You can think of the possible worse case scenarios that can happen if you are found out. The consequences would usually be enough to stop you from being in denial and starting to lie. For eg, a prison charge, a jail term, loss of reputation, shame etc. Do consider carefully before acting!

an antihistamine (flu medication) may help cosult your nearest doctor for a prescription T

Thanks for your question, and I’m very sorry to hear that you are going through such a horrible time. I can only imagine how tough it must be. Before I answer further, I’m going to give the caveat that it’s next to impossible to offer advice about any psychiatric problem without seeing you face to face, or at the very least, having all the salient information about mood, sleep, suicidal ideation etc. I’m going to assume off the bat that the diagnosis of depression has been established by the doctors you’ve seen.

You could try the following steps: 1. See a psychiatrist in a restructured hospital. They'll make the necessary referrals for you to see a counsellor/psychologist. If you are financially strapped, a medical social worker will help. 2. Seek counseling from your nearest family service centre. 3. Seek help from organisations specialising in mental health e. g. SAMH etc. They will be able to help you.

Hi there! Habits are not easy to change overnight. As you have mentioned that you’re having trouble falling asleep, but have no problem with staying asleep until someone wakes you up, this is actually not bad at all. I’d suggest these tips to help you fall asleep faster: drink warm water before bed if possible keep to a fixed time for going to bed (I’d suggest 10-11pm) turn off all the lights (if you’re afraid of darkness you can use a light dimmer.

Thank you for sharing your problems. Chest pain and discomfort can be a very scary symptom. For most people, who are used to be in control of life; “suddenly” losing control over their own body can be extremely terrifying. Especially when we might have heard/seen other people having heart attacks or sudden deaths. The first step would be to see a family doctor and make sure the doctor feels that it is nothing serious to it. Left sided body aches and discomfort are quite common. In fact, everyone will feel it from time to time.

Thank you for sharing your intimate story. This sounds really terrible. Yes it certainly sounds like child abuse, and if you are not so old, it might still be a reportable offense to the police and MSF-Child protection services. Therapy is a two way street. The ability for the patient to benefit from this depends on the "Johari window". In simple terms: the more the therapist can reveal to you and the more you can reveal to the therapist, the wider the window.

Eating disorders can involve a restrictive pattern where there’s dieting and excessive exercise, or a binge eating pattern which involves binge eating and purging. Most women with eating disorders have a low body weight and in extreme cases, the body mass index can be as low as 15kg/m2 or lower. So how does this affect our hormones? Your brain perceives this as starvation, and your body then adapts to divert the limited resources to the most essential organs, protecting your heart/brain etc and “switches off” your menstrual periods.

Thank you for your question. Dr Julian has provided a great answer for where to seek further assessment regarding you anxiety - so I won't repeat this, but have you thought about trying exercise to help with your symptoms Exercise is well proven to help with symptoms of numerous conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress. While you are awaiting further help, this might be something to look into.

Thank you for asking the question. Anti-depressants are controlled under "schedule 3 poisons act", meaning, there is no restriction for any licensed doctor to prescribe these medicines. There are however GPs who are more comfortable prescribing certain drugs compared to others. There are also some GPs who are better trained at recognising and treating mental health conditions. There is unfortunately no way for the public to know at the moment, because only the government has a full listing of these clinics. I can tell you off hand that I am one of them.

Sorry to hear that you’re going through such a tough time. Individuals struggling with eating disorders often experience low mood, and these symptoms are very frequently associated with stress. It appears to me that you’re actively seeking help, which is a good sign. However, as what has been pointed out, it may be good to stick to one psychiatrist and/ or psychologist whom you feel comfortable confiding in, for treatment. Treatment for depression and eating disorders can take years, and recovery can be and will be a difficult journey.

Sorry to hear that you're going thru such a difficult time. Motherhood is a really tough journey, especially when you're juggling work and family commitments without much help! Personally, I think you're doing a great job so far (I'm a mother too, and I don't know how you can do so much without help), so kudos to you for the hard work and resilience.

Thank you for your question. Although acne is medically a skin condition, it brings about a multitude of psychological effects such as depression and anxiety. It is important to attend to your mental health as well. What Should I Do About My Acne-related Depression? You may go to see a doctor at a polyclinic for an assessment to see if you require a referral to a psychiatrist for possible acne-related depression. They may allow you to see a psychologist at the polyclinic or refer you to a psychiatrist based on their assessment. Here are some useful resources for depression that may help you.

Can Psychotherapy Replace Medication? Psychotherapy is available for conditions such as anxiety and depression, however, whether or not they can replace medications depend on your individual condition and its progress and severity. Some people only require counseling for mental health conditions, some people require medications, some require both. It is best to speak to your healthcare provider first instead of replacing medications with psychotherapy on your own, in case it leads to a relapse of your mental condition due to non-compliance to medications.

Thank you for reaching out to us! I totally get what you mean about your thoughts, and honestly, you're not alone! I believe the determining factor in seeking help is when something disturbs and causes distress enough. A lot of individuals don't seek help for certain symptoms of an illness because it doesn't bother them (enough). So ask yourself this: Are you troubled by everything you stated? Does not fitting in to societal standards bother you? I have come across many people who come for assessment as they are concerned that they may have mental health issues.