Mental Health Advice

i scheduled an eap session and the reason I cited was depression

they then scheduled me two entire months away

is this genuinely the earliest they can see me or does this imply that they think I don't really have any pressing issues and I'm wasting my time?

Venting is good. You're going to get a lot of opportunities to do this in therapy and it will benefit you more than you think. What you're describing is pretty accurate to anxiety disorders. All I can tell you is how similar your symptoms are to the symptoms of my clients who are formally diagnosed with anxiety or panic disorders.

Talk therapy and maybe a low dose medication (if recommended by a doctor) would be very beneficial to you. It is my understanding that it is illegal to ask potential hires about their medical history. That's why applications say things like "Are you able to lift 30 pounds?" instead of "Do you have any medical conditions that would prevent you from lifting 30 pounds?". As a lawyer I'm sure you understand the importance of language in these kinds of contexts. I'm not an expert in the law but in my experience in dealing with the legal side of mental health it is my understanding that discriminating against you because you've sought treatment for an unspecific psychiatric issue would be illegal under federal law. I don't believe they're even allowed to ask. The only context I've ever heard past psychiatric or medical conditions being an issue is with public sector or military. I don't believe federal privacy laws apply to those kinds of positions.

Is it super serious if I'm still eating? I get on average about 1400 cals a day. My only fear is everyone i ask says I'm clearly losing weight but I'm like "what no?" I just can't afford therapy desu.

Federal services are infamously slow, user. I can think of several state psychiatrists off the top of my head in my county right now that don't have any openings for the next four months. These kinds of wait periods are unfortunately very common in my profession.

>Is it super serious if I'm still eating?
My fear is that if left untreated it could become super serious. My fear is that you could irreparably damage your body and have absolutely no support system to catch you should things get worse. Its great and all that you have things at a manageable level right now but the point is that not being to objectively understand the reality that you are losing weight and still believe you are getting bigger is a very, very dangerous delusion. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because you have a handle on things now that they are going to stay that way. In this case I would recommend seeing a doctor first, user, not a therapist. The most important thing is to be medically screened to ensure that you are not doing any harm to your body that can't be reversed. If you can tell your doctor about these symptoms you're having he or she will be able to refer you to some kind of treatment center or service that specializes in eating disorders.

Schizophrenic. Paranoid. Alcoholic. College dropout (technically). Awkward. Don't feel connected to people or this life.

Should I just give up on school and try to find a job or work in a trade? Or go back to school?

It sounds as though you have a lot more pressing issues than whether or not you should stay in school. Are you receiving any treatment at all for your issues?

I’m already in therapy and I noticed my depression wore off for 7 hours a couple days ago. I thought positive thoughts as a joke and my rumination stopped, I felt happy chemicals in my brain, I felt like a superhero. After that 7 hours, I started feeling extremely down, more than before. I tried thinking positive thoughts again, but I didn’t get that same effect again.

I don’t know what to do now, I’ve been putting off skateboarding since I’m scared to hurt myself and I’ve been putting off making music because i think i make garbage music and that i’ll never succeed.

What do?

I have clinical depression and anxiety. Do you have any advice on how to deal with this without meds? I don't want to be reliant on pills. I'm already trying to get in to therapy. (My anxiety is stopping me making the call at the moment)

Alright, will do, thanks user!

I am going to seek professional help in a couple of months, I suffer from anxiety about my obligations and I never do anything because I feel paralysed, then have to deal with the consequences of being relapse. But I don't want to be this irresponsible, I just feel nervous all the time. Is there a slap in the face that can temporarily help me in short term before I seek professional help?

I'd recommend getting back and being reassessed by a doctor because having wild ups and downs like that is more akin to disorders like bipolar than just run of the mill depression.

When you break a leg the doctors give you crutches. Those crutches aren't designed to make you reliant on them but rather to take the pressure off of your wound to give it time to heal. A lot of depression and anxiety medications are the same way. They are meant to provide just enough respite from the onslaught of your symptoms to properly focus on your underlying issues. I would highly recommend not being completely closed off to the idea of medication. Bring up your concerns with a doctor and let them know that you're only interested in something that you can ween off later once you're feeling like you have a more solid grip on managing your symptoms.

No, because I don't trust medical professionals. They have only taken my time and money away from me while ignoring what I have to say about my own mental state. I hate talking to people that act as though they understand me better than I do. Any life style changes I can make that will help me cope with being alive?

