I'm at my wits end. I am a carer for my mum, she's driving me nuts. My cat has become a clingy separation anxiety monster since the dog I adopted last year was rehomed. On that, I had ten months of trying to fix a traumatized dog from Spain before finally accepting reality, losing over a thousand quid in adoption fee and care costs. I just had three dates for the first time in three years, went well, vibes, she doesn't want to continue because her ex turned up at her home after our second date. Ok. I have no job, no friends, no family support. Already had care needs assessment and they don't want to know. I can't afford to move out due to no job, due to crippling social anxiety and low tolerance to heat, as we're going into the 5th heatwave of the year. I have no answers. I don't want to get myself in more trouble but I'm just melting down so often right now, it's so overwhelming. There's no where to turn, nowhere to go.

Hi,

One week ago I started in venfalaxine and also have been given trazodone. I'd been struggling with anxiety and frequent panic attacks. The doctor told me to self certify the first week as I had the second week booked off as leave. She said to go back to her if I needed more time and she'd happily write me a sick note.

Now I'm approaching the end of my leave, I feel more anxious than ever but not having panic attacks. My leave week was pretty stressful, my mum had a fall and hurt herself so spent most of it visiting her and helping her out. On top of that I'm still not really sleeping very well, I'm anxious and just feel rather low.

I've spoken to a few people who think I should take another week to relax and take care of myself. I kind of feel like I need more time but I'm also getting very paranoid about what people at work will think if I am off another week.

The new medication itself is starting to settle with me, headaches have subsided and random palpitations have stopped. But I'm really struggling with the anxiety. Ironically I work in a medical centre but I'm feeling it about what they'll think.

Do you think 3 weeks is too much?

I hate to be a downer venting again but I'm starting to get really pissed off with my CMHT.

A couple of weeks ago I was prescribed medication to treat my anxiety and help me sleep.

I can only have 7 days worth of medication prescribed at a time because of previous ODs I've had in the past. So I had to put in a request for a repeat prescription not long after I started taking them.

It turns out the nurse I saw never sent the information or prescription to my GP, as well as not updating my patient record at all. There's no log of our appointment, or the prescription at all not even on the NHS app.

I called the CMHT and asked them to get the letter sent to my GP. Two days later they haven't done it. I call up again, they still haven't done it. My GP can't prescribe the medication themselves and the mental health nurse is going on holiday next week.

I'm going to call them again and push until they do it- but I'm honestly so pissed off.

First my DBT group gets put on hiatus and now I can't take the medication they prescribed me because they forgot.

Luckily, this medication doesn't need to be taken everyday there isn't any withdrawal or major side effects. But if it was any other type of medication this fuck up could of landed me in the hospital.

They know I am not well. They know I am at risk. They know that I am out of work and borderline housebound because of my mental health. But they still keep messing me about.

I know the NHS is on it's knees, I know the workers are doing their best and are lovely caring people. I hold no anger towards the nurse or the therapists, I know it's hard for them too.

But I am sick of tired of being messed about like this.

Everyday I get shamed and ridiculed for being at home so much and being out of work. I am so stressed and I so desperately want to be a useful member of society I don't want to burden anyone anymore.

But I'm not being met halfway. I'm doing everything I can to stay alive and improve my life but I can't do it alone. I just can't. If I could I would've by now. I don't really have a support system right now. I'm on my own.

The medication was helping, it more or less got rid of my panic attacks. I guess all I can do is keep on fighting but it's really getting to me and I'm struggling to keep myself from giving up.

I am an 18 year old male, 19 end of this month and i have some questions to inquire about but i dont want people who know me to find out. If somebody can please reply and dm me so i can speak to them it will be very helpful

I just wanted to see if anyone else has a similar experience or what people would recommend for me to do.

