Is my MH social worker right?

[182blink]

they are a mental health social worker. I have agoraphobia. In almost 2 years, the furthest I have managed to get from my house is 2 minutes away by taxi, when my dog needed the vet for an issue with her eye and there was no one available to take her. This took so much energy out of me that I couldn’t function anymore and needed to go to bed to lie down. my insomnia worsened and I couldn’t function the next day either. I put together a grounding bag, and arranged by the social worker, had 6 weeks with someone who would take me out in their car up the street and back again. This caused me intense fear and was also exhausting for me. I self harmed. Because I did this, my social worker says that I have “managed” to do these things using a grounding bag and using it to deny me longer term support for my agoraphobia, and that I will only be offered short term support. I’m not sure wether I should submit a complaint or ask for a new social worker or both

You have no friends or family that can do that?
Do you get PIP? If so then use that to pay someone £10 per week for a two minute walk up the street and back.

Do you have health coaches in your area? They can offer this type of support but it would only be short term. Gp can refer here for that. Can you make a plan (if not already done) outlining the steps you think you can take towards this goal? Just saying 'until you can do it' is possibly too vague for most services as they have time limits. So for instance say within 2 weeks to stand by open door, by 4 weeks to stand in garden for 1 min, or similar. Breaking down a goal into short small steps might make it less overwhelming also. Good luck

I imagine/hope Labour will be changing some things around relating to the PIP system if that is what is worrying you? Having to "prove" you struggle with day to day tasks and having teams of people trying to catch you out is very counter productive for anxiety disorders and paranoia. I'd keep in mind to drag out any paperwork perhaps, if it won't impact badly on you, just to slow anything down for a bit while it all changes over.

I also had issues leaving the house after an embolism in January. I was terrified I'd colllapse again in public and not be able to breathe which became a cycle of panic attacks which happened daily for a long time but often when I thought about going outside or if I was on a lone dog walk and saw someone coming. Long story short I've now been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism (which, undiagnosed for years, caused a thyroid storm which caused the clot) and been given propranonol - if you can I'd recommend it very highly. My heart rate only goes to 130 once a day now and I can control the ideas forming for panic attacks much better - haven't had one in over a month since starting it. I didn't think it would do much tbh but I can't recommend it enough.

Mental health services do not provide a care function. If a support worker or similar was provided to help you to go out this would be as part of a structured therapy program where you would progress to longer periods and to going out by yourself.

I suspect what the MH SW was alluding to is that in asking for 'long term support' 'someone to take me out'. You are asking for a care package not a therapeutic intervention.

Mental health services are never long term in this day and age there is not the budget. They are always short term and focused on specific goals. Long term support to maintain current function is social care.

I think you need to decide what your goals actually are and how you will work to achieve them and in what time frame. Asking for open ended 'someone to take me out' is never going to receive a positive response as basically it's maintaining dependency.

I think you are believing that the key to receiving the support you want is being 'bad enough' and that they are withdrawing because you are not 'bad enough' because you achieved something whereas in fact it is having motivation and potential to improve that will get them to stay involved.

NHS MH services nowadays just want to make sure you are not going to top yourself.
If you feel safe at home, they will be ok leaving you to that.

Do you have a branch of MIND where you live? My local one will work with people such as yourself, and get you out and about. I am doing work with mine about using public transport.

They are not miracle workers, I do not think the service exists that you want you may have to pay for someone

My gosh this is true unfortunately

I feel like I have already made a lot of progress but not enough. I used to be completely house bound but I can go out into my garden now or go to the end of my road. I can now speak with a couple of neighbours when I couldn’t previously socialise at all.

This was available before the Tories. Unfortunately it hasn't been the case outside of private practice for over 10 years.

Assuming you are being seen by the CMHT/ whatever secondary care mental health is called where you live, do you have access to clinical psychology? I would offer you an assessment for EMDR therapy if you were my client. This is much more effective than long term support from a social worker. It is therapy that enables processing of the trauma at the core of your difficulties.