How can we help this person who's clearly not well?

[CambridgeBlue]

A relative has had what I would inexpertly call a breakdown, she's not been right for a long time but it's come to a head and we're not sure how to help. She's seen her GP and been prescribed anti-depressants but we think she needs more than that, maybe to speak to someone about how she is feeling. I assume waiting lists for counselling are long though and this is quite urgent as she and those around her are not coping well.

Is there anything we can do to help or speed up the process of getting her the support she clearly needs?

There is a crisis team, the GP can refer into that, or she can go to A&E for support.

Thank you, I think she does need to see her GP again and I hope they are able to help her sooner rather than later.

Does your relative have insight into how unwell they have become? I think that can make a difference to what needs to happen...

I think you might be able to get counselling for her through the doctor's surgery for up to ten sessions, but there does, like you say, tend to be a waiting list. I found one privately which made things quicker - not cheap at thirty five pounds a session but was worth it as I needed it sooner rather than later frankly. Was told the best thing to do was find a BACP therapist www.itsgoodtotalk.org.uk/therapists/.

Antidepressants can give you a difficult week or two before they kick in properly in my experience. It helped me to have people around, not always in person (as it was quite difficult to talk about things) but on the end of the phone or text - it can be a very confusing and frightening time, and you need to know people are still around, I did anyway. If it comes to it, A and E will help if things get really hard, and I'm sure the out of hours docs will too. Good luck.

Waiting lists for NHS counselling are long but private ones ( see BACP and UKCP websites) aren't - most also have a sliding scale of charges and some say just give what you can afford. Plus always worth contacting local college/training provider for counsellors and psychotherapists as they have final year trainees (as good if not better!) who need to build up certain number of hours of therapy and will see people for free.

A good book for relatives can be the "black Dog" ones - one is called "living with a black dog" and the other is "living with someone with a black dog"

Other resources on how to support someone can be found on the Mind website and The Black Dog Tribe website.

Good luck x

Ooh, also would add that counselling for those around her would probably be useful too x

rubbish I think she realises that things aren't right but I'm not sure she recognises how serious it's got. She's DH's relation rather than mine so I haven't been directly involved, I am asking on his behalf because he's struggling to know what to do for the best.

Thanks again for the advice.