Welcome! Introduce yourself here 🙂

[Gee]

Hi, I'm new here and new to online forums but I need support (apart from my cat!) It seems that help is scarce these days, particularly after covid so I'm sort of struggling to help myself. I'm hoping to get support here from others who may be in similar circumstances. Thanks for listening.

[Faith-and-Hope]

Hi @Gee and welcome to the forums 👋

So glad to hear you have a cat (as a fellow lover of cats) as they can be very comforting to have around.

I am sorry to hear you are struggling to find supports, but I can empathise with you as well. Is there a particular area of issue for you that you would like to hear from other forumites about specifically ?  It can be helpful, because others who are similarly challenged may speak up in support or with some lived experience pearls of wisdom.

F&H

[Faith-and-Hope]

@Seachickens we have tended to refer to seagulls as sea chickens in our part of the world 😏

[Gee]

Hi @Faith-and-Hope thanks for asking. I have had support from mental health services in the nineties and it was a pretty good system - bulk-billed and accessible - but back then my diagnosis was less stigmatised. I'm older now and have a more stigmatised diagnosis so I feel that I may not be a priority to help. I would like a bulk-billed psychiatrist for a start mainly as I'm on heavy duty meds. I feel quite isolated but have made inquiries to Grow to find peer support. I thought I had recovered until I had a big breakdown during the lockdown so my self-esteem has taken a hit.

[Faith-and-Hope]

Hi @Gee 

We are not permitted to provide names of therapists or clinics here - part of that is maintaining anonymity - but we can offer generic advice about national supports like Beyond Blue, or Lifeline for instance.

I was actually referring to mentioning here if there was a specific area or condition you would like feedback on from others here who have some personal experience or familiarity with some of your challenges, but it’s okay if you would rather not.  There is no pressure to.

If you type a term or phrase into the search bar (should be too left hand corner menu on whatever device you are using) names of associated threads will pop up

and it might help to get you started in finding your way around the forums and connecting with others in that way.

Please keep asking any questions that come to mind, and the community will respond.  

I will tag a few other Community Guides to come and chat with you too.  There should also be a link at the bottom of the page for Sane Counselling Support who can offer referrals because your interaction with them is private and won’t appear on the forum.

@NatureLover @BPDSurvivor @MDT @Judi9877 @Shaz51 @wellwellwellnez 

[NatureLover]

Hi and welcome, @Gee , it's good you've joined 🙂

I'm sorry you feel there's no help these days from MH services 😞

---

@Gee wrote:

I would like a bulk-billed psychiatrist for a start mainly as I'm on heavy duty meds.

I'm sorry to say, I don't know of any psychiatrists these days who bulk-bill...not even any who have discounts for a concession card like a pension card. (Moderators: I'm just talking in general, not trying to refer to anyone or any area in particular.) I fear that those days are gone, @Gee  😞

---

@Gee wrote:

I thought I had recovered until I had a big breakdown during the lockdown so my self-esteem has taken a hit.

---

I'm sorry to hear...I've also had a big breakdown in the past. 

I'm wondering if talking to the SANE Helpline might help? 1800-18-7263 ?

I hope you find the forums supportive...

[Gee]

Thank you @NatureLover. Yes, things have changed. Thanks for your kind words.

[Mo72]

Hi thanks for letting me join. When I find my feet I’ll post some information about myself

[Former-Member]

Hi there @Mo72

Sending you a warm welcome to the forums. 😊  I'm glad you've been able to find us and post your first post. 

There is no rush to post more about yourself until you're absolutely ready to. You might find it helpful to browse around the different forum topics that we have available, where I'm sure you'll be able to find some like-minded people. 

If you head towards the bottom of the Lived Experience Forum page there are lots of different tag topics you can quickly access too. Re screenshot below.

Again, kudos for sharing your story here @Mo72 , and I hope you find a community of like-minded people to walk beside you in your journey.

Sirius✨

[Former-Member]

Welcome @Mo72 take you're time!

Welcome to the forums, I'm TuxedoCat, a peer support worker here. Can't wait to get to know you!

You can find lots of good tips on using the forums by clicking here to find the the Forums how-to: general tips and tricks! 

Talk soon,

TuxedoCat