To feel like I'm wasting valuable resources?

[tudorgirl]

First time on aibu, but didn't want to post in Mental Health. I have been seeing a CPN for a while, but now I'm not as bad, I feel really guilty for using up valuable resources that may be better used by someone more in need. I guess I'm feeling like I should just 'get on with' my life, like so many others do in much worse circumstances. I feel a bit of a fraud sometimes. I'm wondering if I should just discharge myself.
Does anyone else ever feel like this?

I can only talk from my personal experience which is totally subjective. So (with that caveat) that feeling like a fraud thing made me personally stop seeking the help I really needed and probably meant I lived with my own issues for a lot longer than was necessary. Imo mental health isn't something you really 'get better' from, but your issues are something you can grow with/around and, eventually, live well with. Also I personally found I'd feel 'better' for a while, then relapse. But having appropriate support even when you're feeling good helps build those tools of resilience needed if and when life circumstances change and a relapse is at risk of occurring.

But only you are the expert on yourself! I'd say if you're concerned about taking up the cpn's time then have an honest conversation with them about it and see where that goes.

I know what you mean exactly. BUT you don't get a CPN lightly at all - if they are still keen to see you, then you still need them. I spoke to my psychiatrist about this last year, asking to be discharged:his response was
1)it's not people who worry about wasting NHS resources who are wasting NHS resources
2)there's a huge difference between being "much better than I was" and "well"

I think these probably apply to you too, OP. My psych is a proper judgemental bastard about things too, so I'm inclined to believe him on this

It's great that you're not as bad as you have been, but, respectfully, you may not be the best judge of whether you are still in need of help. In fact, questioning in this way makes it seem definitely like you are-plus, it's not just a case of getting on with it, as you know. If that's all it took to get better, you'd have done that ages ago!

Honestly - you'd have been discharged back to the GP if you weren't benefiting from them any more. Try not to feel guilty about having the support

Thank you both, that has really helped straighten things out in my mind. I will continue, and discuss the longer term next time I see her. When I feel good I can hardly imagine feeling any other way, and when I'm bad, it seems as though that mood has been there forever.
Thank you!