To expect more help than this?

[desperatedan8]

I will try and keep this long story short.

I have moderate depression and am frequently suicidal which I have experienced for the past two months. It seems to be gradually getting worse the more time goes on. I saw one GP who prescribed me Fluoexetine and 'talking therapies'. I self-referred to this and saw a CBT counsellor for 20 mins who decided I was suitable for online CBT only despite my explaining my intention. I then got home and logged into the system to find it advised me to call the Samaritans immediately and go no further with the course.

Soon after this I saw another GP who prescribed me Sertraline and referred me to a CMHT. I have reacted badly to both medications so require something else. The CMHT call me every day to ask me how I am doing that day, and it is a different staff member each day, none of whom I have met. They referred me to a psychiatrist who I saw this morning who was 25 mins late, decided to take a phonecall in the middle of my appt, sent a few text messages whilst I was there in the middle of talking and who is apparently unaware of what further services there are that he could refer me to or what other medications he could prescribe. Each time I expressed my surprise he accused me of being confrontational.

I have basically been told I can do the online computer course, wait 6 months on the NHS CBT waiting list to finally see somebody face to face or I can go private.

Is this really it? AIBU to expect more than this? My poor husband is at the end of his tether and I feel so disappointed with it all as I sought this help and it has come to nothing. I used to work in the NHS and would never provide such a poor service as I have received, although that was in a different population sector rather than generic adult mental health.

Any advice very welcome

Complain about the psychiatrist. Shitty service!

Can you afford private?

Unfortunately, I don't believe that the NHS has much left to offer.

If you can afford to go private, that will help If not, join the waiting list and take the computer course. It might help, if you go into it with an open mind, and it's better than nothing.

I hope you find something that does work for you. All the best.

The government do not put money into mental health, people do not want to pay the taxes for it. It's not a vote winner.

Mental health services are shocking, genuinely dreadful.

Can you afford to go private? Lots of therapists will negotiate fees for low waged, charities and women's centres do free or low cost therapy. If you PM what area you're in I can have a look for you for local charities.

www.bacp.co.uk to find a therapist in your area.

One psychiatrist once told me -- psychiatry is a step-daughter of medicine, and is nearly on the same level as veterinary science. Lack of investment, lack of research, lack of funding, resulting in poor services and inadequate help.

NHS mental health services unfortunately receive very poor funding, resulting in long waiting times and difficulty accessing CBT. Have you tried any of the voluntary agencies where you live? Your GP should have a list of local agencies which provide counselling. I'm a GP and in our area we are being encouraged to ask patients to self-refer to voluntary agencies due to a severe lack of availability of NHS funded psychological services. It's dreadful for patients at present.

It might be worth asking your GP if he can prescribe an old-style tricyclic anti-depressant rather than SSRIs. There's lots of evidence to suggest SSRIs can actually make some people feel worse.

Mental heal services on the NHS are spectacularly shit, but then so are many other services unfortunately.

If you can find the money, go private.

Are you employed? A lot of companies have EAP schemes which include a course of private counselling