Depression

[TxRover]

2 hours ago, superwell87 said:

Been struggling a wee bit recently. Some days are worse than others, especially the days I have forgotten to take my anti-depressant or have ran out ad need to a new prescription sorted (my gp hasn't put this on repeat yet). Away up north tomorrow for a week, so hoping this will help a bit. 

Mentally knowing there’s the change of scenery should help a bit, as long as it doesn’t bring anything back. Hopefully you have the meds for the trip, and you’ll feel refreshed after a wee change.

[parsforlife]

Deliberate new post.

I am in a massive low right now,  have been for a while.     My weight whilst not being measured is clearly going up I'm ignoring the actual number just yet but every indication is its up and that's linked to me drinking far too much and eating utter shite.   Stressed AF at work which will likely be a cause but also not helped by my shit coping mechanisms. 

Feel i'm actually beginning to move upwards which is probably the only reason I can make this post.

Using breathing techniques when it all gets too heavy which helps short term,  I do feel joy but the shit around that seems to too easily take hold, briefly looked at a pack of pills on the counter top a week or so ago and thought what if,  quickly shook myself but that's frightening. 

Built myself up before and there's no reason I can't do again.  Finding enough to hold onto, just needs to back myself and use them to build upon.

[TxRover]

1 hour ago, parsforlife said:

Deliberate new post.

I am in a massive low right now,  have been for a while.     My weight whilst not being measured is clearly going up I'm ignoring the actual number just yet but every indication is its up and that's linked to me drinking far too much and eating utter shite.   Stressed AF at work which will likely be a cause but also not helped by my shit coping mechanisms. 

Feel i'm actually beginning to move upwards which is probably the only reason I can make this post.

Using breathing techniques when it all gets too heavy which helps short term,  I do feel joy but the shit around that seems to too easily take hold, briefly looked at a pack of pills on the counter top a week or so ago and thought what if,  quickly shook myself but that's frightening. 

Built myself up before and there's no reason I can't do again.  Finding enough to hold onto, just needs to back myself and use them to build upon.

Looking at those pills and thinking is a sign to you that you have to be proactive here. Reaching out to a crisis line is always an option, as is just talking with people…and that includes here, as there’s often someone around who’s up for a go at some subject. My weight has been climbing a wee bit, much to my displeasure, but like you I know it’s my actions doing it, so the issue is always taking that first step in correcting the issue. The workplace stress is another matter, and something that your employer should probably have some resources for dealing with. The fact you know something like breathing techniques is a good starting point, and shows you understand the importance of this issue. You can develop better coping mechanisms, and you shouldn’t automatically discount yours as shite, as too often people end up finding later they were using the wrong techniques for a circumstance.

As it is, a good nights rest will almost always help improve the outlook, and reduced drinking will improve the sleep. So the fact you’ve identified this issue is good.

[die hard doonhamer]

3 hours ago, parsforlife said:

Not an expert on employment law and I know its been destroyed recently but if you have the energy for it then that's absolutely unfair dismissal. 

More generally it sounds like you will long term be happier out.   If you do have a good reputation(hoping your boss doesn't ridiculously smear it) in a small industry that can be a massive asset.  Head up.

You can’t claim for unfair dismissal unless you have at least 2 years of service. 

[superwell87]

9 hours ago, TxRover said:

Mentally knowing there’s the change of scenery should help a bit, as long as it doesn’t bring anything back. Hopefully you have the meds for the trip, and you’ll feel refreshed after a wee change.

Aye, the trip away should help. My anti depressants were one of the first things packed to insure I didn't forget them. 

[Yoshi-91]

13 hours ago, parsforlife said:

Not an expert on employment law and I know its been destroyed recently but if you have the energy for it then that's absolutely unfair dismissal. 

More generally it sounds like you will long term be happier out.   If you do have a good reputation(hoping your boss doesn't ridiculously smear it) in a small industry that can be a massive asset.  Head up.

I agree it normally would fall under unfair dismissal however because I have worked there less than 2 years they can pretty much do whatever they want. That's why they were able to go with such weak reasoning, they don't need it to stand up because there is nothing for it to stand up to. 

 

I hope not but I don't know, HR said that he would give me a glowing reference for wherever I apply to but I don't know if I trust that, feel like it's their way of keeping me from smearing them. 

[Yoshi-91]

16 hours ago, superwell87 said:

Been struggling a wee bit recently. Some days are worse than others, especially the days I have forgotten to take my anti-depressant or have ran out ad need to a new prescription sorted (my gp hasn't put this on repeat yet). Away up north tomorrow for a week, so hoping this will help a bit. 

I remember I was on anti depressants a few years ago and I felt they just made me worse, although I am shockingly bad at taking anything daily. Genuinely felt I was better off them than on them. If you are finding they are working for you though when consistent maybe set a daily alarm to remind you and a monthly reminder on your phone to get your prescription renewed before they run out.

[Yoshi-91]

12 hours ago, parsforlife said:

Deliberate new post.

