Is there any point in seeing a doctor?

[danceforabeat]

I've been self-harming, and wanting to self-harm, increasingly for the last year or so (after several years of being pretty much self-harm free) and the last few months I have a lot of days when I feel pretty desperate. But I think a lot of this is work-related. I have a lot of days when I spend the 30-minute drive to work thinking mostly of self-harming (not great when I've already driven into the back of someone else's car because I was distracted). I've even self-harmed at work a couple of times. Some days there's just this voice in my head screaming "help me!" I just can't cope.

The obvious answer is: get another job. Easier said than done. I'm trying, but not doing so well. And I can't be off sick. Any time off sick would go against me when there's another round of redundancies (which is inevitable). I can't not work.

So my question is, is there actually any point in seeing a doctor about this? Can they actually do anything to help? I'm already taking an anti-depressant for severe PMS and I saw a CPN about six years ago for help with dealing with SH, so I do know about finding distractions etc. etc. and I've read plenty of literature on reducing stress in the workplace (including a laughable leaflet by Mind which would be fine if I didn't want to get any actual work done).

I just can't see a doctor being able to do anything else to help, but was wondering if anyone had had similar experiences or knew differently?

[Rob]

Can you isolate what the problem at work is? If it's  basically the whole job, you're probably not going to be able to do much apart from doing as you're doing now and trying for another job.

Doctors can't make things right at work, but it might be that they can tweak the script for the AD that you're already on as it isn't completely effective, and that might help you cope until you can get yourself another job. Unless you talk to one, you won't know if they can help or not. There's no harm in trying.

[Bethy]

I'd say it's worth a try. Even if there's nothing they can actively 'do', it might just be helpful to have someone you can check in with. x

[danceforabeat]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Rob - it's basically the whole job at this point. It didn't used to be, but with all the government cutbacks (I work in the public sector) we basically have to do the same amount of work with 40% less staff, with the threat of more redundancies. And it's only going to get worse. There isn't really much I can do about it.

I know it's obvious that I'm not going to know whether there's anything a doctor can do until I actually see a doctor, I just find talking about SH/mental health in general really hard. It doesn't help that one time, about ten years ago, when I was having a particularly bad time, I finally got the courage up to see a doctor and he told me to "get over the fact [I'm] not living on an idyllic tropical island". It's be one thing if they said there wasn't much they can do (which I understand, I do realise they can't do anything about my job), but having my problems dismissed so easily is awful. I really don't want to go through that again.

I'll see how things go. I'd have to figure out when I can get time off to see a doctor anyway.

[Hash]

i think there is masses a doctor can do to help you. Do you have a good doctor at present? THere is always counselling there is a referral to the Mental Health Team, Maybe your medication needs tweaking as Rob said.

I would recommend jumping in the deep end and seeing someone and telling them how bad things are at present

Hash

[danceforabeat]

No, I don't have a good doctor at the moment. Well, maybe she is but during the 30 seconds I'm usually in there for, it's hard to tell. Maybe she'd be ok but I always get the impression she's happy when she can give me a script and send me out the door again. The doctor who originally put me on the medication was great, but she left a while ago. I'd stopped taking the tablets for a while but realised I needed to be back on them last Summer, so I saw my current GP, who put me back on them without even asking about the specific symptoms. She didn't ask many questions at all really.

I don't know, I keep wavering. I'm really scared of actually going because of bad experiences in the past, but I have some days that are so awful I think maybe I should. I just feel like I'm wasting doctors' time when I go. I mean, even having a job and a roof over my head is more than some people, so I shouldn't be getting stressed/depressed about anything, let alone SHing.

I don't know.

[diamondwithaflaw]

It really sounds like what you are crying out for is the opportunity to talk face to face with someone, to be able to discuss things in a way that will lead to the root cause to how and why you are unhappy and to make an action plan in dealing with your response to the every day stresses you're having to face in your life. I'm wondering if their are any mental health counselling facilities in your area that you can self refer to, and therefore not have to see an unhelpful GP? If you're receiving counselling you'd need reasonable time off work, might be a welcome break without going sick each week (probably unpaid though) but would also just give you the knowledge that each time you go you're going to get more than 30 seconds of listening. Maybe 'mind' could give you details of anything in your area? Hope you get some real life support soon, take care x

[danceforabeat]

Carrie - that does sound like a good idea, actually. I'm not sure what services are available (if any) in my area, but I'll look into it. I think you're right though, I need to talk to someone, so I'll see what's available. Thanks for the suggestion 

[diamondwithaflaw]

No problem, hope there's something near you that can help. Might have to travel a bit further afield perhaps but it'll be worth it in the long run if only for 'time out' from the day to day stressful routine. Let us know how you get on with it, and of course keep using the site as you need to x