Monthly Archives: October 2014

Getting Help with Mental Health….or not…

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It is scary, when you need help and there’s no-one there.

There are charities and organizations out there:

Anxiety UK

Mind Charity

Time to Change

 

Unfortunately I have found that a lot of the help out there you have to go and find yourself. When your nervous of social situations and terrified of using the telephone it doesn’t help. Quite often it feels like you just have to be quiet and get on with it but not disturb anyone else with it. Which in the 21st Century is really disgusting!

We had the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) come to our flat as they were ‘Concerned for our welfare’ back in February 2014. We were put on a ‘Vulnerable Adults list’ Were told we’d get a social worker and guess what, nothing happened.

My Doctors Surgery depending on which doctor you see sometimes helps. But when going in and being asked “How can i help you?” when you’ve explained everything going on, doesn’t really help, if i could cope and knew how to fix it i would have already. Trying to get medication from them is difficult as well, because the medication is strong, it cant be put on repeat prescription, i have get an appointment and go into the surgery every time to see the doctor. Which i can understand. But there are no appointments available currently and they would re-order medication over the phone (understandably), but leaves me without medication. So all the work and progress i’ve made could be unravelled.

My Local Council ‘Bury County Council’ Doesn’t seem to have anything set up for people with Mental health Issues, not that i have found. I have asked them on numerous occasions through a variety of different means and they have responded with silence. As with a lot of services is they do have anything its either not on there website or hidden away under loads of different options. The Mind Charity has recently written a report which reveals an ‘Unacceptably low spending on public Mental Health.’ (See the report Here).

Although i agree at times i’m not able to accomplish anything but with the proper help and support not just me but other sufferers would be able to recover or at least cope better with the Issues and get back into society which surely would be good for everywhere. Why people see Mental health as a taboo and something to be brushed away out of sight is beyond me. Hopefully attitudes will change.

A Step forward….

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WOW! What a week, I’ve had. Certainly impressed and proud of myself (something very unusual these days.)

My Parents came up from London, to visit me and my boyfriend, to see how were are doing and to say hello. We had a fabulous time. We went out for meals and went and showed them parts of our city. Lots of people, crowds and noises and coped really well. Did so much, that was so afraid of. Managed huge crowds, being close to police Officers from GMP (Greater Manchester Police) and getting out the flat. Really did have a lovely weather for it too.

We went to the World Famous Bury Market, had a lovely time wandering round. Didn’t have too many issues. While we had a break from the market, we were sat having tea and coffee, and the next table called over a Police Officer who was passing by, to talk to them and although my anxiety & PTSD went through the roof and I had the shakes. I didn’t have a full blown panic attack. Which is a first, esp being that close to a Police Officer. We later went into a local Poundworld and all over the store (Sometimes hidden), they had cardboard cut outs of police officers around the shop. There was one in particular that really did scare me as I just caught it out the corner of my eye. I panicked Swore out loud and literally jumped into this poor lady doing here shopping. Had to apologise and felt so guilty about it. But I calmed down and was able to carry on. The Panic passed really quickly. I even Managed to get a photo taken of me standing next to one of the cardboard “Police Officers.” Sounds really silly, and others wouldn’t give it a second thought but boy it took me some courage. Really pleased and proud of myself for doing it.

The Next day we had a lovely day out in Salford Quays & Media City. Seeing the ITV & BBC Studios and visiting the Lowry outlet Mall (Love the Cadbury shop there), and visited the Imperial War Museum North.

Still a long way to go, but shows I’m coping a lot better.

Me

The Internet is a lifeline….

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The Internet is a lifeline for people who suffer from Mental Health Issues. You can have loads of support from friends and family, but if you’re terrified of social situations it can be very difficult to meet for a coffee or even talk on the phone. People do take it for granted that its easy to walk down to the shops, do your shopping and head back. but when you Suffer from PTSD and scared of the Police (GMP – Greater Manchester Police), like I am. Every time you go out. Its takes hours of planning and building yourself up, not just mentally but physically as well. When i’m having an Anxiety attack, then i’m sweating and shaking profusely and takes a while before i can calm down and build the confidence to head out.

On Days where anxiety is too high or confidence is too low (or both), The internet is a lifeline. It allows you to connect not just to friends, family but online friends and sometimes more importantly other sufferers who are going through what you are. Knowing that its not just you and that other people know exactly how you feel and what your going through, not only helps boost your confidence but you share coping strategies.

I suffer from not only Depression, but Anxiety, Panic attacks and PTSD, as well as some other medical issues. During the course of the day with so much affecting me, my moods can be all over the place. So having access to the internet and my own network of coping strategies (My Blog, Member of several groups, Facebook, Twitter, email etc..) it is an outlet and a release. From one minute to another my mood can change.

I have found that do tend to bottle feelings, emotions and thoughts up inside, and have found it does not help or work and gets ya into a bigger mess and more of a state. However I do find sharing my thoughts and feelings online can be a huge release. It might be difficult and worrying for people to read, but its much better that i’m talking about these feelings and sharing rather than cutting myself off and letting the thoughts fester.  [whohit]Internet-is-a-lifeline[/whohit]

 

life preserver

PTSD – Flashbacks

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Since my Counselling Started to help reduce my Nightmares and flashbacks from events that happened in Nov 2013. I have had a good couple of months without them, but had had the first one in ages the other night. Scared the crap out of my was screaming as i woke. But it didn’t disrupt my whole day like they normally do. Small victory but a huge step forward for me.

Flashbacks are horrible. Takes ya right back there to all the sounds, smells and feelings i had at the time of the incident. Its definately not like recalling a memory. Terrified, but shows the counselling works as i could calm down and more on soon after. It didn’t ruin my whole day.

Flashbacks

Small steps..  [whohit]PTSD-Flashbacks[/whohit]

Steps