Feel let down by my therapist - advice please

[Daisycat22]

I'll try to cut a long story short.
I've had a lot of mental health problems for a very long time (OCD, Agoraphobia, Panic disorder, emetephobia, severe mood swings) and I've just tried to manage them myself but after reaching my mid 30's and realising how badly these issues have affected my life I sought help about 7 months ago.

I had a very bad bout of depression and felt suicidal, I was seen by a psychiatrist (who was rubbish really, didn't listen to me properly and just mentioned 'mild' depression) and he referred me for CBT.

Anyway been seeing therapist for about 6 weeks and (after listening to my history in my initial assesment) he said that apart from all the disorders mentioned above he thought my extreme moods sounded like bipolar (my moods are either depressed, very happy or angry/irritable. I have very impulsive behaviour, can't hold down a job, or relationship, leave homes/give away all my furniture on a whim and moods are up and down constantly).

So for the past 6 weeks we have down very little CBT as my moods are so changeable that I mostly can't engage in the session. I went to one session about 4 weeks ago suicidal, the therapist said he would write to my GP to tell him how I was feeling and also write to the LMHT and ask for me to be reassessed as he didn't agree with the diagnoses of mild depression.

So for the past 4 weeks I've been asking him if he's had any response from the LMHT and he's said no but we should hear soon.

Anyway I called the LMHT myself and asked why the reasessment was taking so long and they said they have no request from my therapist. So I see my GP and ask her if she has had any correspondence from my therapist and she said no. She also told me that the LMHT would not reassess me while I was having CBT so my therapist would have to discharge me from his care.

I feel like my therapist has been stringing me along these past couple of weeks telling me lies about what he's supposedly doing when he's been doing sod all! Why would he do this?

I have been trying to call him to query all this but he won't return my calls and my next appointment isn't until next Friday.

I feel like not bothering, is it worth all the hassle, I feel worse since starting all this!

It sounds like a crap situation and it must be awful. I don't think the therapist should have been diagnosing you.

Do you get on ok with your gp? Maybe the next thing is to try and see her and tell her what the therapist said (if you haven't already).

It sounds as if it would be good to see a different psychiatrist. Have you checked out the Rethink and Mind websites for advice?

Often the MH services are a minefield (forgive me if you have experience with them already), but there will be some good people in there as well.

I hope it starts to feel a bit easier soon.

I have no idea why he wouldn't return your calls - that doesnt make sense.

Yes, he will have to discharge you but not while you're waiting to be reassessed as then you'd be without anyone.

It is possible he has written and the clinic or the post office have misplaced it - but you'd need to talk to him to check he's sent it.

How long have you been waiting for a return call? Is it voicemail you get when you call? Are you able to leave a message?