knowing it will pass. Had a few struggles when it’s intense especially with the weird thoughts which I find the hardest.

It’s not a nice illness to deal with and I hope everyone is doing as best as they can.
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Terrible at the moment, can't sleep even on mirtazpine! Anxiety is terrible again, panic in the night. Depressed, miserable, NHS useless or generaly don't care. Aches and pains everywhere.
I'm trying to walk everyday, and do some light yoga and I meditate 3 times a day and I eat well, nothing makes any difference.
 
Heading in the right direction, a bit at a time.
Reducing the amount of sertraline and quetiapine by 25 and 12.5mg. I was drinking most evenings and have managed to nip that in the bud for the last 6 weeks, just have the one pint if I go out for a meal rather than using it as something to help me relax in the evenings.
I've managed to focus more on my physical issues over the last few months which has in turn helped with my MH. Focusing more on what I can do than how it's hindering me has been a productive move and reduced my anxiety and anger problems.
 
I still exist just keep forgetting to post in this thread!

Mental health is Totally fine to utterly garbage depending on when you catch me. Today is a good day and my symptoms seem to be somewhat cyclical in nature which vaguely looks like over exerting myself (i.e. doing normal stuff) on good days leading to ~5 days in bed recovering. Still no answers from the doctors despite a blood test showing hormones way out of balance (Low T if anyone's that interested :cry: ) which will cause issues with sleep and exercise recovery.

Current working theory is that the whole boom and bust cycle is causing me to have depressive episodes when I can't do things I want to/struggle to eat/sleep/engage with the world.

Been referred to General Medicine which I guess means the GP has just given up because they're lazy/cba to investigate. For now we wait and see.
 
Hope everyone is doing ok.
I switched down from 10mg of Escitalopram to 5mg - I felt the 10mg actually didn't help at all, and feel better on 5mg which is strange. The reason for downgrading was I was going to go back to Sertraline, so started a taper from 10mg to 5mg but since doing that a few weeks ago I have just stuck to 5mg - it seems to work well.
There were no side effects at 10mg, I just didn't think it generally helped any more than 5mg - potentially less help!

Everyone is different of course, and still have up/down days, but worth noting sometimes higher doses don't always equal a better result.
 
Pulsedriver said:
Hope everyone is doing ok.
I switched down from 10mg of Escitalopram to 5mg - I felt the 10mg actually didn't help at all, and feel better on 5mg which is strange. The reason for downgrading was I was going to go back to Sertraline, so started a taper from 10mg to 5mg but since doing that a few weeks ago I have just stuck to 5mg - it seems to work well.
There were no side effects at 10mg, I just didn't think it generally helped any more than 5mg - potentially less help!

Everyone is different of course, and still have up/down days, but worth noting sometimes higher doses don't always equal a better result.
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I was wondering that. I upped mine from 10 to 15mg but I feel a bit worse overall. But then it could also be because I'm eating total rubbish at the moment.
 
I've got a doctors appointment in 3 weeks to talk about MH. I've never spoken to a doctor about these things, so kind of scared they'll just dismiss me.

Recently moved over to UC due to migration and went in for my first commitments meeting. I knew of a place I wanted them to refer me to as they can help getting you back in to work when you're struggling with it, I'd already been in contact with said place before Christmas but couldn't self refer. Got to Jobcentre and Sat down, he asked a few simple questions, then I tried to ask him to refer me and explain my issues but the moment I tried to do that, I got very overwhelmed and broke down. We go to a small room and due to my state and being frightened to call doctors over this, he called them on my behalf and made me an appointment. Women from disability department joins us in the room and a 10 minute commitments meeting turned into an hour of me trying to explain how hard I find doing things while getting upset multiple times.

I operate fine around others I'm with or when my family is with me, just on my own I can't seem to function very well. Me and partner was talking earlier today and the whole UC thing came up and I spoke to her about what happened but again broke down. I'm not someone who will easily cry, since knowing partner in like 15 years and she's seen me cry like twice, one of them times I was pretty ill. Every time I have to talk about possibly having MH issues I break down. Part of me is in the mindset of if I can't feel a physical reaction then the MH is just made up in my head and I find it incredibly hard to even think about admitting there could potentially be a problem I can't see.

So waiting for doctors but scared when I go they won't find anything. Even if they don't, I'll still have these struggles. I've got notes written down which I hope they'll take notice off. Whatever affects me, has done so since junior school but my parents just didn't seem to do anything or admit I might have a problem. Yet my older brother is of similar age and at a young age was diagnosed with ADHD.
 
