I imagine part of a co-pilots job is to assist the pilot to maintain a safe altitude. When I’m unwell mentaly I usually recognize the symptoms when I’m dropping altitude too fast and I’m about to dip down to a dangerous level, curled up in bed in the foetal position.
Luckily I have good co-pilots. My local GP and my local psychologist, are 30 minutes away. I’ve rarely had trouble getting an appointment. My psychiatrist is in Sydney and I can have a consultation with him from home via Skype. Again I’m very fortunate I can usually talk with him within a few days. In my experience, it does take a while checking into a mental health facility. The most frustrating and anxiety-provoking experience I’ve ever had. This country can do a whole lot better in this regard.
Check out Skype Telehealth.
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/e-health-telehealth
Maybe you or someone you know would benefit from this service. If you’d rather not do it at home I understand you can use this service from your GP’s rooms though I’ve never done that.
Most importantly my family and friends are very good co-pilots. I will not dwell on how I’d be without their support. It took quite a while to find the health professionals that worked for me. I guess my best advice is to keep asking for help and don’t stop asking until you get the help you need.
You know when your flying and the pilot says cabin crew cross-check I only recently found out what they are doing. Crosscheck is a generic term used by pilots and flight attendants meaning that one person has verified the task of another. In the cabin, flight attendants check one another’s stations to make sure the doors are armed or disarmed as necessary.
I’m totally frustrated with trying to put my thoughts down logically today. Guess I’ll go and wash up and listen to Joan Armatrading’s self-titled album.
My brain is so, so fuzzy at the moment. Is it drugs (psychiatric ones) or mood trajectory, I’m not sure. I need to cross-check with the co-pilots. Getting this bloody WordPress Blog to do what I want it to do today has put the laptop in danger. Thank you, Grammarly my spell and grammar checker. Try writing psychiatrist more than once!
Maybe I need to quilt with Jimi Hendrix. Bleak lyrics but great music. Feeling a bit like I’m going in circles. Lucky I’ve got my co-pilots.
tbs2539 