i'm worried about my mum. we bought an old house 2-3 years ago, and we can't afford to do any of the renovations so the house isn't in the best condition. she is struggling to pay for everything, as she and my dad are divorced and he isn't a part of our life's, besides when he refuses to pay child support and help with school fees etc for me and my brother. what i'm trying to say, is that i'm really worried. lately she has been more down than usual, and is just sick of her life. she is saying she just can't see the point to life anymore, and that she isn't sure how much longer she can keep going on like this. she says this isn't how she imagined her life, and that my brother and i are the only good thing in her life, but it seems like that isn't enough. she had a boyfriend who can be wonderful for her, but he gets moody and sometimes gets in bad moods, which then leads to my mum being even worse. i don't know how to help her

Hi dr Kim the problems I have are various. I have type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, arthritis in both knees, Which makes it almost impossible to walk any distance, or stand to do the dishes at home. A mental health social worker, suggested I go into an age care facility. because I was having som difficulties at home, which also included cleaning myself after going to the toilet. I have requested on several occasions to see a mental health worker, with there gp. I am still waiting for that to happen. Also I have requested to see there gp then two days later I will ask again then again two days later. I have seen him recently. But I have had a very bad rash in my groin area. (Very painful) I have to chase the staff to get the location put on me if I dont remind them I dont get it.

Basically I want someone to talk to about my depression. And give me some tools to deal with it I am all alone in here. My family don't come in and visit nor do any friends.

Kanga

Hi Dr kim,

I'm unable to explain things behind this however, I wondering About someone who been through unimaginable trauma and has been diagnosed with acute stress disorder/ ptsd, their main support person knows 110% of the traumatic experience which affect them also; is it possible for them to suffer a secondary ptsd even though they didn't witness the event?but did witness the aftermath? This person has bad anxiety it has increased since and frequent nightmares and flashbacks?

sarah jhsbakd said:i'm worried about my mum. we bought an old house 2-3 years ago, and we can't afford to do any of the renovations so the house isn't in the best condition.  

You sound like a lovely, empathic young person to worry about your mum like this. It is really hard to see  someone you love obviously struggling and being sad and not knowing what to do. It is doubly hard I think when that person is kind of the one you feel should be the strong one in the family and is not being able to be so. 

I have some important advice for your family. It is important that everyone takes care of themselves. You and your brother need to be kids and your mum needs to be the parent. Its better for everyone that way. 

You need time to grow up into an adult and finish school and become strong and healthy physically and emotionally so that you can support yourself and be really happy in your own life some day.

Your mum needs to be able to sort herself out so that she can feel proud of her parenting and her choices. The thing is-  YOU can’t sort her out . She needs to do it. You are just a young person ( I gathered this as you are still at school) and I don't think you can take on the responsibility to make everything ok for her.

I strongly suggest that you get some support for yourself and even your  family maybe via a Headspace centre or via eHeadspace if you can’t get to a centre.

You might need help to sort out how to suggest to mum the services she might need to help with her depression or financial difficulties, but please do not for a moment rob yourself of your childhood by taking on all the problems for her. It also robs her of her right to be the parent. So just encourage and support her to get as better as she can and get support where she can … but then put ALL your energy into your school work and being healthy and fit mentally and physically.

She’s not lying when she says you guys are the best things in her life - continue to work hard at being YOUR best self and allow her to continue on HER journey.

kanga_brumby said:

Hi dr Kim the problems I have are various. I have type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, arthritis in both knees, Which makes it almost impossible to walk any distance, or stand to do the dishes at home.

Hi there, If I understand your situation correctly , you are currently in an Aged Care Facility and have multiple medical conditions which make you physically uncomfortable but your main 2 issues are
1. not feeling cared for by the health team at the facility 
2. depression and loneliness

If I am on the right track, may I suggest a couple of options..
- for the first issue. I would suggest that you make a regular appointment with your GP . Say every fortnight initially. This will give you plenty of time to get to know each other and cover any grumbling medical complaints and make sure that you feel you have a handle on things and get to know the system there at the centre.