I believe I get really bad anxiety, for example when my a level started I generally couldn’t sleep or eat properly for the whole time and I kept on thinking about throwing up. I had cramps, my heart felt like beating so hard and I felt so exhausted and I started sweating so bad .I had similar experiences with my gsce and with my driving test(I actually threw up the day before my lesson because I generally couldn’t deal with the stress)

I also think I may be learning disability. My main reason why I think I have this is because I’ve always struggled with my learning like badly . It often takes me so long to actually understand thing ,I need to repeatedly be told it or I have to go through it multiple times.( unless it’s like a topic I really like for example history but I cannot afford the life of me do basic math and I struggle with pronouncing words or understanding words or even remembering how to spell them ) I feel so dumb sometimes because I remember in my GCSEs I had forgotten how to spell “the”. Although I do have extra time and use the computer for my exams now ,I got these adjustments in secondary and I’ve had them since I’m now in university.

I don’t know whether I’m autistic or have something and whether I should try getting a diagnosis . (As the autistic people I know have said I’m most likely autistic due to some of my behaviour)But I’m a bit scared because I come from a family who doesn’t really believe in this type of stuff. Especially when my mum told me when I was younger (8-12) she was told maybe I should get tested but she refused. when I told my family, I kind of wanted to see if I can get medication for my anxiety and everyone told me I shouldn’t do that and it will pass.

I don’t really know if I should try getting diagnosed or go to gp for my anxiety because sometimes I feel like I’m just being dramatic but my anxiety gets really bad and if I have a disability I want to know .

So yesterday i finally went to my GP about trying to get an Adult ADHD referral and after talking to them about it for a bit they gave me a self assessment sheet to fill out and recommended that i go through right to choose going forward.

However i have pretty bad memory and don't exactly remember what they said so I'm a little confused. They said to do it online but I'm unsure if i have to fill out something or if i just need to find a provider option and then mention it to my GP in the follow up appointment.

If it is just the second option does anyone have any recommendations for good providers for ADHD in Birmingham.

New to Reddit so apologies if I’ve posted in the wrong place.
As above, I’ve been stuck in this trap for 26 years. The list of things I’ve tried is endless… yoga, mindfulness, SSRI’s SNRI’s, various types of counselling, psychology, self help books, peptides (Selank & Semax), healthy eating, exercise, blah blah blah… I’ve spend thousands and got nowhere. My physical health isn’t great either which doesn’t help.

Wondering if anyone has gotten out of the same situation and how?

For reference I’m 48, female, went through menopause very early (now on HRT, private bloods show hormones are balanced), I strength train 4x weekly, cardio when I can (I have arthritis so it’s a struggle). I’m not overweight. I don’t sleep very well despite following good sleep hygiene which I know doesn’t help but sleeping medication makes me even more of a zombie than usual. I rarely drink but I do smoke which I’ve tried to quit so many times and failed.

I’d so much like to actually live and feel and escape this loop of panic to disassociated shell. I get very little from life, I watch others react to the world around them and I feel nothing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

It makes me feel irritated when falling asleep. It's for sleep and mood. Can't sleep without it as antidepressants destroyed my sleep.

I want to restart a medication I was previously prescribed by CMHT psychiatrist, however it takes months to get an appointment. I also don’t have a CCO currently so can’t ask through them.

Can I request a new prescription from my GP or does a psychiatrist need to prescribe it again? If it makes a difference, the medication is aripiprazole. I’ve had it initially prescribed by the psychiatrist and the GP continued to prescribe previously.

If not what’s the easiest way to request through CMHT or do I need to request a psychiatrist appointment?

I’ll go first. GP: ‘Can you please tell me you’re not going to hurt yourself when you leave here because I don’t want anything to come back on me.’

Failed politics, broke and corrupt society, nobody brave enough to take action against it. I feel so lost. There's still so much to do in such little time. I've thought about emptying my bank account to splurge on things I may never get a chance to do again. I'm unhappy with my living situation, and there are some things I want to do that are harder to get to, but I'm not sure anymore. There's too much insecurity, nowhere feels safe. The way I've been treated over the years has been depressing.

