been suffering from anxiety and depression and have been off work with it for some time, feeling really anxious today about a letter from work wanting me to have a meeting about my sickness, i don't want to discuss details with them nor to i feel able to walk into work for this meeting, that scares my enormously, waiting to see a psychiatrist and am wondering am i ever going to feel better, this is hell the way i feel now

:wave: Pinkrat....I chose Pink text for you.:) I think you should be honest with your work. They aren't allowed to fire you because of this. It is like any other illness or disease. It will only get harder the longer you wait and put it off. I usually feel like a ton of bricks has been taken off my shoulders once I get it off my chest.
Think about it and keep me posted.

:) thanks for replying, my work know i am off with depression, its the details they don't know about which is what i am uncomfortable with, i don't mind discussing with professionals and other people that understand but not people who don't. Been to see my gp this morning about it cos its keeping me awake with racing thought :( they suggested them contacting them and trying to reassure them

If you are having trouble at work due to depression, the best thing to do is be frank with them about it. And it may not all go well, they may not understand, but you probably have to try to make them understand.

As for the question in your title, it's important not to believe that it'll always be this way. I used to think that too, but it has gotten better, and I believe it’s going to keep getting better. It didn’t get better until I started believing it could be better. But I know those words won’t mean much when you are feeling like you are. Maybe it’s something you will discover on your own in time. But hang in there…

:) thanks for replying, my work know i am off with depression, its the details they don't know about which is what i am uncomfortable with, i don't mind discussing with professionals and other people that understand but not people who don't. Been to see my gp this morning about it cos its keeping me awake with racing thought :( they suggested them contacting them and trying to reassure them

You may want to ask your doctor to put you in a cbt program where they teach you how to catch your thinking errors and correct them. It helped me and I still use the tea form exercise every morning at the start of my day. It works weel at interupting racing thoughts too.

Shorebird, I always feel bad "barging in on someone else's question", I'm sorry pinkrat. I'm just not that familiar with the system, nor do I know how to reach "Shorebird"


PLEASE, Shorebird, can you tell me what a "cbt" program is, unfortunately' like Pinkrat, I, too, have racing thoughts of overwhelming hopelessness and have never heard of "cbt". I'd give anything to learn how to stop these horrible thoughts.

Pinkrat, I wish you all the best. I wish I could be of more help, unfortunately, I think we might be in too similar of a "boat" right now.

I'll pray for us all.

PLEASE, Shorebird, can you tell me what a "cbt" program is, unfortunately' like Pinkrat, I, too, have racing thoughts of overwhelming hopelessness and have never heard of "cbt". I'd give anything to learn how to stop these horrible thoughts.
I'll pray for us all.
Hi bjeanne, cbt stands for cognitive behavioral therapy. Cbt is wonderful if you are dedicated to practising using the exercises until they become your natural way of thinking. You may want to read one of the books we used in my cbt group called Been there, done that? DO THIS! by Sam Obitz. It gives a great outline of the cbt process from begining to end and is a very encouraging and brief read. Let me know if you have any further questions?

Shorebird, could you give us an example of this type of behavior therapy? I think that is part of my problem too. I jump to conclusions before I have one. What do you mean by "tea"?

Hi Wannabcured, I like your handle :) We learned that jumping to conclusions and blowing things out of proportion are the two major thinking errors that lead to panic and anxiety so I think cbt may be useful for you also. The tea form exercise that I mentioned is where you write down on paper your upsetting Thoughts then find the Errors in that thought like jumping to conclusions or blowing things out of proportion or one of the other common thinging errors that lead to anxiety, then Analyze and replace them with a more rational and objective thoughts. This exercise retrains your brain to think more rationally and is still helping me to this day. I hope this answers your question.

I would talk to your doctors first before you go into a work meeting. I don't believe they need to know exactly what is going on with you. If you have a valid doctor's excuse/note for your time off, that should be enough. You might want to talk to an employment lawyer about your rights.

I know from experience that not everyone gets depression, and I have learned the hard way that very few people can be trusted with that kind of information. Least of all employers. So think about this very carefully before you give them any information.

Good luck.

Hi Wannabcured, I like your handle :) We learned that jumping to conclusions and blowing things out of proportion are the two major thinking errors that lead to panic and anxiety so I think cbt may be useful for you also. The tea form exercise that I mentioned is where you write down on paper your upsetting Thoughts then find the Errors in that thought like jumping to conclusions or blowing things out of proportion or one of the other common thinging errors that lead to anxiety, then Analyze and replace them with a more rational and objective thoughts. This exercise retrains your brain to think more rationally and is still helping me to this day. I hope this answers your question.Hey:wave: thanks for the info. I am going to look into the book and try the "tea form" exercise. I want to change, I do well for awhile....than....:rolleyes: fall back into the same pattern.

Hey:wave: thanks for the info. I am going to look into the book and try the "tea form" exercise. I want to change, I do well for awhile....than....:rolleyes: fall back into the same pattern.
I know what you mean as I have had to learn self-discipline, it does not come naturally to me. I still have to force myself to do the tea form exercise somedays and it can be especially hard when I am feeling good as I tend to get complacent, but experience has taught me that to get the new ways of thinking ingrained in my thick head I have to stay on top of myself or I slide back down too. The putting things back into perspective exercise helps a lot too but I only do that one now when something I don't want to do is in front of me. Take care.

I would talk to your doctors first before you go into a work meeting. I don't believe they need to know exactly what is going on with you. If you have a valid doctor's excuse/note for your time off, that should be enough. You might want to talk to an employment lawyer about your rights.

I know from experience that not everyone gets depression, and I have learned the hard way that very few people can be trusted with that kind of information. Least of all employers. So think about this very carefully before you give them any information.

