Lived Experience Forum

[NikNik]

HAPPY MONDAY!

It's that time of the week again - ASK ANYTHING MONDAY!

A question came in last week from someone who is worried about a family member.

I'm really worried about my brother. For years I just thought he had a problem with alcohol, but now I'm a bit older and wiser, I'm wondering if he has an underlying mental illness. I know I shouldn't use Google to diagnose, but looking at his behaviour, I think he has bipolar.

I thought it was the alcohol causing the highs and then the lows when he was sobering up, but now I'm not so sure. Either way, I don't know how to approach him about it. He won't get help for his alcohol and I don't think he would react well if I told him that I think he has a mental illness. Any tips on how to approach him? I care for him a lot and am really worried.

Thanks

While I don't know how many of us are in the exact same situation, it would be interesting to get your thoughts or experiences when a loved one has spoken to you about your mental health. What was the best approach?

Looking forward to hearing your responses and perspectives.

[Alessandra1992]

It depends a great deal on the relationship you have with your sister or brother..and sometimes the concern is expressed by a close friend, as there are no underlying currents to muddy the waters. A friend wants a friend to be content.
I have approached my brother with truth, that I have my own mental health challenges at times and that it worries me to see him not being at home with himself..
I recommend I sentences, as really what motivates to speak is that space of love, I love you enough to care enough to speak out. I know you may feel offended but better to cause offence than let your health decline.. So its not always about mental health, sometimes it might be physical health, or relationships..
I think it is crucial to ask if you think someone you love is suicidal, as that is a topic many people do not want to broach..
So perhaps points I consider are: do I need to say this? Is it from love for the person that I am speaking? Am I the best person to say it? How can I help if they do want support?
And being very mindful that the person doesn't want to discuss their health, that's OK as it is their choice. Doesn't stop me from loving them, and hopefully the situation changes ( otherwise I will ask again down the track)..

[NikNik]

ASK ANYTHING MONDAY (AAM) IS HERE AGAIN

Thanks @Alessandra1992 for your insightful response to last weeks' AAM question. I hope this week we get a few more contributions!

Also a big 'thank you' to those who are bravely submitting their AAM questions. Keep them coming!

So here is this weeks AAM question:

Psychologist vs Psychiatrist

I have received a referral to see a psychiatrist and I'm very nervous. I know in principle the difference between a psychologist and psychiatrist (I have been to a psychologist many times before), however, I'm still not sure what to expect when I go to the psychiatrist. I know they prescribe medication, but that's about it!

How do they assess what medication I need? Do they do any other treatment therapies other than give medication?

[kristin]

What an excellent question!

In my experience there is very little difference between a really good psychiatrist and a really good psychologist except 2 things:

1. A psychiatrist can prescribe/monitor/change medications. One worth their salt will definitely monitor closely when you are starting a new one, changing over and also when you have been on it for a while (to make sure it is still effective, even if it was helpful in the beginning).

2. Because psychiatrists are qualified doctors you can claim seeing them on Medicare for when you need to see them, rather than the limited rebatable sessions available under a Mental Health Plan for seeing a psychologist.

A good psychiatrist (in my book) will be just as willing and able to do "talk" therapy as a psychologist, and also have a good awareness of (and openness to) other complimentary therapies & practices such as mindfulness, meditation, etc.

I believe the most important ingredient in any therapeutic relationship is trust. Listen to your intuition/gut feeling here, rather than the very understandable first-meeting nerves. Do you feel listened to? Are they respectful and open to your viewpoint? Do you feel ok to disagree with them? Are they compassionate? Do you feel like they "get" it?

Best of luck, I hope you've found a good one - if not keep hunting they are out there. Not quite as rare as hen's teeth.

Hope for helpful help endures...

Kindest regards, 

Kristin

[NikNik]

Great response!!

[kato]

This is a very fair and valid question.

I have seen two psychiatrists, and about 10 psychologists, I had never seen a psychiatrist until late last year, and i did not get along with him very well at all, in my opinion he was absolutely hopeless, and i have no idea how he was even a psychiatrist.

But that is not the question lol, i actually point blank asked this particular psychiatrist what it was he did exactly, his response was he assesses my mental state, and prescribes medication, i said to him that my psychologist can do that and my g.p can prescribe medication. he didn't have an answer for it, so i did not see him.

But with the new psychiatrist i learned a little bit more, they are trained to be able to interpret the different mental health issues present in a patient, they are also able to radically introduce medications when needed, and to monitor the progress of those medications, in a far more understanding way then a psychologist, they also if you look closly at there specialities, will be focused on certain catagories of mental health, example some specialise in tretment for BPD, some are specialists in bi-polar etc etc, they actually undertake further training to be able to work better with the sub catagories of mental health. They can and still will treat patients which fall outside of their speciality but a really good one will know others in other fields who might be better suited to what you require treatment wise.

A psychiatrist is also able to order certain tests to be done that your g.p or psychologist can't order.

A psychologist works more on therapies, and monitoring of medications, they also will specialise in certain areas of treatment plans, umm like they might mainly focus on ACT or DBT they should also be in contact with your psychiatrist to be able to closely work towards a better wellness plan. some psychologists are more like counsellors, and then you also have clinical psychologists, i am not too sure on the difference there but i think clinical can also adjust your medication levels if needed.

Hope this helps, it is just what i have picked up over the last 6 months

Oh the 10 psychologists i have seen 9 of them were about 6 years ago i found a really good one recently

thank you

[NikNik]

Here we are again

ASK ANYTHING MONDAY 🙂

This week's question:

Here's my question. I work two days a week in a professional job. I find it is very stressful and it is only 2 days a week. Everyone says, "Oh, it's such a great job." (and it is) or "working is really good for you" (subtext - it forces you to get out of bed and dress decently and be 'upbeat' and smile at people) or "we really need the money" (can't argue with that). It is really, really hard, and I tell my doctor I hate it, but I don't really hate it, it's just hard.

Lots of people without mental illnesses feel the same way, I am sure, but those people don't have to cover up memory loss, vagueness and hangovers from meds, or wade though the wet cement of depression or the panic when a work day is coming up and you are not prepared with that crucial report or whatever. No one in my life wants to hear about it, apart from my doctor who has to listen to me because I pay her a lot of money.

My previous strategy has been to do as little as possible at work and then spend my time making my work look much, much better than it is. This has been a good strategy. But now I actually have to come up with the goods. Which is why I am here typing and surfing this site. I am working tomorrow and haven't done that huge report. And it's 10pm. P.S. My life is not that bad and neither is my job. No platitudes please.

Does anyone have tips and advice for this new members on how they manage work and their symptoms?

[Dazedconfused]

I am trying to find a good one in Perth - last one was terrible and would prefer to know who peopl have liked.

[Baboo]

Can you ask for one sick day off to catch up on the reports?  I know i have mentioned it before on the forum but writing myself posted reminder notes and setting alarms on my phone really help me to remember to work on some thing. If you try this perhaps you can get just a little bit of your reports done each day as so there up to date when their due?

[kato]

This is a really tricky question......

My last job i worked, 6 days a week sometimes 7 days a week, i was upper management, so i actually worked probably in excess of 60 hours a week, what i found really helpful, was just before finishing work for the night i would write a list of what needed to be done the next day, and i would write as much as i could think of, then i would leave work with my mind empty of work stuff, until the next day.

stress i would take time out during the day, 5 minutes here or there, to centre and ground myself to relax.

being a smoker, it was my excuse to go out for a smoke, was to just concentrate on breathing exercises.

I can't help with much more then that, because i eventually got too sick from stress and am in the process of recuperating