Mental Health Crisis Team

[steveo]

I am back at my Dads in Cornwall after a very bad episode being looked after my him. He registered me with the local GP and told them my problems. They instantly got onto the Mental health Crisis Team and they got in touch straight away. I have an appointment with them on Monday. What services can they offer me? Has anyone else had experience with seeing them?

[Sunshine77]

Hi Steve,

I am so sorry to hear you are suffering like this

I don't have experience of them for myself but I have dealt with them when trying to help my father who was suicidal at the time. As far as I understand it their main purpose is to assess you and see if you need urgent care i.e. in hospital or whether you should be referred for community help.

I have to be honest in Dad's case they were about as much use as a chocolate teapot - BUT I'm in Manchester and I strongly suspect the standard of care differs a lot from area to area.

It certainly won't do any harm to see them and it might just help!

[Ingenious]

From the internet:

Mental health crisis team

All local trust areas have a mental health crisis team. These teams are made up of psychiatric nurses, social workers and support workers. They:

• carry out assessments under the Mental Health (NI) Order 1986
• provide support and short-term help until another team is available or the help is no longer needed

I agree with Sunshine77, it won't do any harm to see the team and it should get things moving with whatever care and treatment is best for you now. Remember their aim is to help you get the best care, not to judge you.

And I hope things pick up for you soon

---------- Post added at 00:32 ---------- Previous post was at 00:30 ----------

The MIND Guide to crisis services might also be useful to read:

http://www.mind.org.uk/mental_health...risis_services

[Serenitie]

Hi Steve,

I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a difficult time.

The Mental Health Crisis Team is a short term assessment team who provide a comprehensive assessment of people in crisis to identify and unmet needs and risk. They will ask you about any current medication and support in place and how your current mental health is impacting on you and your functioning.

As with any assessment, gaps in care and unmet needs will be identified. Depending on the outcome of this assessment and identified needs, short term crisis team support, inpatient care, day hospital support, allocation of a social worker, CPN or support worker are all options.

Resources are allocated according to priority of need, so it is important that you give as much information about your needs as possible. Let your assessor know that you are living with your Dad currently as a result of the distress you are suffering, which has made living alone impossible for you. Make sure that the person assessing you knows that this is a temporary living arrangement, as resources are often prioritised for those who are living alone with a very limited support network.

Your Dad is also entitled to an assessment as a carer if he would like one.

A review of medication usually occurs at this stage too.

This assessment is nothing to be concerned about. I hope that you receive support that is helpful to you as a result of this assessment.

[steveo]

They were concerned with my talk of suicide and self harm but I assured them for at least the suicide part that they were just thoughts and I would not act upon them. Otherwise I would of been seen straight away.

But I'm seeing them Monday. Since being in Cornwall, I have had so much more empathy from GPS and I have been offered loads of mental health services. I've been fobbed off in Cardiff with Citalopram and offered NOTHING despite being bed bound and suicidal.

I grew up in Cornwall and I remember when I first had major problems I was looked after straight away.

I would love my dad to be able to get some respite. He is 71 and this has been horrible for him. He isn't sleeping either.

My main problem at the moment is im chemically unbalanced from having all these new medications in me and it's causing me a whole host of new problems.

Thanks very much for all the information everyone

[Serenitie]

Hi again Steve,

It sounds like you have really been through the mill. I feel for you.

I went through a terrible time on citalopram last year even though I had taken it successfully in the past. It really knocked me off balance causing rapid changes in mood and strange body sensations resulting in me feeling afraid of being alone and totally unable to function.

I swapped over to a very low dose of escitalopram which is a purer version of citalopram that does not cause as many side effects. It might be worth asking about this medication. It is not prescribed often purely because it is much more expensive than citalopram.

What you highlight is my concern about prescribed drugs. Patients are often prescribed medication with little recourse to support when these drugs have an adverse effect with severe consequences. This is a huge failing of the system. Especially for people who live alone like us, as this can be a terrifying experience. There are so many amazing rehab and support facilities to support people with recreational drink or drug use but absolutely nothing for prescribed medication sufferers.