Continue trying to get to see a mental health worker. You may also need regular scheduled consultations with the health nurse for dressings or checks on  wounds or rashes . Again this allows you to get to know the staff and for them to get to know you. 

- secondly, loneliness is not a good friend to depression, So I suggest you get proactive and make some changes. Can you maybe reach out to family members or old friends and suggest an outing ? a movie / a cup of tea . Waiting for them to come visit is obviously not working so ring them and ask for a visit or an outing and see if that works better. 

I may also suggest looking to see if the facility you live in organises any outings for residents (some do !). Push yourself to get involved there. I’m not sure if you are physically well enough, but some people like to get involved with support groups or volunteerism. Some men have enjoyed company at Mens Shed  ( http://mensshed.org ) or you might try something like an Op Shop or other volunteer opportunities (https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org )
 

anonymous179 said:

Hi Dr kim,

I'm unable to explain things behind this however, I wondering About someone who been through unimaginable trauma 

Being upset after hearing about the trauma that someone else has experienced is definitely a possibility.  Think about the outpouring of grief that happens after a senseless death - say like after the Lindt Cafe killing or the recent Bourke St Mall trauma. Many people who were not there, still brought flowers and letters because they felt so upset and that their feeling of safety had somehow been violated by these events. Many said things like  “i just felt it could have been me".

Mental health workers who debrief people after trauma need debriefing themselves so they don’t end up mentally unwell themselves . After a young person dies, often schools provides counsellors at the school to class mates . So, I think there ar plenty of examples of people feeling upset about a trauma that happened to someone else.

With the situation you described, it seems that it is even more intense as the person you are thinking of knows the person involved directly and you knows all the details of the trauma in great detail … so I think it is not a great mystery as to how this might be affecting on this “support” person.

I suggest this support person get some help themselves . It isn’t weird at all to do that at it may help prevent longer term issues.

Dr kim sometimes when I request to see the gp I will have to wait two - three weeks to see him. I have requested a mental health worker on two separate occasions. No joy there either still waiting. I get rashes in the groin area. The gp writes up a script and treatment. Then I have to chase the staff to implement the treatment that is written up. Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't. This facility is supposed to be one of the better ones.

Hello Dr. Kim,

i have had OCD since I was 8 (undiagnosed until I was 20) and anxiety in one form or another for as long as I can remember. I also have suffered from severe health anxiety for the last ten years which has become more of a panic disorder (focusing mainly on the fear of cancer) in the last few years due to a traumatic medical emergency shortly after the birth of my son (which resulted in an emergency hysterectomy) and a whole bunch of PTSD from that event.

Despite all this, I'm a fairly highly functioning anxious person. I have an incredible husband, beautiful child, dream job I love, I've been able to study and retain meaningful friendships and am part of a church community where I volunteer.

I have always cooperated with, and sought out help from my GP, counsellor, psychologist and psychiatrist. I've been on medication for 9 years, and although I've attempted a few times I haven't successfully come off it. I try to excersize, live a healthy lifestyle and practice prayer/mindfulness etc. I also attend a mental health support group.

here's the thing, I don't know if I'm getting better, ever. I'm doing everything I can. It's exhausting. I broke down last year and took myself to the ED where I was sent home as I didn't have a suicide plan (or that's what it seemed like). I get a little better, then a lot worse, I don't want this to be the rest of my life. I'm alive but not enjoying living. Do you think that recovery is possible? What more can I do to recover?

Sorry for how long this is, and thank you!!!

Amberlourob said:

Hello Dr. Kim,

i have had OCD since I was 8 (undiagnosed until I was 20) and anxiety in one form or another for as long as I can remember.

I don’t know if you have any idea how amazing you are ! You are a poster child for OCD management!!! I wish all my patients were as diligent as you are in managing their symptoms. 

You are cooperative, compliant with treatment regimes including medication, you invest in your social supports & appreciate your family relationships, you exercise, hold down a job and practice mindfulness. You even attend a support group! 

