Ask Anything Monday!

[NikNik]

Happy Monday and Mental Health Week everyone,

Thank you @JackJane for your response last week. This week's question is about maintaining motivation to maintain self care:

As someone with mental health issues, I find exercise very helpful for me. Working out gives me something to focus on instead of my mental health.

But sometimes I struggle.

I'm on meds, and I see a psychologist. I'm doing what I can to take the best care of myself, but I'm finding myself a bit stuck. So I ask you all - how do you keep up a routine when you feel that way? What motivates you when you've lost all motivation? It doesn't have to be about exercise, but just part of your routine that is part of your treatment. Thanks you!

[Appleblossom]

Exercise can be a wonderul tonic and I have done a range of activities ... swimming, yoga, dance, walking, tai chi ... to keep my body active.

Yes, Exercise is a great distraction from MI with excellent sife effects ... but sometimes I just cant do it ... going gently bentley helps me ... maybe sometimes we actually need to focus more on the aspect of MI that is presenting at the time, rather than be worried about being too much on a clockwork schedule. 

It can become another thing our inner critic uses to undermine confidence ... I am trying to learn to trust my own process.

[Former-Member]

Ummm it depends on how bad I get.... When I'm really unwell:

I find asking other people (external motivation?) to help me out keeps me going.

I've had freinds that have called each morning to make sure I wake up and get out of bed.

I've had my parents pop by and help me clean the house each week.

I schedule a weekly walk with a friend when I'm not up for going to the gym by myself.

But as part of my regular 'well' routine, I guess scheduling the important things (exercise, food, social life, cleaning, relaxation exercises) by sitting down with my diary for the week ahead and penciling them in and breaking down tasks I have to do into tiny little steps and only doing one step at a time are the two strategies that really help me. 

If you don't do any form of relaxation exercise/mindfulness I really recommend it. I do progressive muscle relaxation tapes and they really help me.

[NikNik]

Happy Monday All!

Thanks @Former-Member and @Appleblossom for responding last week! I'm sure your response was greatly appreciated.

This week's question -

I've never been fully diagnosed with anything before, and I think it's because I can't 100% open up to my psychologist. I haven't even begun to tell anyone about the full extent of the things. Before a session I always work up the courage to tell her, but then in the session I lose my nerve. I just answer the questions I'm asked and am not very forth coming with information.

Any suggestions?

[Former-Member]

While at home write down all you go through, & feel. Do not leave anything out, be truthful & detailed.
Hand it to your psychologist next visit. Then you both can go from there. I did this once many years ago, and the outcome was amazing.
I hope I helped you!
Bye 4 Now!
Bella 🙂

[NikNik]

Happy Monday!

Thanks @Former-Member for sharing your practical advice!

This week I have posted this question in both Forums (Lived Expeirence and Carers) because I think both groups will have some good insights. The question is:

I am travelling long term around the world with my husband and I am looking for help managing and understanding my Bipolar II.

Is there a way to access the Australian Mental Health system from overseas? For example: Skype conversations with a professional, or some kind of online e-resource course.

[JackJane]

Some specialists like Psychiatrists do tele-psychiatry, but I would think that needs to be organised before you left Australia?  I would think it would have to be organised from referral from your Doctor, so may be worth contacting Medicare and finding out if you can do that even though you're overseas.  Not quite sure how that works.  I don't think many Psychiatrists do tele-psychiatry, let alone with a 'new' patient.

I did enquire with a Pain Specialist who did appointments via Skype or the like, but I would have needed to have an initial session or two, and then he would decide if I was suited to sessions like that for ongoing treatment (either regular or as needed).  Travelling to sessions is a major issue for me, and very few therapists will do sessions at home - and am yet to meet a Psychiatrist who will !

Can you contact your Doctor or specialist in Australia for some help on this?

Here is a link about tele-psychiatry from the RANZCP website - Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists - https://www.ranzcp.org/Mental-health-advice/guides-for-the-public/Telepsychiatry.aspx

and also: https://www.ranzcp.org/Publications/Telehealth-in-psychiatry.aspx

or even: https://www.ranzcp.org/Files/Resources/RANZCP-Medicare-benefits-for-Telepsychiatry.aspx

I hope you find help while travelling.  Take care.

JJ.

[NikNik]

HHHheeellooooo Monday Morning!

A big shout out to @JackJane for helping out last week! Thank you!

This week's question is something all of us who have seen a professional can answer -

I started counselling today but I'm not sure we really mesh. How do I know if it's her or if I'm just reacting to things I don't want to hear? How many sessions does it take to decide that you don't mesh?

Thanks !

[Mazarita]

First of all, congratulations on getting to your first appointment. It's a big step starting counselling of any kind if we are not familiar with what it can be like.

I have had two first meetings with therapists where I simply knew it wasn't going to work out and never went back. These were fairly extreme cases though. One was a psychotherapist who just sat there while I did all the talking. It was a harsh form of therapy as it unnerved me greatly that I go no responses from him. He literally said no more than 10 words the whole time (until he explained at the end how continued sessions would be the same and how I might be in therapy with him for a long time). Another therapist had right-wing political literature in his waiting room and was cold and aggressive in his approach to me, neither of which I appreciated.

In most cases, though, I will give a therapist at least a few sessions to work out whether it's possible I might get something from the treatment. I think you are right to question whether you are just reacting to things you don't want to hear. If I was you, I'd try again. But if you still have the same doubts after a few sessions, I'd consider changing therapists.

[kenny66]

I have seen a few councillors in my day.

I found the first meeting is more sounding each other out. Whether she can form a relationship with you and/or you can form a relationship with her.

Usually I find it isn't until the third or fourth meeting that you can start getting into things comfortably.

It is not possible for a councillor to be making judgements about you at the first meeting.

Like love, councillor patient relationships take a long time to cultivate and mature. Also like love there are some good and bad partnerships.

separate the difference as to what are obvious and meaningful insightful truths from her and general councillor speak used by lazy rote councillors.

I find that you generally instinctively gel with the good ones. My experience has been there are less good than bad.