I am in a massive low right now,  have been for a while.     My weight whilst not being measured is clearly going up I'm ignoring the actual number just yet but every indication is its up and that's linked to me drinking far too much and eating utter shite.   Stressed AF at work which will likely be a cause but also not helped by my shit coping mechanisms. 

Feel i'm actually beginning to move upwards which is probably the only reason I can make this post.

Using breathing techniques when it all gets too heavy which helps short term,  I do feel joy but the shit around that seems to too easily take hold, briefly looked at a pack of pills on the counter top a week or so ago and thought what if,  quickly shook myself but that's frightening. 

Built myself up before and there's no reason I can't do again.  Finding enough to hold onto, just needs to back myself and use them to build upon.

I've dipped in and out of exactly what you have described for years. The best I felt was when I was actively dieting and lost a bunch of weight, then fell off it and and now worse than I was when I started.

It depends on what your working situation is but removing yourself from the room/ office or whatever for 5 minutes when you feel the anxiety building can often help. 

The fact you are able to snap yourself out if it shows you are obviously aware enough that its not the answer although it does sound like a call to your doc might be in order and get yourself signed off for a short while to regroup. 

[TxRover]

27 minutes ago, Yoshi-91 said:

I agree it normally would fall under unfair dismissal however because I have worked there less than 2 years they can pretty much do whatever they want. That's why they were able to go with such weak reasoning, they don't need it to stand up because there is nothing for it to stand up to. 

 

I hope not but I don't know, HR said that he would give me a glowing reference for wherever I apply to but I don't know if I trust that, feel like it's their way of keeping me from smearing them. 

It’s doubtful they would be stupid enough to screw you on the reference, as then you would absolutely have a potentially actionable case against them. Ask for a letter of reference to some business you know people at so you can get a copy?

[Yoshi-91]

3 hours ago, TxRover said:

It’s doubtful they would be stupid enough to screw you on the reference, as then you would absolutely have a potentially actionable case against them. Ask for a letter of reference to some business you know people at so you can get a copy?

Thats a brilliant idea I might just do exactly that. 

[parsforlife]

15 hours ago, TxRover said:

Looking at those pills and thinking is a sign to you that you have to be proactive here. Reaching out to a crisis line is always an option, as is just talking with people…and that includes here, as there’s often someone around who’s up for a go at some subject. My weight has been climbing a wee bit, much to my displeasure, but like you I know it’s my actions doing it, so the issue is always taking that first step in correcting the issue. The workplace stress is another matter, and something that your employer should probably have some resources for dealing with. The fact you know something like breathing techniques is a good starting point, and shows you understand the importance of this issue. You can develop better coping mechanisms, and you shouldn’t automatically discount yours as shite, as too often people end up finding later they were using the wrong techniques for a circumstance.

As it is, a good nights rest will almost always help improve the outlook, and reduced drinking will improve the sleep. So the fact you’ve identified this issue is good.

 

3 hours ago, Yoshi-91 said:

I've dipped in and out of exactly what you have described for years. The best I felt was when I was actively dieting and lost a bunch of weight, then fell off it and and now worse than I was when I started.

It depends on what your working situation is but removing yourself from the room/ office or whatever for 5 minutes when you feel the anxiety building can often help. 

The fact you are able to snap yourself out if it shows you are obviously aware enough that its not the answer although it does sound like a call to your doc might be in order and get yourself signed off for a short while to regroup. 

Thanks for the responses,  reading my post back it does read a little dark but don’t feel I am near a crisis point, more a post aimed at laying down the facts and making a point that I need to start taking some positive actions and hold myself accountable.  Didn’t wake up with the same dread today for going to work and even though it turned out go be a pain in the arse i took it much more in my stride than I have done for a while.   

I think time off work would be a negative step at the moment, it’s not really a position that will be covered properly in my absence and I’d just stress out more about the shitstorm I could come back too + it gives me a few hours out of my own head. 

 

[superwell87]

4 hours ago, Yoshi-91 said:

I remember I was on anti depressants a few years ago and I felt they just made me worse, although I am shockingly bad at taking anything daily. Genuinely felt I was better off them than on them. If you are finding they are working for you though when consistent maybe set a daily alarm to remind you and a monthly reminder on your phone to get your prescription renewed before they run out.

I need them tbh mate. Yeah I have set a reminder for them. Have a review with my when my current lot so will see how things go then. Cheers mate.

[hk blues]

21 hours ago, TxRover said:

It’s doubtful they would be stupid enough to screw you on the reference, as then you would absolutely have a potentially actionable case against them. Ask for a letter of reference to some business you know people at so you can get a copy?

Many employers nowadays will stick to factual information in references to avoid the issue of potential claims against them.  

[Richey Edwards]

I am currently out on clinical placement in a service than spans the age ranges from children all the way through adulthood.

To be entirely honest, I am not sure that I am cut out for working in children's mental health because I find it too upsetting. My heart breaks for them. The world really isn't fair.