Good luck.
thanks for your advice, i managed to persuade my employers to come to my home and luckily they were extremely sympathetic which was an enormous relief, i didn't go into too much detail, but they were thankful i had met with them and are going to help me when i am ready intergrate back into work at my own pace. I work in the health profession myself so it probably helped that my employers have at least a little knowledge of depression and anxiety. I know now i can concentrate on getting better without the stress of being on a timer :)

That's good to hear Pinkrat. Every employer should be this understanding!

I was just wondering how you are doing wannabcured and pinkrat. I hope you both are making progress.

Last try... I never heard back from either of you. How are you both doing Pink and wanna? I hope things are good for both of you now.

Thanks for asking!:wave:
Somedays good, somedays bad. This has been the story of my life. How are you doing? I am on a higher dose of Prozac which helps with the chatter in my head. So that is good.
keep in touch,
wannabcured:dizzy:

sorry for not getting back to you shorebird only just noticed your post, thanks so much for keeping in touch. I'm not too bad still off work but hoping to go back early november part time. I have my first visit to the pschiatrist today, don't know what to expect bit anxious about it really but am willing to give anything a try to make me feel a bit better. Will let you know how i get on. How are things with you, would ove to hear from you again :)

Good to hear from both of you and glad you are both at least hanging in there if not exactly thriving yet. I had a case of the stomach flu last week which was rough and I had to travel with it last Thursday but fortunately felt better by the weekend. Pink, how did that visit with the psyche go? I hope he was able to help you! WBC, have you been working on your tea forms? They are what helps keep my chatter at bay but it took some time to get where i am now and a lot of practice. I hate that topsy-turvy feeling it sounds like you are having from day to day. I wouldn't say I'm immune to those days yet but they certainly have become fewer and farther between now. Keep me updated on how you both are doing.

hi shorebird, sorry to hear youve been poorly, hope you ok now. My visit with the psyche went better than i thought, got to talk alot of stuff out and discovered some issues i had not dealt with. Left there feeling exhausted though and very anxious and tearful, they said they would get back to me when they had decided what action to take.
Well that day has come cos today is my 2nd visit, am feeling nervous about what to expect but really want to go as the last few weeks i have felt really low, paranoid and confused, feeling like, how did i let myself get this bad, whats wrong with me and everything is pointless, real negative stuff but will give anything a shot, will let you know how i get on

I'm feeling good again thanks for the well wishes. I hope your 2nd appt went well and they are going to be able to help you. The first appt is always tough because you have so much pent up inside. I hope they can teach you how to counter your thoughts and eliminate all that negativity. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom before we are able to start feeling better. Let me know how it went at your 2nd appt? Cheers.

my 2nd appointment was good, i'm going to be doing some depression and anxiety management course but there is a waiting list unfortunately.

I'm glad your 2nd appt went well. Too bad about that waiting list, I hope it is not very long? It is always nice to hear how you are doing when you get a chance. That's true for you too wannaB :)

I echo the thoughts on CBT. Now that the TEA forms are part of my life, it is weird to think how I used to deal with anxiety in the old days. That Obitz book was worth every penny!!!

I feel the same way harry. How's it going Pink?

sorry i haven't been in touch for a while, i'm still off work, i feel so low at the moment i wonder why i am typing :( I just feel like i must get on my partners nerves talking about how i feel, so much so that i kind of shut myself off to it and plod along. I feel he must think for gods sake get on with stuff and stop moaning, i feel that about myself too but its impossible, i'm just rambling i know. I wish i could be happy and just get on with life. Does anyone else feel that they can't burden family with anymore stuff. My partner and i do not communicate very well as it is, i have tried but he is uncomfortable with such things so my weakness forces me to give in and keep all inside but that makes my head hurt. I have tried many angles to discuss things with him but they lead nowhere and i'm tired. I don't know whether i am making sense, just thinking out loud mostly, what a mess i have made of my life :(

Hi Pinkrat, yes, you have been away for awhile! Why don't you discuss things here instead?

Hey Pink, I never saw your reply here (never got a notification or I overlooked it). I'm sorry you are still having a rough go of it. I hope you are doing better now. If you are still around come back and give me an update.

How are you faring wannaBcured?

Hey Pink and Wannabcured are you guys still posting? I'd love to hear how you are both doing?:confused:

Sorry Shorebird, i hadn't been on for a while. Hope you are well. I'm still waiting to see a therapist about how to deal with anxiety and depression. Saw one of their team for an assessment and they decided i needed one to one therapy. I have been assigned a therapist and am expecting an appointment within the next couple of weeks. Really looking forward to that. No change in the way i feel, have been very anxious of late which has got me down. Still off work but had a meeting with human resources and they are looking at getting me some part time work when i feel ready with lots of support in another area. Not going back to my old job because of how they let me down at my attempted return. Thanks for thinking of me :)

Sorry Shorebird, i hadn't been on for a while. Hope you are well. I'm still waiting to see a therapist about how to deal with anxiety and depression. Saw one of their team for an assessment and they decided i needed one to one therapy. I have been assigned a therapist and am expecting an appointment within the next couple of weeks. Really looking forward to that. No change in the way i feel, have been very anxious of late which has got me down. Still off work but had a meeting with human resources and they are looking at getting me some part time work when i feel ready with lots of support in another area. Not going back to my old job because of how they let me down at my attempted return. Thanks for thinking of me :)
Great to hear from you pink but sorry to hear you have not made a lot of progress yet. I am glad to hear you will be getting one on one attention soon (finally) though. Do you know if it is cbt based? I hope it is because if you work at the exercises they really do work for you. I am doing good but been pretty busy lately. Thanks for asking:) Let me know how your therapy goes and how you are doing when you get a chance. Take care!