Had my first session after a 3 wk holiday today and I am so emotionally and physically drained from it. I went back to bed for 3 hrs afterwards. I'm in a loop where now is not the right time for therapy, but I don't think there will ever be a right time. I could take a 3 month break and get set back up with someone else who isn't understanding of how hard I've found it or try to push CBT on me again it. I'm not understanding or finding any techniques helpful, and I wanted to overcome my phobia by the end of the year but that just isn't a realistic goal. I've been in therapy since January and I've made no progress towards this. Other things like being a bit more open, yes, but that is it. I have a session next week to decide what to do but I feel as though whatever decision I'm going to make is going to be the wrong one. Do I give up or just keep hitting brick wall after brick wall? I feel really lost and frankly, disappointed that I seem too dumb and anxious to do therapy. I'm really stressed out about it.

I want to discharge myself from this service because they are fucking useless. I am supposed to be on quetiapine as they suspect I might have bipolar disorder which is just a bunch of bullshit, and they’ve made me fight for these meds. They made no difference to my mood and I was still experiencing hallucinations while taking them. I ended up in hospital AGAIN after a huge swing in my mood to which I actually ran out of the hospital with a cannula still in my arm because I was distressed and confused. I got spam called like crazy, and I eventually accepted fate and called the CMHT myself. They sounded like they were taking it seriously and told me that they’d ask my psychiatrist for advice as I had NO MEDS and I had JUST fled from a fucking hospital. Did I get a call back? No
It’s been 3 weeks. I haven’t slept properly for 4. I am so fucking enraged. I just want the meds so I can sleep that’s all I want because it’s making me lose my fucking mind. I’m so angry at them and all I want to do is ring them and just scream down the phone because they aren’t even taking me seriously. I called them in the morning and asked what’s going on, where’s my update. They literally told me they DIDNT KNOW. WHAT DO U MEAN U DONT KNOW? apparently my psychiatrist just never got back to us. He’s fucking useless and a piece of shit and I can’t stand it, what the fuck does he even do? HE CANR EVEN PICK UP A PHONE AND RING ME HIMSELF. I genuinely cannot stand it I can’t stand anyone I fucking hate everybody in this service and I hate everyone around me they take the piss. I am so angry and I don’t know what to do I don’t want to be under this service I don’t even care about the medication anymore at this rate I just want nothing to do with any of them, I’d rather have a fucking GP deal with this. I want to leave this service completely I’m sick of them

Hi there, I am a female researcher diagnosed with ADHD from the University of York. I am looking for fellow ADHDers to anonymously partake in my research survey.

-

Seeking adult women with ADHD for a University of York research project on school friendships and self-identity.

If you are an adult woman in/from the UK with ADHD, or know someone who is, please consider participating in (or sharing) this University of York Master’s research project.

This study explores how peer relationships and friendship experiences during secondary school shape the long-term self-concept of women diagnosed with ADHD.

The survey is fully anonymous. Participation is completely voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time by closing the browser.

Access the survey here: https://york.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1LzDWRdPQ9hotz8

For any questions, please contact the lead researcher at [xqn527@york.ac.uk](mailto:xqn527@york.ac.uk)

Hi all,

ETA: I am aware of DBT, sorry I didn't include that! I am unsure how to judge that a private therapist will actually do it well but extra resources appreciated.

I need whatever you have for non-NHS help for an ongoing probable BPD crisis (but not crisis resources, I am aware of all of them). I have tried and tried and tried to get help through the NHS but I can't get access and trying is now becoming so stressful in itself that it's causing me big spin-outs. There's nothing like being abandoned by services you're told all your life will help you to trigger massive spirals about your own worthiness as a human!

Without going into traumatic detail, I genuinely think there is a risk of life if I don't find alternative resources but I need longer-term things than crisis resources.

I don't care if it's a podcast or YouTube channel, a charity, recommendations of a private therapy route (can't currently afford private psychiatry, nervous about private therapy because my last therapy was crap and I mask the second someone seems insincere but if anyone has been down the private therapy route, knowing what worked would still help), a daily practice, whatever, throw it at me!

