Depression

[gillian1986]

Recently i have been feeling really drepressed, i've been having terrible mood swings and have been taking it out mainly on my boyfriend. This has been going on several months and i decided that i needed to go and see my doctor, who gave me a 'quiz' to fill in about my feelings! i filled it in and she referred me to a mental health worker!but the problem is they rang to make an appointment today and the earliest available appointment is the 31st july! i really dont think i can cope feeling like this for much longer! is there nothing else anyone can do? or i can do? any advice would be hugely appreciated. thanks in advance

[jababe]

Hi, Sorry you've been feeling like this and I can sympathize as I've been there myself. I have had the pills and councelling and believe me, things do get better.

It sounds to me like you've been a little stressed and you are feeling emotions that you're not used to and It's making you feel a bit depressed. My advice to you is try and have some time to yourself to relax and think about whats making you stressed and try to deal with it one thing at a time. Also, think about everything good in your life and relish that and you will be surprised at how much better you feel.

[showcatbenga]

If your doctor had thought you were simply depressed he would have offered you some kind of anti-depressant & or cognitive behavior therapy. You may have expressed a wish not to take 'pills' & in line with this you've been referred.
If not, I suspect that he hasn't because he thinks that your condition isn't this simple.
Go back to your GP & ask him to explain why he feels that this is the best option for you & what you should expect from your meeting with the mental health worker.
The latest approach for mental health issues is a bit confusing if you haven't come accross it before but it basically involves creating a plan 'for recovery' with your mental health worker. Which means finding out about things that make you feel better & the triggers that make you feel worse. You are encouraged to take responsibility for you own mental health in that once you know how to keep yourself 'well' you will do that, either with or without medical support.
Try not to panic but go back to your GP, book a double appointment & talk about how you feel. Make some notes before you go so that you remember to mention the things you don't understand or that are bothering you the most.
Above all don't suffer in silence. I know it's really hard to talk about how you're feeling but it is an important part of your recovery. Visit MIND, the mental health charity, who will offer you some support, can put you in touch with other service users & may be able to offer a mentor. Let us know how you get on - I know everything is a huge effort now & you probably get angry & frustrated at the silliest little things but it's all part of the same problem - keep going, you will get better, it just takes time - x.

[showcatbenga]

Sorry! I forgot to add that one 30 minute brisk walk a day is as good as taking a 'prozac' anti-depressant. Get your boyfriend or a sympathetic girlfriend to go for a walk with you every day.
Be 'nice' to yourself. It's not being over indulgent, it's what you need right now. Give yourself permission to have a 'duvet day', veg out in front of the TV or to do absolutely nothing. Whatever you really feel like doing....but then temper this with making yourself do something that you used to enjoy but have stopped.