To want to get gym membership on the NHS

[lucyellensmum]

Our local swimming pool does GP reffered memberships and fitness programs. I suffer with depression and anxiety - i used to love the gym but i cannot afford it or justify the time away from DD. If i could get this at a reduced rate i could ask my mum to have DD for a couple of hours a week just so i could get back on track - i want to come off of ADs but cant do so without an outlet. Has anyone any experience of this?

sorry scottish mummy, im not sure i understand your post - im quite tired though

you said you dont want to go to gp. but you need to for your referral dont you?.im pondering your reluctance after you raised the question and justified it to sceptical posters

ah, you see, thats what happens when you go off on a tangent in a thread [lem reminds herself to stick to orignal subject matter]. My last post was a response to Vaggies and zippis correspondence re the bi polar thing. I am still interested in seeing doctor about the gym refferal. I was reffering to my reluctance about saying to the doctor, well, ive been talking to such and such on mnet and this has made me think i have bi polar personality (ive thought it before) but you know what i mean

self diagnosis is toxic and potentially detrimental.do you really need another label

I totally agree actually. I dont think i have this - and wouldnt want to make light of it either. Not much of a label girl me . I will be quite happy on the treadmil with just a baggy t-shirt from tesco

Hi lucyelensmum please don't worry about what your gp thinks. I have discovered that you really have to fight for help sometimes and that in itself can be stressful. OK very different problem, but I had skin cancer on my nose and I had to go to the gp 4 times to finally get some help and a consultant appointment. They kept making out I was paranoid. I was right and have the larger scar to prove it. I have only lived in UK 9 years but I have found pester power seems to be the only thing that works with gp's and if you think you need some professional help, a diagnosis etc. you almost have to fight. This is the last thing you probably need right now but don't worry about what they think of you and insist on help if that is what you need. You have a right to be taken seriously.
Look after yourself and hopefully the sunny weather continues, it is amazing how some sun and flowers can help life your spirits if only a little bit!

lucyellensmum....many people have no clue what depression is like....go 4 it....wld love to kno the outcome.....x

Having suffered with anxiety and depression my entire adult life I believe very strongly that exercise has massive mental health benefits and that the NHS would save billions every year if people took more exercise and I think you're right that the NHS's money would be well spent on encouraging people to exercise. However, the fact is that it hasn't got spare funds to divert from treating depression and obesity related diseases right now.

But I'm not sure I understand your reasoning - you're unable to find the motivation to go for a walk or a run outside but you would find the motivation to go to a gym regularly, if someone else was paying for it.

Personally I find that with depression, the biggest struggle is getting up and getting out. Once you're actually of the sofa and outside, it all gets easier from there. So I find it far harder to find the motivation to go to the gym that just to run round the block. For the gym you've got to go through the whole process of finding your stuff, finding change for the lockers, getting there, getting changed, putting your stuff away, finding a machine, etc. A walk/run is right outside your front door.

Good grief! The NHS can't affords live saving treatments for cancer patients, and you want a free gym membership! No wonder the NHS is broke.

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!

I personally think it's a good idea however I guess they have to prioritise as the NHS has to pay for each referral. I know they refer for weight loss, diabetes and stroke recovery but haven't heard of it for MH. Hope you get something sorted.

I imagine she sorted it AS THE THREAD IS EIGHT YEARS OLD

Z~O~M~B~I~E

Can't you just go running?

I wonder if kelliannsmum is also lucyellensmum?

YABU - the NHS is stretched to breaking point already. There are plenty of ways to exercise for free

I'm on the fence with this.

At first I thought no way should they pay. I'm of the opinion you can go for a walk, bike ride, etc.

But now I'm thinking why don't we say that to the overweight people? They can go for a walk or bike ride to lose weight surely?

I guess cutting obesity is the current thing. Yes it costs the NHS a lot of money but so does mental health problems.

Is it gym membership or PT sessions?

Because if it's gym membership and you can't motivate yourself to go for a run, or work up to running, it's pointless for the NHS to pay for it.

There's other ways to work up to running which are free.

Oh zombie!

OP, if I was your GP and if this referral scheme was available I would not consider writing the prescription until you had shown me (and therefore yourself) that you were really trying to use exercise to lift your mood.

The first step towards that would be to do 30 mins of exercise (preferably outside) 4 time a week for 4 weeks. Could be a brisk walk, a dance class, swim, cycle...or a mix.

Only then would I consider turning NHS funds to a gym membership.

Arse...zombie thread. I hope the OP is out of her depression and doing exercise.

Yes I totally think that's a great idea OP. I too have MH and depression, and was told it would help me more than any meds (and have been on pretty serious ones).

I claim PIP and have a care plan which pays for a gym but think you could ask the GP about some kind of referral? Mine is a private gym with a swipe card which I prefer and is around £40 a month for all classes etc which works out well if I use it several times a month.

Have only read the first page of replies but just in regards to the majority of those, I agree with the OP re being disappointed in people's attitudes. It just seems like such narrow minded thinking, in the usual vein of "why should YOU get xyz.." It's ridiculous.

Exercise has a multitude of physical and mental health benefits, think of all the money that could be saved through preventative healthcare if that's really your issue with subsidising gym memberships.

Just saw this thread was from 9 years ago