Honestly you are doing EVERYTHING and you should be so proud of yourself. 

This is what I think of your question… 

You probably have anxiety in your gene pool ( given you have had it since 8 yrs old), and maybe if you hadn’t done all this work over so many years, not only might you have worse symptoms but you might also have a life in tatters… The fact that you do all this stuff means that you hold things together, that you can be “ highly functioning” . If you didn’t , you may not be. 

So, yes it is exhausting to have to work so hard just to feel OK, but the alternative is not doing it and feeling terrible. Will you ever recover to the point of not having to do any work to feel just ok ? Thats a hard question to answer. I don’t really know, but I tell people that many patients have anxiety for life, with periods of time where if doesn’t bother them so much and other periods where it really flares up and gives them a lot of trouble. Getting to the point where you can feel 100% certain that you will never have it again is unlikely - actually I don’t ANYBODY can be assured of that! 

Enjoying being alive isn’t the same as not being anxious. To maximise your “enjoyment" of living .. try exploring things that really inspire you - hiking , painting, study , volunteering … or look more broadly , even at stuff like this http://www.thebookoflife.org/ for inspiration.

PS dont stress about staying on the medication. If it helps you to be your best self - stay on it.
PPS Did I say how amazing you are ?!
 

Hi Dr. Kim

I am depressed caused by being so sad. I am married with no kids. For more than 10 years being with my partner I felt the sadness lately. i feel that no care and love between us. Our life become just a routine- work-house-work. We do not talk a lot and my partner is just happy watching TV. I miss the old days that we use to be like friends. Even for a chat my partner is not interested. It has come to a point where, we always fight for non sense thing. I wanted to go out of this relationship my partner doesn't want to. But I feel so sad and empty and seems that I have no one to talk to.

Hi Dr Kim.

So I'm 16 and am doing Year 11 units 1 and 2 of VCE. last year i missed essentially half the year due to hospital admissions. I'm doing alright at the moment but my question is how do I go about getting into my old study habbits? I didnt do essentially any homework last year. I read your answer about why we are so tired and as I do unit 3 and 4 psychology i've just learnt about neurotransmitters so it makes complete sense. I have no motivation what so ever and find myself crying in class because not i cant do the work as such but i actually cant in the sense that its too hard to do not the work is too hard. does that make sense?

Hi Mrs Dools,

I've been reading through this thread for some peace of mind (going through some anxiety/low moods) and your question to Dr Kim re: disassociation and her response has helped my day seem a bit clearer.

So, thank you for asking that question as it has brought a little piece of mind to my current situation.

Grateful,

Faithh x

Hi Dr Kim,

I'm prescribed with a certain medication for my anxilty and I have been taking it for 5 days.

I experienced a alot of side effects from this medication for the first 5 days including symptoms like very low mood, more depressed, sweating, increased agitation, insomnia, burning skin sensation. I feel it makes me much more depressed comparing when I was not on this medication before. I occasionally feel extremely depressed and agitated and out of control.

I have spoken to my GP about it and he wants me to continue this medication. However, i feel those side effects are too strong that I need raise my consern.

Should i continue this medication or find other assistance?

Jason

Drake said:

Hi Dr. Kim

I am depressed caused by being so sad. I am married with no kids. 

Thank you for your post. I think you might have just taken your first small step towards a new life. It is clear the old one isn't what you want and isn't enough for you.

So I suggest you start to think about becoming the best version of yourself over time. Being happy is a journey, is what you do and how you treat yourself and others each day. I don't see it as a place you reach and then you just don't have to do anything any more.

So- where to start? I think you might have to take very small steps forward so you don't feel overwhelmed or don't set yourself up to fail.

It might be that you start with getting really fit and healthy in yourself. Eating well and exercising regularly . Then you might think of taking on a Mindfulness course or practice via an app ( try Headspace !) 

Then you might be ready to find what brings you creativity or relaxation or excitement in your life . Is it a hiking group ? A book group? Taking on study of some sort ? Or a craft ? Or maybe volunteering? 