I would recommend seeking the help of a professional sooner than later. If you absolutely cannot see someone soon then I would recommend maybe doing some research online and trying some simple coping skills. Anxiety is very deeply rooted in our physical biology. Things like bad diet and poor sleep habits can contribute to them greatly. Most of my clients have developed a kind of self-care routine along with their therapists and psychiatrists to address the kind of general concern of anxiety in their lives beyond the context of medication and therapy. What I mean by this is you have to live a life mindful of your anxiety, the things that make it worse and the things that make it better. Whether it be scheduling your sleep, herbal supplements or tea, avoiding stimulants that can make your anxiety worse like caffeine or processed sugar or just doing something calming every morning like taking a walk or doing yoga, ever little bit adds up.

I dont think it's federal I'm using my employer's EAP because I'm on high deductible

Yeah but it only happened once, I’m diagnosed with generalized anxiety and depression

Unfortunately, user, your story is not an uncommon one. One of the things most prevalent in my schizophrenic patients is a an extremely persistent distrust in people and institutions. I do understand your frustration though. A lot of my patients see, hear and perceive things that are very real to them and become absolutely enraged that the people in their lives are unable to see, hear and perceive those same things. On some level you understand that your schizophrenia prevents you in a lot of ways from living on the same plane of reality as the people around you. Ostensibly, you see the world through completely different eyes and your paranoia plays a large part in that. Your abuse of alcohol (which additionally alters your perception) exacerbates that as well.

Unfortunately, there are no life style changes or home remedies that I'm aware of for a disease as invasive and persistent as schizophrenia. All I can tell is that there are people out there who want to help and that I encourage you to seek it whenever you feel like you're ready. Schizophrenia will always be apart of your life and who you are. The most successful schizophrenics I've seen in my experience are the ones who are on anti-psychotics and have either a psychiatrist or a team of professionals that help them address their symptoms as they arise. Finding a regimen of medications and supports that best fit you is not easy but it is very possible.

Hey I kind of hope you have a few minutes for me

Anyway I'm an engineer and life used to be good when I was just starting out but now years later and I'm in my 30s life is kind of falling apart.

I don't have the strength to keep studying to advance and all I do everyday after work is Jow Forums or post on some other board.

The depression comes and goes so I think that's normal

My main problem is never being happy or content with life. Everything turns to shit and it's mostly on me since I don't take pride in my work anymore and I feel like I'm a slave since I have to work some tough hours sometimes

Also. I'm a loner most of my life and don't really have hobbies that involve other people...

Still, its better safe than sorry user. Wild mood swings like that can be very dangerous if left unaddressed. It wouldn't hurt to bring this incident to your doctor and see what they think.

Oh I see. Sorry, I must of misunderstood. Either way, it is still very common in my experience at least. Mental health services are very routinely underfunded and are typically flooded with patients. I experience something like you're describing nearly every day when attempting to seek services for my clients. Hell, half the psychiatrists in my county don't even accept new patients. If I were you I'd go in to the appointment in two months and just see how it goes. If it was worth the wait, then great. If you find you need something more comprehensive then its time to start exploring other options.

Have you experienced any kind of depression, trauma or abuse at any other point in your life, particularly your adolescence?

Yea I've been most of my life and it's just normal at this point. Everywhere I go abuse over and over..

OK. Well I'm going to continue
Be me
Probably mentally ill or something
Have been single for most of my adulthood.

Basically wanted to be an engineer
Spent years studying, working than making half way across the country for dream job of a lifetime

Still single and alone. Losing my mind DESU.

Still an engineer and the only thing going for me is money.. nothing else in life and coworkers don't want to be friends either.

Before anyone asks. I didn't spend most of my life thinking about wife family kids and friends..
I went another path and wanted to focus on career and now I'm that 30 year old guy who's probably the most successful person you meet daily but has no gf.

I don't see or hear things, I don't hallucinate. I'm just anxious around everyone I come into contact with. I'm not on medication now because anti-psychotics don't help me, I either stop taking them or just overdose. Anything else I can do?

it's a month away now, I figured I've had these issues for years now so no different to wait longer

my other issue is that I am provided a maximum of six visits and I have never visited a mental health professional
I need to get the most I can out of these visits so I guess what can I do going in to save time? what do I need to say?

Have you ever been to a psychiatrist or tried any medications?

