A confession and a suggestion

[Olderal]

Over the past two years or so this forum has been a great help to me. Most of that time I have been lucky and in good shape mentally and have not had to ask for much help and have mainly written many,many replies to try and help others.

I have found that trying to help other sufferers has been very,very therapeutic for me,but it is time consuming and my confession is a mild one ,namely that now I am well (probably temporarily) and don't need so much therapy  I don't always find the time to help the desperate. It is time consuming trying to find helpful words, and often failing.

i mention this as the bulk of the replies come from a hard core of perhaps a score of people ,and I feel it would maybe help those in trouble if they spent some time replying and helping others. It helps stop self obsessing with one's own problems which is good IMO and the thanks you receive will give you a warm glow. it is a dangerous business as one has to try very hard find the right words to help and not hinder but well worthwhile. 

My suggestion is that much of the time I write the same advice,only the words vary. See your GP/ ways to give your tortured mind a wee holiday / try fish oil, etc etc. Maybe a page which listed in note form ways to help along the lines below for Depression and another one for anxiety would be good to give anyone in trouble some good general advice while waiting for replies .

Instant Depression help

1 Have you seen your GP ?

2. Have you made an effort to get a sympathetic,listening GP?

3. Give your poor mind a short,maybe an hour, holiday. (Listen to some favorite music, watch a good DVD, get into a good book)

4. Try and help a fellow sufferer on this forum.

5.Read "psycheducation" site

....................etc etc

We all have our favoutite suggestions . maybe we could then have a poll to vote the top ten suggestions for the Page , and tell readers that these are the polled top ten suggestions for immediate help. I shall sulk if mine are n't picked but I'll get over it.

Olderal

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[Olderal]

A ps .This means quite a bit of work for someone. Someone would have to come  up with a format for the page (I ain't artistic). Some one has to collate and precis the suggestions. Someone has to come up with a poll format. I would volunteer to help where I can .

 For instance I would be particularly good at drinking a suggested  prize of a bottle of whisky for the best suggestion.

Olderal

[Hidden]

We, I feel are here to give some support and encouragement.

Getting an urgent or non urgent appointment can be a real problem. People can if needed come on site for a little encouragement and understanding, this can help the person to get basic advice and encouragement here and they can leave the site happier than what they were before knowing that their are people who can just be there for a chat.

We are not Doctors etc, although sometimes a patient who suffers from a similar condition can understand where the person is coming from and can help and just be there

I just need today look at my condition, it is pointless me trying to see a  GP to discuss my test results as it would take two weeks to get an appointment to discuss future treatment plan as I am away for a time, I will need to make that appointment for when I come back. Sad to say no encouragement from the practice as I also need a double appointment. At least I can come on site and talk and put my mind at rest, until my wait to see the GP arises.

This site is a useful stop gap that can advise and help patients who suffer similar problems.

BOB

[hamble99b]

hi Olderal   glad to hear that you are in a good place. I'm sure just reading that will give hope and encouragement to others.

one suggestion  I have is to use Q keyword search at the top right of the page. here you can access past questions and replies, articles and links - especially  good when the site is quiet. Also the pinned posts and topics (also on right of page.)

[mysmugcat]

Yes I can see your points. Also nice to get a personal response.

[ilovemusic]

I'm glad to hear you're feeling well. That gives me hope for myself and others.

[Olderal in reply to ilovemusic]

Believe me, there is a great deal of hope for you and every one else. Beating depression is a hard road but so are lots of other things. Of course there is hope and your hope will grow as you get better and better at dealing with it.

If you're lucky with a good and empathetic GP and or psychiatrist it will be a quicker journey and there willl be lucky and unlucky spells in your life but in the end you'll get there.. There is no magic rule that says life will be fair for you but you can make two magic rules that are totally in your control.

One is that what ever life throws at you you will survive and eventually come through.After all some came through concentration camps . You 're hardly likely to get that sort of demand made of you.

The second is that however hard life is you will try and make others happier. Even when in the depths of depression it should be possible to say thanks for help, pay compliments , pat dogs, stroke cats ,buy doughnuts for the office , buy the wife some flowers, don't step on a spider.

The beauty of the second rule is that each time you make someone happier you'll get a little glow, and also thinking about others happiness instead of wallowing in your own misery stops too much introspection. I believe these small glows and thinking of others are small steps to recovery in themselves.

Incidentally I'm OK at present but fully expect several more battles with depression. They 've never stopped before. Currently I would say at 72 I've had about 20 battles with it for periods of 6 months to 18 months. Currently as I'm still here and reasonably happy the score is at least 20-0 to me. I don't want to tempt fate but personally I will be very surprised to get a defeat. (or even wounded)

Olderal