I don't know you well enough to make suggestions that will "hit the mark" but the goal is to be YOUR best happiest self. Once you are on the road with that I guess it might be time to tackle your marriage. At least at that point you will be tackling it from a position of strength. Knowing more about yourself and what brings you joy . I think you will then be in a better position to make decisions about what to do and be able to feel stronger putting them into action. 

You may need the support of a  counselor to guide you over the coming months . See your GP to get some advice on this.

Good luck on your journey towards feeling happier and more connected and engaged in your world.

Hi Jasom, as we noted at the start of this thread, Dr Kim cannot provide advice on medications - these concerns are best discussed offline with health professionals. 

SarahLulu said:

Hi Dr Kim.

So I'm 16 and am doing Year 11 units 1 and 2 of VCE. 

Firstly , I want to congratulate you on getting back to school. It can be really daunting to get back into school after an absence - so well done to you for your efforts. 

Education and sticking at school is super important for a whole lot of reasons so i am going to encourage you to find a way to finish school or  TAFE some how  some way. It may be by doing it over 3 years instead of the usual 2 years, or via an alternative route like through an adult learning centre where you can do the subjects at different hours and not in a school setting. 

However, school is ideal as you get the social supports, teacher input and school structures that really help.

Neurobiology has taught us that “neurons that fire together, wire together”. This means that the more we do something, the easier it becomes for our brains to do. A good illustration of this is learning to play the piano. When you first start, your fingers feel really awkward and its hard to do both hands at once and read the music as well! But as you repeat, repeat, repeat .. your brain eventually starts to strengthen the  neural pathways that tell what to do and somehow it all comes more “naturally” and you just can do it.

The same principle applies to any habit or new skill we wish to get our brains to learn . We have to repeat, repeat , repeat in order for it to just become “natural”. This applies to routines , like study routines or thinking habits too. 

So I suggest that you start to retrain your brain to study again in very small steps. Start with 10 or 15 minute sessions or activity and see if you can train your brain to do the same things at the same times each day. 

For example, you might start with 
1. I come home from school and spend 5 minutes planning my evening
2. I have 1/2 hour break where I have something to eat and walk around the block
3. I sit down, turn off my phone and do15 minutes reading / school work
4. I make a cup of herbal tea 
5. I do another session of 15 minutes 
6. I congratulate myself and relax for the evening

Now you may need to build this up as you progress through the year. But you will be training your brain into having ANY sort of routine and concentration. The first few weeks of this will feel awful . There will be days that you feel that you can’t do it but I urge you to keep going and if you have a really bad day, don’t panic, just try again the next day.

During class, if your inner voices are telling you “I can’t do this” remember that they are just thoughts, not facts and you don't have to believe them. You probably CAN do it, and try just tuning in for brief periods ( say 5 minutes ) and if you can, congratulate yourself. If you can’t , tell yourself that you will try again another time. Soon you will notice that there are more episodes where you can do it and you don’t always have to believe the inner voice saying you can’t.

Lower the bar just for the moment as you won’t be quite at the standard that you want to be straight away (remember that when we start to play piano, we can’t play a Mozart concerto in the fist week!) . However, practice training your brain to concentrate and you will get there . 
 

Thanks Dr Kim,

That analogy was perfect as I do play piano and so completely understand! Thankyou so much i'll try as you suggested

dear Kanga, I feel so sorry for you and your current situation, life doesn't seem to be fair, and it's not when you are suffering like this, without the medical care and no mental health worker to come and see you, surely people like you who are in an aged care facility are those people who definitely need all the help they can get.
I remember when my Mum was in a nursing home and at first her mind was 100%, it was just that she couldn't walk after having knee surgery, so she became deeply depressed, but for her there was no mental health worker who would come and visit her, so it was left up to her 5 children to try and help her, but as I lived in the country I couldn't give enough attention.
For you to have to wait for the staff to come and attend to you is pathetic, because a rash in your groin is only going to sweat, irritating the rash even more, so the amount of discomfort and pain would be unbearable.
I wonder whether this aged care has a swimming pool where you are able to soak your body in, and because you are weightless then this might make it easier for you to move all your joint, plus it would be relaxing, so that would be good to know.
A doctor must be on duty everyday, or at least one who visits the centre on a daily basis, someone you maybe able to talk to, as long as the staff don't tell him that you want to see him.
Look after yourself. Geoff.

