# Access to Mental Health Services



## Guest (Feb 5, 2008)

I've just been listening to the radio with tears streaming down my face - a mother was speaking of the terrible torment that plunged her 18 year old son into self-harm and his eventual suicide last summer - he was, as they all are, the light of her life, full of promise, with a place to study music at Uni but throughout his illness, she never felt that she was taken seriously. Mental health services put her down as a "neurotic mother" and frequently discharged him, even though he had hurt himself so badly, he was frequently "spurting blood".I was so lucky to have the support we as a family desperately needed and I cannot fault the attention and care I was shown throughout my battle with suicidal depression just about 2 years ago but worryingly now, the ward I was on has been shut down - as part of a "cost cutting" exercise. Folk like me are now having to fall back on community mental health services. I am sure most of the professionals involved here are committed and well meaning but frankly, it is often NOT ENOUGH - far too many people, having to rely on community psychiatric teams are just too ill not to be hospitalised and on constant supervision.Mental health has for far too long, been seen as the Cinderella of the Health Service - as we move towards the erosion of the Health Service in areas like dentistry - I can see scarey signs that folk like this poor young man and his mum are just the tip of the iceberg.Sue


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## twonK (Oct 30, 2006)

That's been my experience with the NHS too Sue. I was suicidal and severely depressed for a number of years at the time. I waited 18 months for 6 paltry CBT sessions with a very poor psychologist. 6 sessions? what is that going to achieve? Then I saw the head psychiatrist who authoritatively proclaimed that I'd tried all the possible medications (completely so so so wrong) that there was nothing anyone could do. Can you imagine the damage that that b/s can do to someone young?If I had had no internet knowledge and no support I probably would have taken my life. I'm still angry about that particular NHS episode and it was many, many years ago.Part of the problem is that mental health is seen as a "soft" science with intangible results (e.g. you can't say "oh goody, we've fixed 89% of our patients" since no-one agrees what "fixed" is), that is very expensive. However in terms of its prevalence and pain and suffering caused it should be way up there with the other well-funded causes.Pete


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## Guest (Feb 7, 2008)

Great post Pete - I'm so sorry you had such a rough experience. I see that you are now posting from New York - lucky you - so are you a Brit or did you live over here? Yeah NHS services can be a lottery - I was very fortunate (if I can put it like that) - to be suicidal when resources in East Cheshire were good and readily available - not so, under 2 years down the line in our area.I'm sure you'll agree - there is nothing intangible and soft and wooley about depression which is the most gawd-awful, soul sucking, life compromising condition I have ever experienced.Sue


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## twonK (Oct 30, 2006)

Thanks Sue,I'm a Brit living in NYC (from Anglesey, N.Wales originally). It's lucky in some respects e.g. NYC can be great but it does add other pressures, such as missing your friends and so on. Another positive aspect is the amount of IBS research that goes on here and there's more shrinks per square foot than anywhere else in the World I'd imagine







Yeah depression is evil. God knows how many undiagnosed cases there are out there (just imagine the number in China, for example) who are suffering terribly. Not that being diagnosed can help a lot of cases since there is no "solution" for it. All the meds I've tried have made me worse via side-effects and done nothing that I can detect. A truly horrible illness.Pete


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## Guest (Feb 10, 2008)

Yeah I know - all too many folk battle on with no help at all, since nothing seems to help which makes the paucity of other alternative therapies even more unforgiveable. I'm very lucky - apart from being overweight mitrazapene has suited me fine thank goodness.Oh well - wave to the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Manhattan - we had an unforgettable Xmas (2006) there.Sue


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