Welcome to the Friends, Family and Carers Forum! Introduce yourself here 🙂

[Rocky23]

Yes I do send him texts, it’s all l can do and I leave voicemails for him too. He is seeing a psychologist but it’s not one with experience in PTSD and I know there’s better treatment options available but he doesn’t want me to advise him on that. I’m trying to accept it’s his decision but it’s agony for me. Thanks for responding.

[tyme]

I'm so sorry to hear how agonising it must be for you to watch him in pain @Rocky23 . I'm sure its the last things any parent would want for their children.

At the same time, I hope he will be able to reach out for the right supports.

Do you have any supports in place for yourself? You may be interested in:

ARFMI Carers 1300 554 660

Carer Gateway 1800 422 737 https://www.carergateway.gov.au/

You deserve support too. I am glad you have been able to reach out here.

[Rocky23]

Thanks @tyme for hearing me, yes, I spoke to a psychologist this week but didn’t really gel with them so I’m going to ask for someone else. Have a great day. 

[tyme]

I'm so glad you have been able to speak to someone @Rocky23 

SANE has awesome counsellors if you ever wanted to speak to someone on the Drop-In line Mon-Fri 10am-8pm (AEST). The number is 1800 187 263. There might be a bit of a wait, but once you get on, you can see for yourself.

You can see our services here: https://www.sane.org/get-support

Please continue reaching out. We would love to hear how you are going. 

[DeeKay]

Hi all, newbee here 🐝 

My partner of nearly 4 years has been battling depression and anxiety since his late teens (he’s now 33) and has been on medication for most of it.

These past few months he’s been struggling really badly - his GP organised a mental health care plan and referred him to a psychiatrist and psychologist for specialised help.

It’s been very frustrating and discouraging to see how slow the mental health care machine is and we haven’t been able to get any real help so far.
The only thing that’s helping a bit is more medication. He’s feeling alone and exhausted.

I hate to see him like this, he is the nicest, most loving person and he does not deserve to be in so much pain.

I’m trying my best to be there for him but I feel powerless and I often ask myself if I could do more, and how.

I’m very glad I found this forum and I look forward to learning from everybody’s experiences 😊

[PizzaMondo]

Hi @DeeKay 

Firstly, sending you a warm welcome! I am glad you have found this space and community! 🙂

I can imagine it's been a difficult journey for you and your partner who has had a long-term battle with depression and anxiety. Being a carer, I know it can have an effect on our personal mental health and wellbeing also, but it sounds like you care for your partner very much and that you believe in his recovery.

Being a part of the health care system myself, I would like to empathise with the frustration that comes with accessing care, support and medication for our health issues. We are faced with incredible barriers (and delays!), and I just want you to know that you are not alone in this experience.

I encourage you to check out other posts on supporting loved ones with anxiety and depression, as well as self-care practices for yourself.

Kind regards,

PizzaMondo 🙂

[Carla13]

Hi 👋 I am happy to have found a support community. My daughter who isv18 now has borderline personality disorder, ptsd, depression and high functioning autism. I really would appreciate how other carers manage with these mental health issues.

[RiverSeal]

Hi @Carla13 

Welcome to the Forums and thank you for posting about your daughter here!

It sounds really challenging to be dealing with so much as a parent and you are demonstrating how much you care by reaching out for support and guidance from other carers. These can be the first steps in coping and heading towards recovery for your daughter as you gain knowledge from shared experiences with others. There is also ReachOut for parents and carers and they offer a range of services including 1:1 support.

I can't speak as to how other carers manage these MH issues with loved ones but I thought I would check in with you about the support your daughter has in place. I will list a few here but please let us know if there is anything else you have questions about. Please see a few services below:

• A Safe Place to Chat Anonymously, Get Support & Feel Better | ReachOut Australia
• headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation
• Beyond Blue | 24/7 Support for Anxiety, Depression and Suicide Prevention
• Support for young people | Head to Health

I hope this helps and is a good start in your journey to supporting your daughter. Please stay connected here on the Forums and with other supports and continue to share your experiences and challenges with others.

Take Care

RiverSeal

[Carla13]

Yes I have tried numerous supports as her MH issues started when she was 14 years old. One of the problems I am having is that my daughter is highly intelligent, but she will not even try to help her self. I have been told by professionals that I am not providing enough boundaries for her. It is really difficult as she has been suicidal 😔. I know I am very scared that one day this may happen.

[RiverSeal]

@Carla13 

Thanks for replying!

Sounds really tough when your daughter won't help herself but that is often the way with MH. People often don't see what others see particularly loved ones and parents. It is ultimately up to your daughter to engage with treatment however that looks for her. Maybe medications to therapy either face to face or digitally. 

Having a lack of insight into one's own situation is called anosognosia is is quite common and something I experienced too. A person has to want to change and be able to see that things need to change in order for them to really start that process. Continually encouragement and support from you as a parent is sometimes all you can do and that can be really challenging for you. 

It sounds like you have a lot of resilience to have been dealing with this since your daughter was 14 years old. You are looking after yourself by reaching out for support but please remember to take care of yourself too. 

The community is here to support you so please post and share your thoughts and feelings.

Take care

RiverSeal