My experience is with mental health in a clinical environment, user. Unfortunately I'm not aware of any other kind of supports that are effective in treating schizophrenics.

I think after your first visit, if you are feeling good, to maybe inquire with your insurance as to what you can do to continue your care outside of your EAP. In my 15 years I've never seen or heard of any substantial, lasting progress made in 6 sessions. These services are typically not designed for long term care. Don't rush your sessions or feel like you have to jam in as much as possible. I'd really recommend you taking it slow and perhaps do a little bit of research to the side as to what kind of supports you can seek after your six sessions are up.

I went to a psychiatrist once last year and never came back.

I went to a court appointed one when I was young and it was the worst experience I've had.

It was a female doc and she literally basically told me to be a man..

Anyway..also meds won't mix with me right. I don't want to fuck up my mind more than it is and meds for psychology related issues would duck you me up and you know this as well..

Not everyone responds well to these type of meds

What questions should I ask to find a psychologist/therapist that's a good fit for me? And how low do sliding scales typically go? I'm in NY so the average price of therapy out of pocket here is around $200/session. The last therapist I saw I asked for $100 and she was fine with it but having actually tried that, it's honestly impossibly expensive for me to maintain, especially if I take any of her advice about doing things.

Bonus question: What am I doing wrong when trying to make friends? I've been working with the same people for a few years and they all talk to each other much more than they talk to me. They go out and do things with each other more too. I've tried inviting them places but this year they've flaked on all but one thing, last year one of them was more willing to hang out with me (it was their first year working here) but that's not really the case anymore. I try to be social and chatty and connect with people but I'm not very good at it. It's this way outside of work environments at other things I go to as well. I can be pleasant and polite acquaintances with people but I don't know how to become more.

I recommend going back to a psychiatrist. You are correct however, not everyone responds well to all kinds of medications but my assertion to you is that these supports are extremely individualized. Any good doctor worth their salt will work with you until you find a medication that works for you. I do absolutely understand the hesitance though. It is very scary to think that you're taking a medication that alters your mind. It is exceedingly common for people in your position to fear that medication will only make things worse. While I can absolutely empathize with that fear I would assert that you're stuck between a rock and a hard place here. Your choices are either living the rest of your life in 100% guaranteed misery or taking the chance that maybe someone can help you or give you even a very low dose medication that will at least assist in relieving some of these symptoms so you can get your life back together. You have spent your entire life watching your social, emotional and psychological health break down to ruins, user. I'm not promising you that therapy and medication will restore you with the snap of the fingers. I'm also not promising that there won't be hitches along the way; therapists you don't like or medication that doesn't work. Rebuilding your life is going to take time. It is, however, very possible. I understand your hesitance, user, but in order for you to get a handle on this you're going to have to go out of your comfort zone and make choices that scare you. The way you've been doing things for the past 30 years hasn't worked. If you truly, honestly want to live a different life then you're going to have to try something different. The choice is ultimately up to you. No one can force help on to you if it isn't what you want.

ive been on mood stabilizers since i was about 17 or 18, im 21 now and ive found one that works well for me. i asked my psych for a prognosis for how long he thought i would have to take medication and he believed that since it was necessary for me to medicate at such a young age that i would most likely need to continue to do so for the rest of my life
have you ever met people who've been taking medication for decades?? im worried about the effects it will have on my body. im taking lamictal for bipolar 2, and seroquel for other things. i dont really know what the future holds for me

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Do you have insurance? I'm not super familiar with sliding scales because most of my clients have typically been wards of the state but in my experience there are a lot of non profit organizations and clinics out there that have either publicly or privately funded sponsorship programs that help low income people pay for mental health services. I don't know how common they are in NY but they are around. Honestly, if you could even swing two sessions a month it could be incredibly helpful.

As far as finding a psychologist/therapist that is a good fit for you my suggest is to just be as honest as possible. My psychologists/therapists understand that the first session or two are just kind of exploratory phases; a chance for both of you to get to know each other and just test the waters of comfort. If you see a therapist for a few sessions and just don't feel comfortable then there's nothing wrong with cancelling and moving on.

As far as your friendship issue goes I unfortunately can't even begin to guess. Most of clients have some kind of interpersonal issue. Without knowing more about you I can't speculate about how or why your interpersonal issues manifest. That would be a great issue to bring up with your therapist.

