To think that if the government want me to work they should provide treatment?

[elementofsurprise]

I had a breakdown about five years ago, and lost my job. I've received no NHS treatment in that time.

I have, however, been told I'm on waiting lists that turns out to be untrue, been given wildly varying opinions and promises - told I have good insight, poor insight, am a good/bad candidate for therapy, am too messed up for therapy (!), need only a brief therapy intervention, need long-term, indepth therapy. I've been randomly dragged to hospital on one occasion, under threat of section (suicide risk, despite definitely not being my illest and trying to explain that to them) then chucked out unceremoniously after three days and discharged entirely from the service.

I've been repeatedly re-referred by my GP; the CMHT bounce back four or five referrals before they take me on for a sham 'assessment' which inevitably decides there's nothing they can do - the service I need doesn't appear to exist anymore. They did once let me have an assessment with a therapist but she seemed very odd, eg. got me recalling deeply painful memories and when I was spacing out and just in a really painful place, there was no time to explore these memories just her saying I wasn't going to be seeing her again because I was unsuitable for therapy. She seemed basically nice but inept and completely not understanding.

I was discharged with a recommendation to my GP to never refer me again (he's tried, they sent it back) because I'll only be disappointed and feel let down by services.

As mentioned, I know certain budgets have been cut so the in-depth type therapy I need is like unicorn poo.

I claim ESA and PIP, using the latter to pay for private therapy. This is doing something but it is slow progress, and interestingly my involvement with MH services seems to have been catastropically unhelpful in terms of exacerbating everything and adding years to my recovery time.

I do stuff with my time as much as I am able. Gardening, crafts etc. Looking into Open University though it makes me feel like I'm a scrounger if I'm able to do that. I'm not just hanging around doing nothing. I'd have tried to get private treatment sooner if the NHS hadn't kept promising but not delivering. (*feel compelled to point out the physical side of the NHS has always been fine to me! Just MH is something else...) Although paying for therapy is reliant of me getting PIP, which is hard to get. What if I'm better enough not to qualify but still not able to hold down a job? (Job is hardest of daily things for me, due to inflexible nature of employment.)

I failed my first ESA assessment - nil points - and appealed and got 45 points and put in Support group. Since then they are trusting the word of my GP which feels like very shaky ground, or perhaps I am such a dangerous fruitcake they think it's safer to just let me have the benefits. Arghh.

I don't know, but I know the way the wind is blowing and I'm going to be in trouble within the next couple of years, I fear. My diagnosis is rather vague - anxiety/depression diagnosed by GP, others mutter "PD" and "complex case", but nothing official for the DWP.

I know I'm being unreasonable to think this govenment would give a shit, but AIBU in general, as a moral stance, to think that if they want to get an ill person back to work, they should provide treatment?

[elementofsurprise]

Oops - Sorry for the length.

[PtolemysNeedle]

YANBU to think that mental health services in this country are shit, because they are and it's awful.

But as for your main AIBU question, YABU, because it doesn't really matter whether the government wants you to work or not. You are the one who knows whether you need to work or not and that's your responsibility. Yes, you should be recieving adequate treatment, but that is irrelevant to the government wanting you to work.

[UncertainSmile]

I honestly think that this government would be happier if us mentals just died in a ditch somewhere. NHS MH provision is a national disgrace, and so is the govt's treatment of the ill and vulnerable.

[ollieplimsoles]

MH services in this country are DIRE thats true...sorry you have had such a useless time with varying professionals.

Have you considered easing yourself back into work with a voluntary position if that is available? Or will that affect the ESA and PIP? Open university sounds like a good idea to me if you think you can manage it. I would hardly call you a scrounger for using your benefit to further your education and better yourself? It could help in your recovery or lead to a more suitable job for you that you can cope with better.

[OrangeVase]

Sorry to hear that you have been/ still are ill. And yes, of course you should have access to treatment. But the AIBU question gives the impression that there is this abstract being - ie The Government - who owes you a living.

In the end we are responsible for ourselves and if we fall our fellow citizens catch us in terms of paying tax/volunteering/ creating a productive society.

We all need help from each other, we all contribute something. It balances out in the end.

The AIBU was YES YABU but your question that you should have treatment is a different question and no of course YANBU

[PaigeMahoney]

Absolutely and definitely IMO YANBU. MH provision is currently appalling and sends the strong message that if it's not a physical illness the state doesn't consider it to be real. Which exacerbates individuals' feelings of shame etc thus not only not helping because of lack of treatment but also actually making it worse. You have my sympathy OP and I hope you can access the OU.

[elementofsurprise]

PtolomysNeedle I suppose I feel that treatment is relevant to the government wanting me to work because it's them who are trying to reduce the numbers on sickness benefits by any means possible. I'm scared they will remove financial support before I'm well enough to work, and that doesn't seem right or fair especially alongside not being able to access NHS treatment. And it's pretty crap to taxpayers, now I think of it - providing treatment so I can work again is surely economical, rather than shelling out on benefits?

Ollieplimsoles Thanks. It seems easy to start being suspicious of yourself when having to go through ESA assessments etc! I'm hoping to volunteer as soon as I can reliably manage being somewhere at a set time and place. Booked on OU course too.

OrangeVase I guess I'm thinking it's the government that holds the NHS purse strings as well as the DWP purse strings so you'd hope there would be some joined up thinking. I'd prefer a rather different structure/society over all though... sometimes I feel like I have a lot to give but it doesn't easily fit into a paid employment context!

[OrangeVase]

elementofsurprise - yes - expressed like that you are right. I absolutely agree about joined up thinking and I despair at the lack of it sometimes
I may have sounded harsh but the idea of "The Governement should" always gets me.

I volunteer, I need to work but jobs few and far between now so I do some freelance stuff. Money is a problem and the benefits system is counterproductive. There should be "credits" in some way for volunteers. Society needs them and they often suit people who cannot do a job and be "employed"

I had severe depression around menopause time and got excellent treatment in terms of drugs and counselling/ CBT therapy.

My teenage son who had real problems has been pushed from pillar to post and had no help whatsoever. We have done most of it ourselves and abandoned the humiliating, time-consuming, soul-destroying attempts to get help - for now.

Good Luck. ( And strongly recommend OU)