Anxiety/Mood Swings

[Shayman]

Hi, I've been in Australia for coming up to a year (with my wife) and would describe the move so far as a success. We have fitted in well, love the lifestyle and live in a great area of Brisbane.

However, I have suffered from occasional mood swings and depressive/anxious thoughts which have impacted my enjoyment (particularly in the workplace). Whenever I feel this way I feel a strong sense of guilt at being so far away from my family. On certain occasions I have felt an impulse to return immediately back to the UK, but as soon as my mind clears up again believe this would be a decision I'd definitely regret.

I'd be interested if anyone else on here has experienced these feelings and how they coped with them over time. Part of me hopes that these phases will get easier to deal with as time moves along.

After many years of surpressing my anxious/depressive phases (I used to get them way prior to my move here) I have finally decided to see a psychologist.

Regards

[faol]

1 hour ago, Shayman said:

Hi, I've been in Australia for coming up to a year (with my wife) and would describe the move so far as a success. We have fitted in well, love the lifestyle and live in a great area of Brisbane.

However, I have suffered from occasional mood swings and depressive/anxious thoughts which have impacted my enjoyment (particularly in the workplace). Whenever I feel this way I feel a strong sense of guilt at being so far away from my family. On certain occasions I have felt an impulse to return immediately back to the UK, but as soon as my mind clears up again believe this would be a decision I'd definitely regret.

I'd be interested if anyone else on here has experienced these feelings and how they coped with them over time. Part of me hopes that these phases will get easier to deal with as time moves along.

After many years of surpressing my anxious/depressive phases (I used to get them way prior to my move here) I have finally decided to see a psychologist.

Regards

I suggest first check your overall health function - thyroid first of all. If health is OK, then such mood swings should be managed by psychologist. 

May be also try to find what situations/thoughts usually trigger such mood swings, this may help you to avoid some traps. Most important don't forget you are not alone, there is plenty of help out there. 

[ali]

Might be worth asking your GP to refer you to a psychologist they could help with developing some techniques to manage your mood and anxiety.

[Quoll]

Good move.  Therapy will either fix it or it won't. Either way, it should give you strategies to help you through the bad days - CBT or ACT are the go-to therapies usually tried in depression/anxiety cases.  There are situations though where therapy isn't going to help if the cause of the depression/anxiety is the place you find yourself living in, in which case, the only permanent solution is to move away.  Having been subject to exogenous depression (Australia) my experience was that it got worse and was only solved by moving back to UK.

[MARYROSE02]

On 21/04/2017 at 11:36, Shayman said:

Hi, I've been in Australia for coming up to a year (with my wife) and would describe the move so far as a success. We have fitted in well, love the lifestyle and live in a great area of Brisbane.

However, I have suffered from occasional mood swings and depressive/anxious thoughts which have impacted my enjoyment (particularly in the workplace). Whenever I feel this way I feel a strong sense of guilt at being so far away from my family. On certain occasions I have felt an impulse to return immediately back to the UK, but as soon as my mind clears up again believe this would be a decision I'd definitely regret.

I'd be interested if anyone else on here has experienced these feelings and how they coped with them over time. Part of me hopes that these phases will get easier to deal with as time moves along.

After many years of surpressing my anxious/depressive phases (I used to get them way prior to my move here) I have finally decided to see a psychologist.

Regards

It's a good idea to see a psychologist. I've been seeing one on and off since 2009. I don't know if you saw your GP first but it's a good idea as he or she will give you a mental health plan which entitles you to a number of free or subsidised appointments per year with a pyschologist. Mine charges $125 I think and I get $85 back from Medicare. I've not been to see  him this year which is perhaps a mark of feeling better, I should write to him though as I've been meaning to to tell him how I'm getting on.

My problems have been mostly with anxiety and health anxiety but I've been improving. I can tell that because it's a few weeks since I've been to see my GP!

There is still too much of a stigma about admitting to mental health problems. Even seeing the term "mental health" has negative connotations. I've also been taking anti-depressants for a number of years.  People sometimes tell me I should get off them as soon as possible but I say "My GP prescribed them just as he did statins but there's no stigma about taking them."

Good luck.