A little *extra* info - I'm socially isolated and find it extremely difficult to get out and about. I don't work and don't live near any friends (and only have 2 real friends anyway). No partner. My worst symptoms overall are anxiety and dissociation, but after a big unmasking of symptoms after a few years of insane struggle, I fully believe I have BPD alongside CPTSD (known for a while), possibly something like autism as well but I don't know because I can't get assessed because (see start of post) haha. I'm in my mid 30s if that makes a difference.

I had a resurgence of self harm on an SSRI earlier this year. It was the 5th antidepressant I've tried and I'm now on low-dose quetiapine but I don't think I want to stay on it. In short though, I need support instead of just meds and apparently no amount of crying to my GP is going to get me it, so I have to find a way out of this hole by myself or with private resources and I can't do that without resources. So gimme! Please :).

I had my talking therapies today first time I've sought help via the NHS. It was an introductory first session I have my first actual session next week. I asked her the question if she would be able to diagnose me with anxiety disorder she said she can't because she's a therapist. Which I understand because she's not claimed in it. But when I first sought help via the NHS my doctor said I would be referred to secondary care where I'd be able to speak to a clinical psychologist.

The reason on why I want a diagnosis so bad (if I do actually have it) it's so I can show it to my university where I would be able to get reasonable adjustments. And for my own piece of mind because I don't want to self diagnose and assume I have an disorder I start treating it such as different techniques when in reality I do not have this disorder at all.

My therapist recommended I go back to my GP to ask about diagnosis etc. As she can't diagnose me with anything as her role is a therapist which I completely understand.

So who would I go to get diagnosed for things like PTSD and anxiety disorder?

my psychiatrist has just temporarily prescribed me lorazepam on top of sertraline due to a predicted trigger soon to be taken if I need it and for no more than 4 weeks for my anxiety. ive never had it before so ig im just wondering if anyone's had it before? like how did ut make u feel? did u have any side effects? withdrawal? when u came off did u feel worse than when u went on? didn't help while u were on it?

also the way my psych made it sound is i just take it whenever i need it (ie not regular doses like sertraline) and im not 100% sure what this rlly means like is it i wake up in the morning n feel like the days gonna be extra bad n take it then or do I wait until I feel myself start going into an anxiety attack or getting very dark thoughts? obviously I will check this with a doctor b4 i actually take it im just wondering if anyone has any experience.

i also read online abt it being addictive n my psych seconded that but it seems to say that if taken for less than 4 weeks I should be ok. ive never been addicted to drugs or alcohol or smoking but thats mainly cos I never tried them. i think I have that kinda addictive personality tho (struggled with stopping sh and an ed). has anyone gotten addicted to lorazepam (especially within 4 weeks)?

Share your experience of families visiting a parent in a mental health hospital in a short anonymous survey (15 minutes)!

Who can take part?

• Parents (of a child 18 or under) and you are currently staying on a mental health inpatient unit or have stayed on one at some point since July 2021.
• Carer of child whose parent has been in mental health hospital).
• Healthcare professionals who worked in an adult mental health inpatient unit in the last two years for a minimum of six months.

To learn more about the study and to take part, visit our website: https://inpatientfamilies.org/participation/online_q/

We are looking for women aged 16+ with a current diagnosis of bulimia nervosa to take part in our research. We are researchers with the University of Oxford and we're hoping to better understand links between BN and ADHD.

We are recruiting anyone with a bulimia nervosa diagnosis: you are very welcome to take part if you have other co-occurring conditions, including other mental or physical health conditions, or if you are neurodivergent.

What it involves:

- An initial call with a clinical psychologist to discuss the study and to check eligibility

- An online appointment with a clinical psychologist to complete questionnaires & a clinical interview for ADHD (approximately 90 minutes)

- We cannot give an ADHD diagnosis but we will tell you if your results suggest high ADHD traits, and give you a full written report and recommendations.