In terms of your Dad, he has legal entitlement to an assessment but there are no legal requirements to provide him with support as a carer. The best way to allow your Dad a break is to access all of the support you can from your assessment to enable your Dad to have a break when you start receiving support.

I'm guessing that there will not be as much demand on resources in Cornwall as there would be in Cardiff so you may have more success with accessing services here.

I wish you and your dad the very best. Let us know how you get on.

[steveo]

Thankyou so much.

Can I ask how long it took you to get back on your feet after coming back on SSRIS?

I was previously anxiety free for many years which is why I came off last year. I didn't expect things to spiral out of control this quickly for me. I'm currently on my 57th day of this breakdown and things haven't appeared to get better but I am on and off all sorts of different meds in order for the Citalopram to work again.

Funny you mention escitalopram. Originially in Cornwall when I first when through this, I was put on this drug. Then when I moved to Cardiff I was told that my medication will be changed over to Citalopram. They said it's just what that surgery does.

I was a bit confused but never really noticed too many problems as I'd been on the drug for so long!

I will mention that on Monday.

Are you ok again now?

Steven

[Serenitie]

Hi Steven

I'm glad that I can be of help. I know how awful you must be feeling right now

I came off citalopram last January without tapering for long enough. I thought I'd be fine! I ended up in a proper state!!!

I tried citalopram again last summer and the whole experience made me scared of taking medication again. I wasn't coping, so after researching escitalopram I started introducing it very slowly into my system last Autumn.

I started on 2.5mg and worked up to 10mg (the equivalent of 20mg of citalopram) very slowly in 2.5mg increments.

I can honestly say that this was a much gentler experience with very few side effects. I had a slight tingling sensation in the right side of my head and felt uncoordinated, confused and had poor concentration later in the day but nothing unmanageable, more of a nuisance really. I just worked with when I functioned best and did what I needed to do in the mornings.

A few weeks after taking escitalopram, I went to my first gig in years after suffering agoraphobia for over a year and not going out at all

I have continued to make progress and I'm much happier than I have been in a long time and have faith in a future I can look forward to now because I actively work on making each day count.

Please do not place all of your faith in medication, though. My attitude and lifestyle changes are mostly responsible for my progress. The medication just gives you the breathing space to do the work that you need to do.

I started planning regular things to look forward to, regular relaxation, setting small goals to work towards and increasing my social network.

I have empathy with how you are feeling and remember the overwhelming sense that nothing would change for the better. It can and will. You can make progress with the right medication and a lot of hard work.

You'll get there! I look forward to following your progress

Cat

[steveo]

Thanks Cat.

I don't like to play the blame game but the medication has not settled in me at all yet so I think that has a major part but I'm not helping myself. Spent the last 2 days in my bed!

I will make a valiant effort to at least get out of my room and maybe go in the back garden.

I've had trouble floating through panic over the last two days which has set me back. I'm look forward to the support of the CPN and the rest of the local mental health crisis team. I need some sort of intervention right now. I don't think I can do this by myself anymore.

Thank you very much for your kind words of support. x

[Serenitie]

It's not about blame, Steven. You have every right to question your treatment.

This is psychoactive medication which is not to be taken lightly. I've never done recreational drugs, but I compared my experience of citalopram to being on a bad trip with no end in sight. I was terrified! Usually I'm pretty feisty. The whole experience was a shock to my system.

Do what you need to do to get through right now.

I'm staying on a houseboat tomorrow evening - a planned treat and very welcome break I'm back home on Monday around tea time. If you would like to chat, cry or scream I will be here to listen and offer what support I can. I'll PM you my contact numbers shortly.

You will get through this, Steven. You are not alone

---------- Post added at 22:38 ---------- Previous post was at 21:06 ----------

I was just thinking, you might find this helpline useful right now run by No Panic 08001388889 It is run for anxiety sufferers by volunteers who have experienced anxiety. It is open from 10am - 10pm every day.

I used this helpline a lot last year. It helped me through a really difficult time and may help you too.

They also run a telephone group recovery programme and one to one mentoring scheme free for members. Membership is only £12 per year. I highly recommend the group recovery programme which I completed last year.

http://www.nopanic.org.uk/