To go to A&E for mental health? I don’t feel like I’m properly me

[shouldigotohospital]

I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. Have tried 111 but an hours wait. Am known to crisis for post traumatic stress, but they shut at 8. I know where I am, date, time of day, who I am, but I don’t feel like I’m in my own body and feel weirdly scared of everything. Put the big stuff light out to see if I could sleep and had to turn it straight back on because I was scared there was something waiting in the dark.

Everything doesn’t feel real like it’s all in my imagination, heating and sight aren’t right and hands don’t feel right

I’ve never had this before

I’m not sure if I should go to hospital or not. Am only 10 mins in to hours wait. A&E is across the street. Can they do anything in this?

Yes a mental health crisis is an emergency. Mental health crises include suicidal intent, uncontrolled psychosis & mania.

Depersonalisation is a distressing symptom. Most medical symptoms either physical or mental are distressing. This doesn't make them a crisis. We can't go to a&e with all symptoms.

The fact is that disassociation and dereliction can be indicative of a severe mental health crisis - or not.

There was nothing in the op's post yesterday to suggest she wasn't at risk of harm or danger, but a couple of things to suggest the opposite. Therefore the posters telling her off for considering a&e because she had neither accident or emergency, or to ring samaritans were giving dangerous and irresponsible advice.

Thankfully, she got through to the right people to look ensure her safety and help her through the episode but regardless of how busy a&e may be, the waiting times or people's personal lack of understanding of mental health conditions, she should never have been told to wait it out until standard working hours.

She clearly felt at risk and if she she hadn't been able to get hold of an appropriate professional as she did then a&e would have been the right course.