I have no motivation anymore. I don't want to do anything I used to enjoy doing. I don't game as much, I don't work out as much, I don't bike as much, I don't cook as much, and so on. Even if I am doing something I enjoy (gaming with a friend, cooking, whatever) I just don't want to, I can feel myself not wanting to. And then I just sit in my room, doing nothing. Watching a video or listening to a song, but never really paying attention. I don't know what to do anymore.. I don't know how to push myself to do something (even if I do push myself, I don't care anymore, it feels lazy, forced, and boring), how to gain back motivation to do what I want or enjoy to do. It also doesn't help I have no drive to go after women in anyway, but that's beside the point and not the focus of my problem as I'm more worried about not enjoying anything I do at all.

What can I do? And please don't tell me to go to a doctor for depression. I know I probably have it, but I don't want to be some pill popping sadboy just to feel normal. Especially because I have no insurance and barely any money.

Well, what do other schizophrenics do? I'm not even as bad as most of them, I can function to an extent, just feel like shit sometimes, that's all

I have met quite a few people that have been on medication for years. Mood stabilizers are honestly some of the more common long term meds I've seen. Unfortunately, you're psyche is probably correct. For a lot of my client its really a matter of risk management, user. What is more risky, taking medications for prolonged periods of time and possibly suffering some negative side effects or coming off of the meds and exposing yourself to significant risk of psychiatric episodes?

The medication most associated with damaging long term use in my experience has been benzodiazapines; anxiety medications. I'm assuming you take the mood stabilizers and seroquel for some kind of bipolar? I'm not intimately familiar with the long term side affects of seroquel but as I previously said, in the context of someone with your condition it is unfortunately less risky to remain on the medication than to take you off. At 21, however, I wouldn't quite worry about the consequences of decades long use just yet.

>Do you have insurance?
I don't, no. I also live in a very expensive area, so most free or cheaper health services aren't around here.

> If you see a therapist for a few sessions and just don't feel comfortable then there's nothing wrong with cancelling and moving on.
I understand that and have done that before, but I mean more what questions I should ask before a first session to know if I should even bother trying a session with a prospective therapist.

>That would be a great issue to bring up with your therapist.
I did, I stopped seeing her though because she was a poor fit. I brought up cutting contact with a lot of online friends without anything prompting it, said I'd been self-destructive and wanted to not do that anymore and she spent the entire 45 minute session arguing with me that it wasn't self-destructive. Some other stuff like that happened a few times, and when I brought up the friend issue she mostly gave me remedial how to talk to people advice, which isn't my issue and I tried explaining that to her several times and bringing up the issue again. She'd also ask me how my week/s were and if I didn't come in with something I needed to talk about in mind she'd just make chit-chat with me. I didn't feel like I was accomplishing anything there for the most part. I want a therapist who gives me solutions/insight to my problems that I can actually enact.

What sorts of things should I make note of that could give me or a therapist insight into my inability to make friends? I honestly have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

I've worked with many, many schizophrenics in my career and they all had a very unique collection of symptoms. I've had some schizophrenics that had aural and visual hallucinations and some that didn't. I've had some schizoaffective clients whose symptoms were mostly mood based. It varied an incredible amount. Without knowing you and your history its impossible for me to say with any certainty exactly "how bad" you are in comparison to your average case of schizophrenia. I'm glad you manage to function on a daily basis but I would really advise against using that as a basis for not seeking help. Don't minimize yourself, user. You deserve as much or as little help as you need. Regardless of how severe your symptoms are I don't believe any schizophrenic should go without any kind of supports.

Any advice for social anxiety, At this point it just gets worst and worst. I have no friends and am anxious in any social interaction. I don't have a job because I'm so nervous at interviews and they see how I am and won't hire me. I always get shaky and my throat clenches and I can't think of anything to say. I've gone to therapy, it didn't help at all. It has gotten so bad that I have grown depressed because of it. I stay in my room all day playing video games or browsing the internet and am scared of going out because I'll have to interact with people. How can I fix this? How can I make friends? I'm supposed to go to college in the fall, but I'm doubting that I can do that with how I feel.

>What can I do? And please don't tell me to go to a doctor for depression. I know I probably have it, but I don't want to be some pill popping sadboy just to feel normal. Especially because I have no insurance and barely any money.
Unfortunately my experience is only with treating depression in a clinical environment. I know it isn't the answer you want to hear but there is no home remedy for persistent depression. Its an unfair twist of fate that some people can't function normally without the assistance of anti-depressants but in my experience the trade-off is usually worth it. I'd assert that taking a pill once a day to restore the happiness and enjoyment in your life is a small price to pay for not having to be low energy and miserable every day of your life. My recommendation, unfortunately, is to see a doctor. If there were a way to treat clinical depression at home I believe I would have found it by now.

