Mental Health Crisis Team

[steveo]

Only just noticed your last edit to this message. Thankyou so much! I will give the no panic number a go later on!

I will let everyone know how I get on, on Monday.

Thanks again for everyones support x

[Rennie1989]

I've been referred to them twice. They assess you more or less everyday to make sure you are on the road to recovery and the suicidal thoughts/feelings are subsiding. They ask about your day to day life, how you're coping, if you have help from friends and family. If there are problems they'll refer you on to the most appropriate service.

I hope you're OK, take care

[steveo]

Well it turns out I just saw a social worker who was just there to assess my situation before passing it on to the correct people. I thought I would at least see someone medical. A social worker at the local mental health hospital? Is that the norm to see one of them after being referred to with my problems??

[footballking]

Nobody cares unless you're rich in this world mate. Try your best and get out of it and make money. Then even if you get ill, you can at least afford the best help available. They should have at least sent a psychologist or something.

That's what i'm trying to do. Good luck.

[steveo]

I went down this route footballking. Or at least my mum did. I'm unable to go out and make money.

My mum paid for me to see that psychiatrist at £240 for less than 40mins who told me to increase Citalopram and start Pregabalin... a drug which turned out not to work for me at all so I rang him 2 weeks later to expalin and he just told me to stop taking Pregabalin. Absolutely useless. I also paid privately for CBT at £100 a go. The first woman clearly wasn't a CBT therapist and a con woman and she dismissed any of my mental health problems and wanted to talk to me about how to fill out my day. The second guy saw me once, very very uninterested, seemed bored almost, sent me away and just told me to make a panic diary. Then dropped me last minute the week later and also said he couldnt see me again.

No one seems to give an absolute sh*te about the hell I'm going through. Unless I book myself in to The Priory at £4grand a week, no one is bloody helping me. I'm in hell right now and I just keep taking diazapam to get through it.

My last chance today was seeing this local health crisis team. Turns out I saw a social worker and my situation will be prioitised and because I told them that I'm very unlikly to follow up on my suicidal instincts, then I am probably straight to the bottom of the list.

I know there is no magic cure it most of it is down to me, but I've been through hell since January the 4th. My life has gone. I've had to move back in with my dad. I'm only getting through my days because of Diazapam. I spend most of my days in bed crying.

What more can I do?

[Sunshine77]

Oh Steve I'm so sorry it wasn't a positive meeting. It's not dissimilar to the bad experience I had that I mentioned, with my dad.

In the end, after he had been sent away by the Crisis Team on Xmas Eve, even though he told them he was suicidal, he presented himself at A&E on Boxing Day and told them he was in danger of taking his life. He was admitted to hospital the same day so the A&E route did help. (Far more than the blooming crisis team). I'm not recommending that as a course of action as it was pretty traumatic waiting in A&E all day (for both of us!) but it did get him taken seriously which was important.

One day at a time Steve - and keep posting on here. Please have faith that you will get better. You asked on a different thread for positive Citalopram experiences - well, I had my breakdown on 7th Jan and with the help of Citalopram am in a far better place today.
I have my first CBT appointment on Weds so curious as to how that will be.

Take care

[ElizabethJane]

Dear Steve I want to add some words of support too. Not all mental health professionals are here to make money some actually care. I have had treatment in both the private and NHS. Most of the people involved in my treatment have been caring and gone above the call of duty. There is light at the end of the tunnel and I'm sure many people on here like myself will be happy to support you through it. If you take a turn for the worse then I would present at A and E and ask to see the duty psychiatrist as Sunshine says. Not a position that you would want to be in but it achieved a result. EJ

[steveo]

Thanks EJ.

I just feel that when I was in Cardiff, I was mugged off by the GP, the 2 CBT therapists were terrible and the very expensive psychiatrist was the most unempathetic man on the planet that was trying to rush the appointment. That was my private experiences.

There were no services available on the NHS in Cardiff so I was glad to be seen down here in Cornwall. I was told I would get a phonecall back today but hopefully tomorrow.

I would hate to go down the road of needing to go to A and E just to see a psychiatrist. I think I just feel very hopeless and let down. I'm very fustrated and my mood is very low as it is.

Everyone on here has been more than supportive and helpful. I would have been lost a long time ago without NMP and the wonderful people. I guess I feel I just want some professional support too.

x

[paranoidtree]

oh Steve, i'm sorry to hear today didn't work out very well. At least you did get seen and they are aware of you!

I have to agree above that not all therapists are con-men and many of them are really good! I think you have been really unfortunate with your experiences. I see a private therapist and always have - i pay £40 an hour with my current lady but have paid up to £80 for 50 minute session). It's a case of finding the right person for you - many therapists offer a free or discounted rate for the first session so that you can see if they are right for you - this is where you need to trust your gut!

NHS services for mental health can vary between postcodes let alone countries! I would recommend making an appointment with your gp for this week to talk to them about today and ask what your options now are - perhaps they can refer you for counselling on the nhs if money is tight? CBT can be effective but it needs to be applied in the right way in order to be so - there are other talking therapies and also types of methodologies too! I see a person centered counsellor but their approach is very different to one who trained in a psychodynamic way! Psychiatrists are also trained very different and can be much more clinical in their approach, mainly because they have had medical training which counsellors won't necessarily have!

Oh, also when looking for a counsellor always check their accreditations. Good places to check are: BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and BABCP (British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies)

[Serenitie]

Hi Steven,

I understand your need to feel that things are moving. They will be, but the process takes a little time. Use your supports in the meantime to tide you over, like the helpline I suggested, call or message me and get plenty of rest and good nutrition.

It is absolutely normal to be assessed by a crisis team social worker. Please do not invest your hopes solely in the medical profession. They are trained in the medical model of mental health which has it's place, but focuses on symptoms and medications. Social workers and counsellors work towards a social model which focuses on how those symptoms disable people and what support can be offered to enable people again.

As a mental health social worker, I undertook 2 placements totalling 9 months, studied a 3 month mental health module, took a psychology exam and worked with CPN's, psychologists and psychiatrists as part of my training as well as undertaking reflective practice and supervision. That is over a years specialist practice. Out of the 7 years a GP trains, how long do you think that is dedicated to mental health training? Mental health issues are in the top 5 issues that GPs deal with, yet they only receive 5-7 days training! (correct at the time of my training with little change in recent years to my knowledge).

Let me know how you progress. Please do not spend any more money. You are in crisis and as such (and given your current location) there is support available to you of a high quality, without the need to pay. Once you are more stable and have received primary care you may be in receipt of enough secondary support services to recover your health. If not, you will be better placed to seek supplementary services at a later date when you are less vulnerable.

If you are unhappy with any of the outcomes of your assessment or treatment, I will be happy to assist you to appeal any unfair decisions.

Take care & keep us posted! (You have quite a support network here! )

Cat