Please please be gentle.

[nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut]

Ok I honestly don't know if I'm being unreasonable here but if I am then can you tell me so gently?

I'm in a really difficult place at the moment with depression, anxiety and suspected PTSD. I've been having therapy since just before Christmas with a therapist who works from a home office sort of thing, I suppose I'd describe it as an annex. He lives in Enfield which is about 45 minutes drive.

I am struggling with the lockdown but complying and am having almost constant thoughts of suicide. I have them usually anyway but I'm really starting to scare myself.

My therapist has been continuing seeing me and has been a huge support and stabilising influence. He is happy to carry on as neither of us are symptomatic and I am able to stay 2 metres away and not touch anything while there. I am also living with a vulnerable person which makes it more risky but I go to the supermarket once a week for food and have been to the pharmacy for our medications which imo is more risky than going to therapy.

I just dont know whether it is still permissible to go? On the one hand it IS a medical appointment of sorts and if I don't then I WILL end up at A&E where I'm at far more risk of coming into contact with the virus but on the other hand I don't know if the police will agree should I get stopped at a roadblock. What would you do? Phone/online support is not an option due to the nature of the trauma, it would do far more harm than good.

@Crackerofdoom great minds think alike

If you are stopped then please be careful with the language you use because the police are overstretched and struggling with this new world (I had to call about a potential fraud today)
Call it a medical appointment not 'therapy'.
Use your therapists clinical profession e.g.psychologist, doctor or psychiatrist when you refer to him/her
Don't be wishy washy as to whether it's essential - if you confidently state it is a medical need it's more likely to be accepted. If there is doubt in your mind then they will hear it and think it's then not essential...
Good health... X

Go. It’s an essential trip. X

Please go.

Go

Yes please go your mental health is so important I'm so sorry to hear you are struggling x

Go.

Letter from your therapist just incase you get stopped but 100% carry on going.

You can still attend medical appointments - so yes of course that's fine. I've seen a couple of patients this week who needed to be seen in person rather than by Skype.

Definitely essential and the best course to go. Please don’t cancel because a couple out of many responses feel they wouldn’t - mental health is life threatening, you’re critically ill and you must carry on treatment.

I am a massive stay-the-fuck -at-home advocate.

Your are the first person who has asked that I'd say you should go out. If you would die without this appointment, then its serious enough for you to attend.

Go to therapy.

My therapist has switched to skype sessions for all his clients. Maybe that would be easier for you too?

The rules from our glourious leader state that medical appoitments are pertmiited travel so GO!.

And i hope you feel better, really do:)

Oh gosh, yes, definitely go. It's a necessary medical appointment. Sorry you are having such a hard time

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut
Do you have a type of appointment card, email or similar? Ask the therapist to send an email confirming your appointment - just in case you are stopped you can show this.
Otherwise please go OP, your own MH and well-being is just as important as this CV business.
Please take care of yourself

It is an absolutely essential trip, OP.

I would hope this would fall under accessing medical care exemption but a lot of people are arseholes about mental health and might say otherwise.

Be kind to yourself. Please go to your appointments

I think it sounds absolutely essential for you

Wow I think this might be the first unanimous go out during lockdown thread. Wasnt expecting that. I feel its essential because I wont cope without but if I get stopped at a roadblock I dont want to be fined or forced to explain why its essential. I dont get appointment cards or anything, it's just a standing appointment but I could ask him to send me a text I suppose. He is a psychotherapist as opposed to a psychologist, I think that's a whole other level of education so I don't suppose a letter would hold any weight and I'm worried because mental health problems aren't really considered medical by a lot of people.

I don't think there are any roadblocks are there?

A text from your therapist will be fine. I don't think your average bobby will know the different types of therapists and will just see it as a medical appointment which is specifically mentioned as essential in the government lists.

You are being responsible and sensible by taking action to ensure you do not end up in A & E. That's the right thing to do.

psychotherapist as opposed to a psychologist

Thats medical!..

Coronavirus can be life threatening but so can serious mental health conditions.....you need to go.

Of course you must go.

Take good care of yourself

Yeah apparently they're setting them up and pulling people over to ask if their journey is essential and finding them if not. Fines are unlimited. Thank you so much everyone who has answered, it's really been worrying me.