Looking for advice on the value of retreats for teenagers suffering anxietY, depression and EDNOS. Are any recommended for teenagers specifically? Any help or guidance would Ben appreciated.

A gp comes in every couple of days. People only get seen if there has been a request put in. Some times days in advance. As for a swimming pool this center has one. but not heated. No lifeguard on site so they won't let us use that facility, especially alone. They won't hire a lifeguard for one person. So What I need is either a electric wheelchair, or a adult tricycle to get me to the local swimming pool. I dont get funding for either. So there is the rock, there is the hard place, here is me somewhere in the middle.

Kelljoh said:Looking for advice on the value of retreats for teenagers suffering anxietY, depression and EDNOS. Are any recommended for teenagers specifically? Any help or guidance would Ben appreciated.

Hi there,
I can’t give you specific names of retreats but here are a few things to consider ...

1. What is the aim of the “retreat”? Is it for intensive treatment for the teenager ? Or is it "respite" for the family or the teen? Or is it a hope that doing it intensively will mean a quicker road to recovery ?

If you want intensive treatment, you might also consider an inpatient stay at a private hospital that often has intensive teen programmes that run over a couple of weeks followed by outpatients visits. You will need to get private health insurance first though, so something to consider.

If it is for “respite” or a circuit breaker, then there are lots of options that are not necessarily “retreats” and may be cheaper and in fact do the job.

Be wary of the idea that you can rush recovery … it is often a long slow road to control of symptoms.

2. Do your homework on retreats - some may be excellent but I am concerned that many offer a transformation that is not realistic in a couple of weeks. Stay away from anything that offers too much! Make sure that there are reputable and qualified people in charge and keep your GP in the loop. If it sounds too good to be true , it probably is!

3. I worry about silent retreats for people who are not feeling OK in themselves. Sometimes they are offered as a way to find inner peace , but I don't think they are a good idea for teens or people who are in distress.

I hope this gives you some food for thought. You can also ask advice from your nearest Headspace centre or ask on eHeadspace.

 

Hi Dr Kim,

I am feeling so indecisiveness with life choices. I change my mind every five minutes and am fearful to commit to anything. I am contemplating doing more post graduate study, however, I can not commit to anything, but do not have a full time job and concerned I won't find one without post graduate study at University.

I am so confused and lost it is causing me a lot of stress.

how can i clear my mind and make a good decision?

Hi Dr Kim,

Hoping you can help me here. It may seem a very minor concern for some, but it is currently stressing me out!

I have been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of a particularly traumatic incident a number of years ago. A recent DASS survey has me falling into the Severe bracket for Depression, the Very Severe bracket for Anxiety, and Severe for Stress. Although the test was only done within the past month, I suspect that I have probably been at similar levels for around 6 months now. I have had a lot of highly stressful and upsetting situations in my life over those 6 months.

I know when we are under a lot of stress, it somehow triggers hair follicles to speed up their shedding process, and we tend to lose a lot of hair in a relatively short period of time. I have been losing a LOT of hair every day now for something like 2 months. I've read that its normal to lose between 50-100 hairs in a day. But surely thats only for a relatively short period of time? And I just seem to be dropping hairs all day long, I seem to be constantly tangled up in the stuff! Seems like much more than 100 too. I am getting worried that soon I will have none left. Thankfully I have thick hair naturally, but this cant go on for too much longer.

Is there something you can suggest I do to help? Is there some way that you can tell if it is purely stress related, or whether it could be as a result of something else, like some dietary deficiency or hormonal thing? When you go through a 'moult' how long does it normally last for?

