Dealing with intrusive thoughts - my struggle!

[Molliex]

Apparently today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Any awareness is good, but i find it so damn furstrating. It is such tokenism. You know what would actually help?? Funding mental health care, subsidsing the number of mental heath appointments required, not pucking a RANDOM NUMBER - 10, as the appointments that will be funded. Imagine telling a cancer patient that only 10 treatments would be funded, regardless of how serious there illness was.

Just feeling despondent, frustrated and triggred today. @Former-Member @outlander @MDT @Shaz51 @greenpea 

[Former-Member]

I agree with you @Molliex  👍

Its true that public awareness is a positive step however, so the Day to bring that to the fore is a good thing.  But it definitely needs to be backed up with good preventative measures in place with are accessable to those who need it.

Oh yeah ... the MHCP allowance of 10 x subsidised medicare appointments  per year.  Hmmmm ... enough said.  I used all mine up last month, and now I have to pay full cost.  My psych is really good though and has given me free appointments in the past, when needed.  As she has said to me: "its not about the money, its about responsible care for her clients".  I wont say here (it would be sensored) what she actually said about the 10 apts, and how inadequate they are.  For anyone with ongoing complex mental health issues and needs, it is just ridiculous.  And anyone having therapy of any sort (eg Exposure Therapy, EMDR, CBT, etc), well the 10 sessions barely gets you started.  What then?  Not everyone has the access to a clinical psych who is willing to have additional apts for free when needed.  Tip of the iceburg it is.  There has to be some way that a GP or a psychiatrist can approve additional sessions when the need arises.  Your comparison to a cancer patient being told they have 10 treatments, is very apt.  When my husband was being treated for his Stage IV cancer, he was seeing either his GP, his oncologist or members of his immunotherapy team several times a week for many months.  Even now while in remission, he continues to see some of them at least monthly.  MH issues do not get the same attention as physical issues, there is no doubt about that.

Sorry you are feeling despondent, frustrated and triggered today @Molliex .  Are you at work today?  I hope you can concentrate on that and get through your day feeling a little better.  Chin up, have confidence that things will improve.

Sherry 

[outlander]

thinking of you @Molliex
we do have crappy mh system unfortunatly

[Molliex]

Hi @Former-Member thanks for your reply. I didn't know about your husband's medical history, so I am really sorry to hear that. That's great that he is remission!

I just get so frustrated. These days...politicians and people say stuff, but nothing actually changes. There are still so many barriers.

I have 2 appointments left and then I'll have to pay full, and it's so much money. I'm lucky I can scrape it together so I really shouldn't be complaining that much; there are others that can't afford even subsididsed help.

I am at work, I'll be ok x

[Shaz51]

@Molliex   I am Sorry you are feeling despondent, frustrated and triggered today my friend xx

how are you this afternoon

[Molliex]

Hi @Shaz51, thanks for checking in. I just did an hour of hard cardio at the gym, so I'm feeling a little better now. I'm having a rare evening out tonight (trivia with friends), so that should distract me.

How are you going? 🌻🌻🌻

[Shaz51]

trivia with friends), sounds good @Molliex 

i am feeling a bit tired now but will be ok xx

[Molliex]

Wishing you a restful evening @Shaz51 🌸🌸😴

[Former-Member]

@Molliex ... it is very frustrating I agree. There is lots of talk about making things better over the past few years, but not much seems to have changed at the coal face. And thats very true, there are many people who simply cannot scrape the funds together to pay for extra apts needed. The gap is bad enough when getting the 10x medicare subsidised sessions. Very few good clinical psychs 'bulk bill'.

Thats only a very small bit of my husbands medical history actually. On top of the Stage IV melanoma diagnosed August 2 years ago, we have another diagnosis of Parkinsons Disease diagnosed last November. And then as a result of the immunotherapy he was on to treat his cancer (spread to lungs) he has developed auto-immune issues. The worst of which was Encephalitis, which is still a ticking time bomb. But also Adrenal Failure which is a serious illness in itself. The Adrenal gland, due to inflamation, is not producing cortisol hormones. As you may know, cortisol is a stress hormone.

And when added to his other mental health issues of PTSD (as a result of military service) and severe Depression (Parkinsons and Cancer make this worse) and Alcoholism ... he is a very complex case and in the hands of many different specialists.

Just last week his Psychiatrist increased his anxiety meds dosage to see if its going to make a difference. But the many meds hes on for so many things, often interfere with each other. So its really difficult.

Anyway enough about me. Great that you made it through your work day. Well done on the hour long cardio session at the gym. And I really hope your rare night out at the trivia lifts your spirits a little, and helps to keep thoughts at bay.

Waves to @Shaz51 - hope you get a chance to rest this evening. Do you have any fires in your part of QLD, or is it mainly further East and South East?

Sherry 💕

[Shaz51]

no fires here @Former-Member , @Molliex 

but thinking of all the people who are in the fire zone

and pray for @Former-Member who is near the fires xoxo