Had IAPT assessment - anyone have any experience

[Aubreyrose]

Sorry in advance I think this might be long and moany!

I went to my doctor about 2 weeks ago and explained that for the past 8 years I have struggled with anxiety and depression to the point where for months at time I have been unable to even leave the house not actually because if anxiety (I have never been AFRAID to go out) but because of depression that goes with it. It has dictated my whole life and while on the outside I seem pretty 'normal' I am married with children and at the moment I work in a family business inside everyday is incredibly hard and I pretty much just exist to get through it.

He offered me medication and counselling but I am terrified of the medication :blush: so I asked to try the counselling first.In the appointment I did a questionnaire for depression which he said showed moderately severe depression and one for anxiety which he said wasn't actually as bad but still showed a relatively significant problem. He was pretty keen sounding on the medication and told me to go back and just ask if I feel I need extra help.

I had an assessment appointment today and the woman who did it was pretty short, it was the same questionnaires again which I answered in the same way I think although she didn't say anything about it she then asked about do I avoid social situations (I don't) and how much has it impacted my life as in does it stop me doing things which I said it doesnt stop me going to work in the last two weeks (she was only asking about the last two weeks) I did try to say that for example last year I was off work for 6 months because I couldnt actually face going out like that but she just focused on the fact that I HAD managed to walk my children literally across the road to school as though that made it all ok:shrug:.

The fact I literally have to write a list the day before and work down it just to get dressed and go to work - even though I feel like crying and often actually do didn't seem to matter at all. The fact that this has been pretty much the pattern of my life for 8 years didn't seem to concern her at all - just the fact I had dragged myself to work for the past 2 weeks!

She then said that they would decide what sort of help I need and get back to me it could be just self help things or it might be going to see someone like her for a few weeks :scared15:

She also said if I dont hear anything in a few months give them a ring to remind them :ohmy:

At the end it was pretty much ok that it BYE!

I am feeling a little upset because I am not really sure how much I am going to cope with the next few months or more of this and tbh after that I am not sure how much confidence I have that they can help anyway.

So If you had say moderate severe depression and anxiety and you had an assessment like this what happened next? Is it worth my while waiting around or should I just forget it and pretend the whole gp and assessment never happened.

My gp was lovely btw so no complaints there :)

thanks

[mark84]

Hi,
well I'm in Doncaster, where the IAPT stuff is now really well funded, you basically take the test and can start right away, as I did in 2014 (in fact you can just pop in to their premises on the high street now). But back in 2010 I was on a list for a month or so. Both times its been a similar affair though when I've actually started, have a talk about whats bothering you, the problems and how to improve them, then after that first time it's all about looking forward. I think the first time I had 1 hour face to face and maybe 10 telephone appointments after that, and this time, now they're better funded I had say maybe a dozen face to face appointments. Both times its help, especially this last time where I had medication (citalopram)alongside it and have continued taking them and hope to stay on them for the foreseeable future.
Hope that helps a bit!

[Charlotteee89]

I've been involved with IAPT on and off since I was diagnosed with SAD 6-7 years ago and it's been great for me!

They do tend to focus on the positives a lot so that's why she made a fuss out of you being able to walk your children across the road, that is a great step! :)

You should hear something from them soon, hopefully you'll be referred to a Therapist who you can talk too about how you feel! It completely depends on your situation. Originally because of my social phobia I was referred to some other mental health organisation which had volunteers/health care workers who came to visit me every two weeks to take me out 'into the World' as I felt better with someone else with me - Exposure Therapy. When my SAD got better I was discharged. Last year I was referred to a Therapist to do CBT and just talk because I was having severe bouts of obsessional thinking and was struggling with panic attacks.

Is your depression your main problem and that causes anxiety?

[MyNameIsTerry]

They use standard questionairres to judge depression, anxiety, social & working factors, potential harm, etc. There are even more that are likely used in a more clinical setting.

The one for going out is the social & working factors and its just to judge how much it is impacting on your life eg your work, socialising, interaction with your family and whether you are able to cope with day to day chores.

The potential harm one is to assess whether you have thoughts of self harm or to take your own life, the likelihood of you attempting it and what is stopping you from doing that. If you rate high on this one, you become a priority but if you mark it low, expect to be viewed as low risk...so no matter what your issues, down the list you go.

They always work based on the last 2 weeks with the rating scales. However, the therapist takes additional notes about the situation and will use those alongside the scores to determine what you need. The scores don't tell them everything and there are gapps for certain things anyway from when I was doing it. The idea is that they are frequently used to monitor an ongoing client, hence being more 2 weeks so it runs alongside therapy. They just use them to determine a picture of the severity, not the real issues which go far beyond the ability of any questionairre.

They should get back to you in a couple of weeks with the level you are to receive eg Level 2 or 3 are most likely. Level 2 being guided self help or remote access to online CBT based programmes or Level 3 which is high intensity CBT. Level 4 is the big waiting list for the complex cases (12 months wait in my city). Level 2 in my city can be accessed in 30 days whereas Level 4 takes longer, 3 months after finishing Level 2 (they have a bureacratic view where you have to 'advance' through levels, which is not how these levels have been set up in NICE guidance but not all operate this way and many will just go to the required level from the start).

I wouldn't wait months to contact them back if you hear nothing, thats unacceptable. They can always tell you which Level and form of therapy you will recieve even if it means going on a waiting list.

If there are delays like this, your GP should be chasing them as its his/her referral.