Hand hold please

[HugAndRoll]

I'm currently in a&e due to mental health reasons. Waiting for blood test results before psych will see me, I've been here 5 hours, my friends are napping, and I wonder if anyone is out there.

I have no idea what psych will do. I'm not unwell enough for admission (medically) and no-one in mental health services seems to give a shit about me.

I'm here. I need to go soon but grab my hand now. I promise to look in tomorrow too.

I'm sorry I don't know about the processes but I do care.

Hi Hug. I hope psych liaison can see you soon and chat with you. You must be knackered. Have you seen psych in A&E before?

Hi hug I know nothing about mental health services I'm afraid, but I'm awake, and happy to hold out a hand.

Do they have any idea how long the results will take? I'm glad you have friends with you.

They still haven't come back with the results.

I've seen many a mental health team, not seen the psych in this a&e before, although I'm not holding my breath that they'll do anything.

I need help, and no-one seems to want to give it. If tonight had gone differently, I bet they'd have asked my friends why I didn't try to get help. I have been, for years, and no-one cares.

I hope the talk with psych liaison is more helpful than you fear (I know there often doesn't seem to be anything much they can offer) and you can get some help. With any luck they'll come to see you soon and maybe you can get some sleep. I'm glad things didn't go differently tonight, and that you have friends with you. I know it's really hard to actually get hold of the help you need, but maybe things will start to get better, slowly, from this low point.

I just can't see how it can. I've been here so many times before, nothing changes.

Sending hope that this will be the time that the professionals are able to offer something that helps.

I don't know you, but I am glad you're there, as safe and well as you can be, with your friends.

You've got through it each time, too. I know that's a really annoying thing to say, though. A&E at half past one in the morning when you're in a mental health crisis is a grim and horrible place to be. Things do change; even when it feels like history is just repeating itself, it's different and can get better. I know nothing I can say is going to fix what you're going through, but I want you to know that I care that you feel shit right now.

I'm here for a bit. I know about the process. I hope they get back to you soon. Are you still in the waiting room? x

I'm in a side waiting room. I've been here since 19:30. They clearly don't care, I think I may just leave soon. Still not had my bloods back, they were taken at 22:30.

Can you lie down and have a rest at all?

Apparently we are just waiting for psych. No eta, they turn up when they feel like it.

Hi hug I promised to come back this morning and here I am, what's been happening?

Sorry hug, I fell asleep last night. How are you this morning?

At least you were in a side room. In my experience the MH team won't usually see you until your bloods have come back. What happened in the end?

Hope you're catching up on some sleep right now xx

Sending love and a hand to hold. Xx

Sadly it appears many of us on this board are living this and can't get the help we need.

Solidarity in solitary it seems. We're here for you and we understand you.

I'm hoping you're getting some sleep, Hug. It must've been a tiring night.

I got seen by the psych after being in a&e for 10 hours.

He's going to contact primary mental health to see if they will take me on, but I may be too unstable for them, I'm not interesting enough for secondary mental health, so I'm trapped in the middle.

I was asked again if I have ASD (I haven't been diagnosed, but it's fairly obvious) and he's putting in a recommendation that I'm seen my an adult service who can diagnose that.

I was also asked if I think I should be an inpatient, but I have children so can't be (they were safe at their dad's throughout this).

I've had enough now, I can't see me ever getting help.

Hi Hug. Crikey, what a marathon.

It's awful when you're trapped in the middle there - I'm in much the same position. Seen by MH services for a few months at a time, discharged, re-referred by GPs who recognise my problems are more complex than they can cope with, assessed and discharged by MH services as they're only seeing the most seriously ill cases... I really feel for you.

What it sounds like, though, is some really positive things have come out of this episode. If you are assessed for ASD and diagnosed, that changes implications for the best treatment plan for you, and could help prevent inappropriate treatments and maybe open up new pathways for you. Do your local NAS offer any services for adults?

I'm glad the psych took you seriously and is planning a referral to further services. You're doing great

I'm not sure, I'll take a look.

It's so frustrating, what is classed as severe? Almost daily self harm, and several suicide attempts clearly aren't.

In my area they're generally only taking people on short-term, and discharging people as soon as possible to charities or psychoeducational courses, unless they're receiving depots regularly. It's not that you're not deserving of help or that you don't need help - I know that it's not much comfort but I know quite a few people (including several women with diagnosed or as-yet undiagnosed autism) struggling through no fault of their own due to the lack of available help. I think it's disgusting.

Depending on where you are, there may be other sources of help and support. If you were near me I could direct you to various drop-in, charities, and self-referral NHS services, but I don't know what's available where you are.

We were going to start a thread for those of us who are quite clearly struggling but excluded from mh help.

Swiss I'd be interested in joining that thread. Mental health services are a joke.

the way MH services are run disgusts me. Does nobody realise that if they give people appropriate help at the first signs of illness that it will save so many people so much suffering and save money in the long run. Ie appropriate and timely outpatient services are far cheaper than an inpatient stay because nobody has listened and things have got to crisis point.

Hug you are doing amazing. How has today been? Are the DCs with you now, and do you have someone at home with you? At least something positive has come of the psych assessment. Fingers crossed the referrals get followed up quickly for you.

I'm waiting for an adult ASD assessment. Just to warn you, I've been waiting 2 and a half years so far. They are very stretched in my area. But at least I know that I'm on a list, all be it a very long one.

I have the children back. My friend helped me with bedtime, and another friend is coming over today to keep me company.

DS2 has been awake for ages and I'm really tired. I'm hoping I can have a nap later. I really don't feel good, but cuddles with DS2 really do help.

I've started a thread - the list souls lounge.