Your advice would be much appreciated. Oh, and since my profile name doesnt give any clues, I should state that I am a post menopausal female in my mid 50's.

Taurus xx

green123 said:

Hi Dr Kim,

I am feeling so indecisiveness with life choices.

Hi there ..Maybe this procrastination is a type of anxiety - perfectionism can sometimes be that. Sometimes we are so scared of making a wrong decision that we end up on the starting line and not moving forward at all. We can be pretty hard on ourselves sometimes. We can feel that if can dont make the right choice now then our future self  will be unforgiving.

The thing is, none of us has a crystal ball. We just do the best given the information we have at the time. If we move along a path that seems to be feeling OK , great ! However if turns out that the path we started to journey along is not not right, how about trusting that our future self will be able to work something out and turn onto another path ? 

Anxiety likes to catastrophise and see the worst case scenario but in reality we all just journey along and make decisions in good faith all the time.

So my advice is embrace the uncertainty , take a path , dont expect to be "right" but simply a path you are walking.. its ok whatever it turns out to be .. your future self will forgive you and your current self might need to trust your strength.

If you are really struggling please see your GP to get some help to manage anxiety.  

Please look at a wonderful podcast from Brene Brown on Vulnerability and embracing the difficulty we all have in not being perfect.

https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability
 

Taurus4826 said:

Hi Dr Kim,

Hoping you can help me here. It may seem a very minor concern for some, but it is currently stressing me out!

Hi Taurus

I am sorry to hear of your struggles with your mental health and hope that you are getting support and making some changes to improve things for yourself ( Lifestyle , therapy and medications)

Regarding the hair loss, you are on the right track . It may very well be due to severe stress however it can also be due to some medical conditions and I would definitely see your GP about this . A bolod test and maybe even a referral to a dermatologist with an interest in hair loss can be of value. 

I have recommended medications with success for hair loss, but they have to be used in the right situation - so you need to be seen by a doctor and properly checked out to see if you are a candidate.
 

Hi Dr Kim,

After a few bumpy years, I'm feeling isolated from everyone and everything in my life.

My husband walked out (and into another relationship) after 12 years together, we lost a number of friends through divorce, but mostly he was my best friend and the person I would have normally turned to in situations like this. I was left a single parent of a 9 month old baby, my situation started to exclude me from old friends and new mum friends, as they were all in "new family" mode and we could no longer relate to each other. I had no career to return to so I returned to study with much younger class mates. I drift between my single friends and married friends and don't seem to fit anywhere, in fact I'm often excluded by these exact reasons "oh we didn't invite you to a families BBQ as we thought you'd want to go out and not be with boring couples" "we didn't invite you out because we figured you'd have to get a babysitter". Inviting myself along or trying to invite others out is becoming such a chore and feels forced and unnatural. I've never felt like this with friends.

Adding to this, 12 months ago my father unexpectedly committed suicide. I feel like I'm floating and don't belong anywhere, like I don't have a family or friends. I've lost more friendships and connections as it's made people feel so uncomfortable, emotionally exhausted and disconnected from what I'm going through. Adding to this as a single mum who's studying I'm living in affordable housing where no neighbours talk or acknowledged each other. I could go days without having any communication with adults. Sometimes I go to the supermarket so I feel connected to society.

I feel so alone and I've been trying for 4 years to connect with people and I just can't seem to do so. I'm in my early 30's and I'm socially, emotionally and financially disconnected from everyone around me and I don't know where to go or what to do from here. I'm generally a very positive person who thinks I've been pretty upbeat and proactive in trying to solve this, but after so much time I'm broken and at a loss.

Is it normal to feel this disconnected after similar situations? What services can I use to help combat this? I've seen a physiologist through my Dr on a mental health plan, unfortunately they were terrible and told me to practice mindfulness. I have also seen a professional after my fathers death and she was wonderful but their service was for suppport after suicide, not a wholistic approach.

Thanks

Suesuesue said:

Hi Dr Kim,

After a few bumpy years, I'm feeling isolated from everyone and everything in my life.

