Has anyone managed to get CBT on the NHS?

[poppy77]

My Dr said that it wasn't available on the NHS in my area and I'd have to go private. I've booked an initial session - first one is only £40 but it goes up to £95 a session after that!:ohmy:

Hope he/she solves all my HA issues in the first session!:yesyes:

[KayeS]

I have just started CBT on the NHS via the IAPT scheme. I live in London... where are you based?

[poppy77]

Aberdeen

[KayeS]

I'd enquire around and maybe look at some non-profit organisations that might be offering free or cheaper services as £95 per session is crazy!

[poppy77]

I know! You think offering CBT as a treatment would help the NHS as you might end up removing a lot of GP appointments/unnecessary tests/procedures for HA sufferers looking for reassurance.

[KayeS]

I agree. Even if you have to pay privately, I still think you can find it cheaper. Definitely look around!

[poppy77]

Thanks! Do you find CBT helps?

[Traceypo]

Dreadful that you can't get it on NHS in Scotland. I looked up one called possibilities, they work on a sliding scale dependent on income. Or, you could try the university, their students must go on placement somewhere so they may be able to help.
I've found CBT to be very useful xx

[poppy77]

What sort of things do they ask you?

[Traceypo]

It's more about moving forward, there's online courses which people have said are helpful.
It's about breaking the negative thoughts and behaviours.
A lot of the therapy is based on homework, for example one of my fears is heart attack, part of my homework is to get my heart racing through exercise and take notice of how the rate drops when I stop.
Xxx

[Wickers]

I got 10 sessions of CBT on the NHS in Derbyshire. As a starting point read "Overcoming health anxiety" by David Veale and Rob Wilson. The guidance it gives closely followed my CBT sessions.

It includes homework, as already mentioned, which should not be skipped over as the temptation is to read the book quickly for a quick fix.

We are all different but after 7 sessions I nearly gave up the sessions but something 'clicked' on the 8th one (probably just a slow learner). So, don't think it's not working. It takes time.

I had quite severe health anxiety, including the heart palpitations, stomach problems, lump in the throat etc, 14hrs/day on Dr Google. Got diagnosed with Kidney cancer whilst on the CBT waiting list. Two years on I realise the worst illness was the constant health anxiety.

Sorry I can't give advice on where to get cheaper treatment.

[uru]

£40 is normal I think...find someone cheaper

[MyNameIsTerry]

Sadly NHS Scotland didn't sign onto the IAPT scheme that NHS England set up for England & Wales, so you still have the same practices we had before. It's not necessarily true though because you will have mental health services, like Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) but the problem might be that you are low priority since they also deal with more severe mental health issues which take priority.

However, GP's are not great at understanding what patients can be referred for with mental health issues as has been proven by many a thread on here which had proven then to be wrong when posters gave advice & evidence to the contrary. I would suggest checking on your local trusts website.

You don't have NICE in Scotland but you have an equivalent and they have online guides to services you can access so have a look.

[poppy77]

Thanks Wickers, just downloaded it on to my Kindle.
Xxx

[Sunflower2]

Hi poppy, there is cbt in Aberdeen from the nhs as I've had it... It's just there is a 12+ Month waiting list...

Don't know what the gp is talking about though as there is a lot here.. Happy to give you more info in a message

[poppy77]

Hi Kimberly, how did you access it? My GP flat out told me that I would have to go private.

[Fishmanpa]

It includes homework, as already mentioned, which should not be skipped over as the temptation is to read the book quickly for a quick fix.

Just wanted to emphasize this. CBT requires work. It's like going to the gym for your mind and thoughts. If you don't do the work, you won't see the gains. And when you see results, you have to continue to work at it or you stand to lose what you've gained.

Positive thoughts

[Sunflower2]

I went to my GP and was referred to a community mental health nurse for cbt, which you would see once a month or so. I know others that have been referred to see similar in parts of Aberdeen. I saw this person for a year and kept getting worse so my GP referred me to the clinical psychology department at Cornhill hospital through the community mental health team which is how I got to see them. I think they only take severe cases though as I wasn't referred until I was very bad. I had cbt with them for 4 months and then was discharged back to my GP. Now I see the mental health nurse again once a month for maintenance.

---------- Post added at 09:23 ---------- Previous post was at 09:21 ----------

Oh and also, Grampian nhs has free access to the computerised cbt programme called beating the blues. I have just been referred for this too and started the weekly programs a few weeks ago. Could be worth asking about that too?