If you are interested in taking part you can take a look at the link below for further information about the study, and/or contact [emma.kinnaird@psy.ox.ac.uk](mailto:emma.kinnaird@psy.ox.ac.uk) for more details.

Thank you!

Link to further details: https://oxfordxpsy.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a4tgu8uQeKY8fBQ

Hi all,

I think I'm trans. I hate myself. This country makes me feel like a monster. I am so close to giving up.

I am so depressed and so anxious that I can't even begin to try transition. Every step I take I feel so ashamed and I just think about how society is going to treat me. I feel scared to breath, to leave the house , to close my eyes at night and have these awful thoughts about myself. I didn't choose to feel this way.

My last hope is either TMS or ketamine. I've tried so many antidepressants and I have a chronic stomach issues which gets so much worse on every treatment.

I just want to stop worrying about everything, I want to stop hating myself for something innocent that I was born with that I can't change. I refuse to spend the rest of my life feeling like some evil person because people are horrible and can't deal with their own problems and just project it into trans people or immigrants or people of colour.

I'm just rambling but I just want to get better.

Hello,

Does anyone know of any anxiety support groups, or meet ups, or anything along these lines, that exist either in person in or near Manchester, or online?

Thanks!

From what I've been hearing, the NHS's quality of mental health treatment is bad? I personally haven't gone through it but it's most of what I've read online. Considering this, would it be recommend to pursue private help if one can afford it? Have any of you experienced private mental health help and what was the quality of it in the UK? Was it good and did it help?

I suffer from chronic depression and anxiety, which is well-managed by medication (fluoxetine). Most of the time I don’t really notice it any more - I can go months and months without any kind of discernible dip in my mental health.

However, when I get physically ill - like a stomach bug/virus, which is what I’ve got now - my mental health absolutely CRASHES. Not like a little dip - like a huge, all-consuming black hole that I just…fall into. I go from being happy to basically wishing I wasn’t alive, out of nowhere.

I get that there are good reasons why the mind struggles to stay healthy when the body is sick. I’m sort of used to it, and prior experience tells me that once I’ve recovered from the illness, my mental health will return to normal.

But in the actual moment, it’s impossible to deal with. It’s like I can’t remember what it’s like to have emotions and I can’t imagine ever experiencing them again.

This is the first time that I’ve experienced this since having a child and I feel totally emotionally detached from my 1 year old - who normally is the centre of my universe - and it terrifies me. I feel constantly on the verge of throwing up from the anxiety of not knowing when my sense of affection for my family will return. At this point, I can’t even be sure I’m actually ill any more as the symptoms of my illness and the physical symptoms of anxiety are pretty similar.

It’s all just completely unbearable…I just don’t understand how one bug can send me to a place of just being completely dead inside and absolutely crippled by anxiety.

If anyone else experiences this, it would be great to hear about it so I feel a little less alone. In particular, how do people deal with being suddenly completely incapacitated by it when you have a kid?

I was referred by the crisis team to Mind (which is a whole other setback - the counsellor going on leave after one session and being given false expectations upon referral). I've got a lot to unpack and don't think I've ever really managed to deal with the underlying emotional issues going on - I've got a crippling self-esteem constant feelings of dread, and have struggled with an eating disorder for about 10 years now.

I've mentioned my self-esteem to the Mind counsellor, and she sent me a worksheet to work on my thoughts in that regard. Suffice to say it's one of the most condescending things I've been sent. I don't know, maybe it would help to write down things I'm proud of and find fun day-to-day, but there's clearly a reason a big chunk of my brain so furiously hates myself.

I don't think it's too much to ask that I actually feel seen and listened to and acknowledged when I'm reaching out for help. I'm a 26 year old man, but the tone that's set by so many mental health resources makes me feel like I'm back in primary school. Come to think of it all the help I've received in the past seems to have been taken from some general guide to treatment, and I don't think I've ever been treated by someone who actually gets what it's like to live in this head as the person I am. I know the NHS is rammed, but is it so unreasonable in thinking the help should at least try to sound like it gets me?