It may sound daft because I am meant to be a healthcare professional and a student Mental Health Nurse so I should know that this happens, but this has upset me today.

[Moomintroll]

56 minutes ago, Richey Edwards said:

I am currently out on clinical placement in a service than spans the age ranges from children all the way through adulthood.

To be entirely honest, I am not sure that I am cut out for working in children's mental health because I find it too upsetting. My heart breaks for them. The world really isn't fair.

It may sound daft because I am meant to be a healthcare professional and a student Mental Health Nurse so I should know that this happens, but this has upset me today.

That doesn't sound daft Richey, I have no idea how you all cope with what you have to deal with in that vocation. Having been kept on this planet by Mental Health Experts, I know that you (should) have Fellows who support you when things become a struggle. Might be best to use that safety net if it is still available to talk over what you have had to deal with.

[Richey Edwards]

2 minutes ago, Moomintroll said:

That doesn't sound daft Richey, I have no idea how you all cope with what you have to deal with in that vocation. Having been kept on this planet by Mental Health Experts, I know that you (should) have Fellows who support you when things become a struggle. Might be best to use that safety net if it is still available to talk over what you have had to deal with.

It could be that that particular area is new to me but I find it difficult to see children and teenagers struggling with their mental health. Part of me clings onto the idea that they should be carefree and enjoying their childhood at that age, and not thinking that they don't want to be here anymore or that there's a voice in their head telling them they don't deserve food and should starve themselves.

Fortunately awareness of mental health seems a lot better than it was when I was growing up. Even 20 years ago there was very little awareness. I am in a very privileged position of being able to listen to them and help them.

It's just hard to watch people in distress - especially people so young.

[Moomintroll]

3 minutes ago, Richey Edwards said:

It could be that that particular area is new to me but I find it difficult to see children and teenagers struggling with their mental health. Part of me clings onto the idea that they should be carefree and enjoying their childhood at that age, and not thinking that they don't want to be here anymore or that there's a voice in their head telling them they don't deserve food and should starve themselves.

Fortunately awareness of mental health seems a lot better than it was when I was growing up. Even 20 years ago there was very little awareness. I am in a very privileged position of being able to listen to them and help them.

It's just hard to watch people in distress - especially people so young.

All I can say is talk to the people who are in the support network that I can only hope is still in place. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by what is, by it's very nature. such an emotive subject area. People who have been working in that field for a long time will struggle to cope with certain issues so don't beat yourself up if you are having surges of helplessness around being unable to flick a switch and make everything ok.

[V.Aye.R]

On 26/02/2023 at 15:45, Yoshi-91 said:

I'm in two minds about giving more detail as simply put the industry the company is in is a niche one and it wouldn't take too much to work out who I am talking about for anyone familiar with it and its hard to talk about what I did without being specific. The best I could say is I had 2 main roles, one was essentially acting as a call centre and the other was dealing with sales of products that involved having prolonged contact with customers, arranging delivery and coordinating logistics. The first part of the job I hated but the second part I actually enjoyed, there just wasn't enough of it. The position I wanted to move into was one where I would create partnerships with companies within the industry that would be mutually beneficial, I can't really say much more without being industry specific. 

Sounds like you're well away from your old employer, sometimes these exits just happen. 

From what I've seen and heard, my work amongst others have struggled to find good candidates for vacancies. 

To echo what others have said, with the above in mind.... just believe in yourself that you've got something to offer and that you'll hopefully be in a better place soon as a result. 

[TxRover]

4 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

I am currently out on clinical placement in a service than spans the age ranges from children all the way through adulthood.

To be entirely honest, I am not sure that I am cut out for working in children's mental health because I find it too upsetting. My heart breaks for them. The world really isn't fair.

It may sound daft because I am meant to be a healthcare professional and a student Mental Health Nurse so I should know that this happens, but this has upset me today.

This is actually a good thing, in that you are finding that you don’t have the vocation (at this time) to provide these services to the youth. Surely you are far from the first to encounter this sort of issue, and they will have a way of trying to assist you while ensuring you get the necessary exposure/experience. It’s not silly in the least to find the situation upsetting, people react in different ways to situations, and some of us are not cut out for certain situations. In my situation I was a great instructor in certain circumstances, and a terrible one in others…it was all about comfort, experience and knowledge.

A healthcare profession is far from immune to the emotions of the job and situations, and some are more difficult than others to handle, depending upon your orientation and makeup. Some people possess a natural ability to isolate the upset in that situation because they see the bigger picture of helping, some people cannot overcome the emotions. Don’t blame yourself, just concentrate on doing what you can to the best of your ability.

[Richey Edwards]

Today was a lot better. I think I was just overly tired yesterday and I tend to be more emotional when I'm tired.

It would be good if there was a magic switch that would fix people's difficulties and make life great for them. Unfortunately there is no magic switch. However listening to people, responding to their needs and preferences and helping them to achieve their goals can go a long way towards achieving positive outcomes for them in the long-term.