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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Constantly feeling angry, upset and insecure

    I am a young female adult and constantly feel sad, angry, jealous, irritable, worried, fatigued and worthless. I am unsure if this is depression and I feel as if I speak to anyone I will be considered a “sook”. People I have spoken to just tell me “what could you be depressed about?! Or you have nothing to be upset about. Stop acting.” abusive relationships, unemployment, distance from close family members, very low self esteem, financial problems and lacking affection in my current relationship have played a big role in how I feel today. These emotions were up and down so my gp changed my contraceptive pill as I thought it was causing these “mood swings”. However now they aren't mood swings as these emotions are affecting me significantly and everyday is a challenge to feel happy, or even to have positive thoughts. I have recently gotten to the stage where I am mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. I have been exercising daily and eating healthy as my first step but now what?
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  • 1

    Agree

    Women's Health Queensland Wide provides free health information for Queensland women. View Profile

    This must be very difficult living like this.. You need to seek professional help for these isses as soon as possible. Your GP can refer you to a counsellor/psychologist.
    \You may find the following reading helpful. Just click on the links
    link
    link

    Brenda
    Women’s Health Educator
    Health Information Line, Women’s Health Queensland Wide

    Women living in Queensland can also call our Health Information Line - a free information and referral service for Queensland women - on 3839 9988 or 1800 017 676 (toll free outside Brisbane).

    Please note that all health information provided by Women’s Health Queensland Wide is subject to this disclaimer

  • Ash Rehn

    Counsellor, Psychotherapist, Sex Therapist, Social Worker

    Mental Health Medicare Provider of focussed psychological strategies, Counsellor & Therapist specialising in ‘sex addiction’, pornography issues, gay counselling, online therapy. For more information: www.ForwardTherapy.com View Profile

    Feelings are like indicator lights on a car dashboard. They tell us when things are going right for us, and they also tell us when things are going wrong for us! It's important we don't ignore them because, if we do, whatever is wrong might get worse. It's worth looking into our feelings and getting help with the right response to them.

    At the same time, we don't necessarily need to let our feelings push us around. Finding ways to manage feelings is important too. You can get help from a professional counsellor or therapist, like an accredited mental health social worker. Your GP should be able to refer you to a professional and the cost will be partly who fully refunded by Medicare. Alternatively there is some good information here on the Reach Out website:

    http://au.reachout.com/Tough-Times/Somethings-not-right

    Good luck and make sure you follow up Brenda's suggestion to get some help. It's okay to ask for support!

  • I have been working in Eltham, Melbourne as a relationship and family counsellor for over twelve years. I draw on current theory and research about … View Profile

    It sounds like you have many reasons to be feeling a whole range of difficult emotions at the moment, and that you are (rightly) upset that others have responded in a way that implies that you are being unreasonable. As others have suggested, counselling may be an important resource for you, where you can have a space and support to explore what is going on for you, and to develop strategies for moving forward to a life where you can feel happier. 

  • 1

    Thanks

    My name is Catherine and I completed my counselling studies at the Australian Catholic University. As a Counsellor, I have worked in Australia, England, Rwanda, … View Profile

    Hi there, 

    I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing a wide range of emotions and perhaps more often than you would like. I could imagine how overwhelming it could be at times when we feel as though we are not managing our emotions the way we would like. Also, when people question and doubt or even minimise our concerns, of course that doesn't help, and it can hurt your feelings too. The fact that you have been able to share your concerns is a great start - as well as you trying to make helpful changes i.e. exercising and eating well. 

    Perhaps it could be helpful to call into a counselling helpline just to see how you feel about speaking to a counsellor. For example, you could call into Headspace, and try sharing what you're comfortable with to the counsellor who answers, and see what comes about in your conversation with them. From there, you might have a better idea of what you would like support with, and how to access such services locally. 

    All the best, Catherine. 

  • My own journey through trauma, both as a child and as an adult, has deeply informed my approach to healing. It wasn’t until adulthood that … View Profile

    There is so much going on, no wonder you are not OK. I would try to stay in contact often with close family and friends, even if it has to be online. Tell them what's going on for you if you feel like they will be supportive instead of judging...we all go through seasons like this in our lives and we all need that support. Sometimes even just that one supportive friend can make all the difference, even when everyone else weren't helpful when we needed help. I would definitely consider therapy (it sounds like there's some trauma there and perhaps more than just Depression? Could be wrong...). If there is Trauma there, which by the sounds of your current relationship sounds like it, I would suggest seeing a therapist trained in trauma therapy, such as EMDR or Brainspotting techniques. Check on their websites what they are trained in and what they specialize in. Your GP or Psychiatrist can talk to you about medication options if you feel you want to explore that route too, but in my experience this is not a permanent solution...it does help you cope better with what's going on currently, but does not solve the cause of you feeling this way, so I would still definitely consider therapy. I would also suggest joining facebook or instagram groups with people going through similar things so you can have an outlet and find a community of people who get you and won't judge or invalidate what you're going through and feeling. Focus on what you CAN control and do something about, and just do that. You can't control an unloving partner or so-called friends who are not supportive of you in a situation like this...all you can control is your own decisions about getting help, connecting with the people you CAN rely on, getting therapy, getting checked out by a GP, etc. I hope this helps a bit...

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