Ayahuasca said:
What are the types of things that have been affecting you since school?
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  • Every school had the loner kid, that was me. Never left house after school out of fear, never had friends growing up.
  • When I was in college after I left school, it was difficult getting the bus and having to interact with bus drivers / be on packed busses.
  • I almost always avoid taking phone calls if my phone rings unexpectedly and I'm not expecting a call.
  • Walking into small independent shops or going new places.
  • I attended a course designed to help deal with these sort of things and I shut off, couldn't speak in a circle of people or take part in most activities (there was usually around 10-12 people each day).
  • Final day it was very quiet and it was the only time I managed to speak in the circle (pretty much me, 2 tutors and maybe 2 other people turned up at the start). Anxious, sounded quiet with a shaky voice in my mind, and just wanted to start crying while I tried to talk.
  • I have interactions, good or bad and once it's over I replay the same scenarios in my head over and over again while walking away.
  • I enjoy walking but can't do so without constantly talking to myself about everything negative and pressure builds in my head. Feel urges like my brain is trying to push me to do something. It never seems to shut off when I'm alone. With other people around me, this doesn't happen as my attention is all on them.
  • I can't talk online in games to strangers without freezing up even if I have my microphone ready to speak, and eventually giving up on the idea.
  • Could have potentially caused me physical pain from the last job I tried to do, resulting in me leaving after a week and half (care worker).
  • Hard to explain but I don't feel as though I understand what emotions I'm supposed to feel, including the word "love". Which in my mind makes me seem heartless to those I'm around like my kids and partner.
  • Fearful of catching trains or bus journeys if I don't know the route or don't have my phone to track my location.
Almost all scenarios will include an increased heart rate that I physically can feel and legs feeling weakened.
Even after typing some of these things out, I find it difficult to see anything wrong with me, so now I sit here second guessing everything constantly as it sounds trivial.
 
Ayahuasca said:
You’re likely autistic, there are so many giveaways from just that small list of things.
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What makes you think that?

A couple others I can think off.
  • I easily only listen to the same bands over and over until I get bored of hearing them and can listen to same songs for hours on end.
  • Visited my sister today and eye contact felt awkward, so looked away often. Happens with almost everyone I speak to, including parents. Happened at Jobcentre too while in the room talking. I can keep eye contact with my daughters though and depending on the situation I can with partner.
  • I try avoid hugs even from family (like brother, sisters, mum, dad or partner) as they feel awkward. Again fine with my kids.
  • I like board games but depending on the game and complexity of rules, I might have to keep reading them to try and understand what it's saying. Partly why I prefer cooperative to competitive.
  • I have a bad habit of laughing in situations that others might otherwise find upsetting.
  • Nailbiting to the point have little to nothing left to bite on or get hold off, then start on skin. Done this since I was a child, not had nails since then.
 
Some of those things on their own aren’t a worry but there are several traits/symptoms there that are often present in autistic people. The fact your brother is neurodivergent is another potential sign.

I’d suggest taking the RAADS-R test online and then going from there. It’s designed for adults who often slip through the net.
 
Ayahuasca said:
I’d suggest taking the RAADS-R test online and then going from there. It’s designed for adults who often slip through the net.
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I had a look at that test and scored 130, then did the Autism Spectrum Quotient and received 30. As with all online tests though, I take with a pinch of salt. Some questions I didn't exactly understand what they meant or even know what to score it, so probably didn't give any accurate score anyway.

One thing I didn't mention earlier is that while my brother has been diagnosed with ADHD, my eldest sister in the last few years has been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and borderline personality disorder, and they think possibly ADHD as well but hasn't been tested for it. I don't know what my Dad has been diagnosed with but I know he has a few different things. The only person that I know off who's been diagnosed with autism is my niece (eldest sisters daughter).
 
I'd agree with the above sentiment - a few things there that could potentially be autistic traits. Being overwhelmed in public places, not liking new spaces, eye contact issues. Certainly something worth looking into and being assessed for which sounds easy but I know it will be tough even having those conversations with GP's.

Best of luck however and you can always post here and we'll chat to you. Most of us are kinda weird :cry:
 
Spacedeck said:
I had a look at that test and scored 130, then did the Autism Spectrum Quotient and received 30. As with all online tests though, I take with a pinch of salt. Some questions I didn't exactly understand what they meant or even know what to score it, so probably didn't give any accurate score anyway.
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No neurotypical scored above 64 in the RAADS-R research.

Those scores along with the things you’ve mentioned mean there’s a good chance youre autistic.

Diagnosis via the NHS can take years so if you want to know for sure then it’s best to go private.
 
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