Have you been to a psychiatrist? I have an exceeding amount of experience with anxiety as I myself have an anxiety disorder that I struggled a lot with as I was around your age. There is a chance that supplementing therapy with an anxiety medication that can help take the edge off, if you will, would be far more beneficial than just therapy alone.

I'm currently trying to make due with my university's mental health program. I've been trying to get an assessment done since February (after multiple referrals). However, demand is so high that these appointments need to be scheduled weeks in advance and the nature of my job is such that I can get sent anywhere in the country at any moment. Basically, the source of most of the chaos and uncertainty in my life is the very reason that I can't get a psychological assessment done.

On some level, I just don't feel human. I don't experience emotions with anywhere near the same strength as other people. There's always a level of distance where I feel far away and detached, looking far away toward the future or inward rather than experience the present moment. I've never truly connected with another person. It's like I stare right through them and on some level they don't seem fully real to me. I have no attachment to my family or friends, instead having to understand relationships as a system of obligations. At work, I seem to lack the passion and energy that lead my coworkers to distinguish themselves. I seldom stand up for myself, instead accepting whatever chance brings my way. To some extent, I feel guilty for even wanting anything at all. Like I shouldn't enjoy certain songs more than others or prefer certain foods. Even middle aged people go out of their way to tell a young man like me that I'm weird. They find it strange how I'm constantly composed. Others find me extremely charismatic, and I know they discuss me when I'm not around.

More than anything, I just want to avoid letting my parents down. However there are many things I owe them that I'm afraid a person like me will never be able to deliver.

nctsn.org/treatments-and-practices/psychological-first-aid-and-skills-for-psychological-recovery/about-pfa

i feel like my mind is torturing me
i dont really care for humanity or any of the things people deem important. that doesnt stop my mind from guilting me and antagonizing me to go participate in the world so i can reproduce.

Hey. I feel I am degrading. I feel my mental capabilities are diminished. My grades are inferior, everything harder than basic arithmetics makes me struggle hard. I fell back hard behind my peers. Plus I do feel lonely. Is it a valid therapy query?

I have anxiety every day of every moment. I used to not give a shit when I was 18-23. I'd have my moments where I'd be really anxious and it'd wreck my social life, but overall I could go home, zone out on video games, and not be overcome by constant rumination.

A Im typing, I'm feeling hugely anxious.

It started growing in the last 7 years to the point that I can say that each previous year I was actually better off mentally than I am now. So every year it basically seems like its getting worse from my current perspective.

I wake up, I feel tight chest and holding my breath. I go downstairs. Same. I try to wash dishes, same. I try to realx? same. Im literally 100% anxiety all the time now.

Oh, side note, I'm constantly thinking about things, sometimes I think constantly about something and I think its because Im probably trying to distract myself from pressing real issues.

Sometimes I'm trying to get real pressing issues done, like laundry, and Im still fucking close to a heart attack while thinking of other things while trying to work.

WHen I go to bed I try to stop thinking but eventually I get lost in thoughts again about problem solving some issue that I know I shouldn't worry about or be thinking of. Its like ocd,.

One last point. THe moment I try doing things which I know to be important for my wellbeing and mental health, like laundry, doing dishes, cleaning room, I immediately feel tired and get more and more tired as I try to act. The only thign I can manage to do consistently for hours on end is troll forums and reddit. WEverything else exhausts me, but even the forum and reddit use is exhausting.

bump

I wish I could’ve pleased my dad and become an engineer, but this shit never fucking interested me.

You might actually be right, I’m going through a manic phase right now it seems. My thoughts are faster than usual, they’re also bolder than usual (thinking about killing people which I never do, thinking about world domination and weird shit). Idk what the fuck is happening man, feels like I’m going mad or something. But at the same time, I still don’t feel like doing anything except staying glued on my phone.

you could've pleased your dad and still not gone to engineer school. I mean, a dick sucking is just 5 minutes. Engineer school is lifelong and sucks you dry. You seriously cant stop learning, you're like a nerdy shark who can't stop swimming. If you stop, you're worthless.