Hi there,

Oh My Gosh ! YES , what you are experiencing is absolutely normal. It is so common for people to feel dislocated socially after a change in “status” . I hear it all the time. I hear it from people who have become widowed, or people who have become divorced, or people who have a bereavement like a SIDS or people who have a family member suicide or overdose. Its like people shuffle backwards because they feel awkward and dont know what to say or worry they will say the wrong thing. So yes .. what you are feeling is not your imagination , it does happen.

I would see this time in your life as an opportunity to sort out good friendships from those that are not going to last and to make new friends that suit who you are now… The really good ones will be there for you.. but you also have to know how to evolve and be your “new best self” . 

So who is this “new you’? Well, I think there are a few things that need to be sorted through with a GOOD counsellor . Get another recommendation from your GP and start again as this is important!  There is no way your self esteem didn’t take a battering through both your husband leaving you AND your father suiciding. My goodness… you are clearly amazing for just keeping going with a young child AND trying to study ( good on you!) 

It may be that you will need to start being more explicit and open ( vulnerable )with friends about what you want / need from them . e.g. just stating to your friend “ Please dont hesitate about asking me to the BBQ if I am the only single person there .. Its not awkward for me, its better to get out  than be stuck alone at home”.

Look at this you tube clip on Vulnerability for inspiration
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability

It may also help to expand your circle of interests/ friends via various low cost activities , e.g.
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/

Dont forget the other golden rules about being your new “best self” - eating well,exercising and getting enough sleep. It is important to feel physically well and healthy in order to feel mentally good too. 
 

Hello Dr Kim, I am a 36 year old male and have developed a severe fixation, severe depression, I have a bad drug addiction (weed approx. over 100 cones a day) I sleep less than 3 hours per night, I have more than 20 showers per day, sometimes I hear voices the voices don't tell me to do anything and I have no conversation I can just hear familiar voices calling my name and when I check no one is there. I only enjoy being on my own and I have no hobby or no interests. Today I could hardly move my whole body went weak, and I am pretty tough and I felt severe pain in my neck, back, legs to the point I was almost in tears. I like simple things only anything that's complicated or requires thought I can't handle. I never want to go out, I never go out and I live daily with suicidal thoughts. I have come to the conclusion that I need some help in a hospital but I am scared of my reaction and what happens, what happens when I start getting angry in hospital, what happens if other patients annoy me or don't give me space, what happens if I feel trapped or cornered and I may get super angry. What happens when I am still awake at 2am swearing and muttering and carrying on. How long can it take to recover is it overnight a couple of nights a week.

Thanks Dr Kim

Firstly I'd like to congratulate Crazy Train for posting with your full-on current situation. It takes courage to reach out. I've just returned from a psych facility (10 days) with amazing results and would advise anyone in doubt to explore voluntary admission as a means of being professionally assessed and get the support needed, as well as learn positive techniques and healing habits. Good luck with your search for help.

Hi Dr Kim;

Around 3 months ago I managed to finally stop anxiety/panic in its tracks, but this was replaced with depression. As I've said above, I've returned from hospital feeling confident and well.

What strikes me is the change in my metabolism which is causing loss of muscle mass and increase in fat around my body. (My weight has stayed the same) I'm struggling to lose weight even though I'm eating well and exercising.

I spoke with my psychologist and GP about this, and was told my body is transitioning from overloaded adrenaline and cortisol production, (acting as a steroid?) to a normal chemical balance. Is there anything I can do to support this process and how long will it take to normalise?

I've lived in fear nearly my whole life from many traumatic experiences. Feeling confident as I do now, feels odd, but peaceful all the same; it's new and taking time to adjust to the lack of 'urgency' of the last 50 yrs.

I feel others will benefit from this information, as it seems common to go thru depression after anxiety.

Thankyou for your time...Sara

PS...The only medication change I've had is an increase in my AD. That has only been in place for about 5 days. My body has been changing since anxiety waned...Sara