Please or to access all these features

Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Getting close to the end and nowhere to turn

57 replies

OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 07/07/2016 01:27

I've tried seeking help, again and again. I now have a long history of seeking help but getting nowhere. Seems to be a paradox where they will only help if I am actively suicidal, but obviously then I wouldn't ask for help. Confused Have been to GP within last week.

I feel like a burden, and that I musn't ask for support, and must present as others expect of me. And I feel like that because that is what I have been treated like. I don't think that's right, or at least I woudn't if it was someone else in this position, but that is the state of affairs.

GP has referred for ASD assessment at my request. But tbh it seems like he's so keen on that because he sees me as a weirdo (and clearly thinks I'm difficult). Certainly, he doesn't seem to understand or agree with anything else I say/try to explain. Seeing him or anyone about my mental health is massivey triggering for me, makes me feel so desperately alone, and this sort of feeling like I'm being suffocated and expected to smile sweetly and say "yes sir, no sir" and agree that they are right and I'm a despicable human who should know my place. I'm definitely doing something wrong by feeling all these pesky emotions and having nightmares and horrible overwhelming memories. It's my fault people have hurt me so badly. I shoud keep quiet and conform godammit! Again, I wouldn't treat someone else like this but it seems to be the accepted view of me and I'm supposed to accept that and somehow also not feel shite.

I'm scared of everybody. I can't cope with their expectations, and most relationships and friendships seem to reach a point where I feel massively scapegoated or like I just have to be what the other person wants. I've tried to work out where I'm going wrong, if it's me, but tbh I seem to keep at it trying to repair relationships (including friendships) when it's way past the point of being treated as a "lesser" human. I really treasure the few who haven't treated me in this way, but sadly do not live near any of them anymore (most are abroad - that'll teach me to encourage people to follow their dreams Wink). I've been reading up about abusive relationships because I'm trying to break the pattern in my romantic life, and it's struck me that an awful lot of it is relevant in friendships too. But I feel like that with almost everyone! If I applied red flag crietria to friendships I'd be considered even more of a bitch by other people.

It's all so confusing, I feel sick not understanding. Perhas I am this awful person others seem to think? But everything I've read supports me just being traumatised, I have had some shitty bad luck/horrible cricumstances happen to me... But... I seem to be one of those people a few people love and value whilst the majority despise without it being clear why. People seem keen to think the worst of me, even if it involes distroting the truth or making stuff up, whilst others are given the benefit of the doubt.

I have had some therapy (privately) and it improved self-worth but if anything that made things worse as less willing to put up with stuff. Also it validated my position in a way which didn't resolve the underlying questions, possibly because I have just been horribly unlucky, but I'm not sure.

Gosh that was a lot of unexpected writing. The point is, I'm utterly alone right now, and feel I'm at the end. (Not seen anyone in weeks, have no good friends nearby, or even anyone I could see really.) I'm struggling with all the bad memories and just being totally overwhelmed and feeling hopeless because I couldn't stop the horrible things happening, because people who should have helped actively worked against me, because I still don't understand the things, and because people seem to slam doors in my face rather than explain. I want to talk about the things. I wish I could do that here but just get told to "seek help".

I just don't know how to effectively ask for help because if I do I instantly sort of clam up and feeling dreadfully guilty and either a terrible attention seeker or a horrible burden, depending on who I've opened up to (MH people/GP or friends). The only person who remotely understands and is a longterm friend I could potentially speak to has a hell of a lot on their plate right now. I called and ended up not really saying how I felt, just trying to be supportive. Whih felt good because friendship does, and I love this person to bits and want to help them, but it still leaves me increasingly more desperate and alone with all the memories and feelings and confusion and hopelessness.

But yeh, I can't seem to convey things properly because I've been "trained" by the very people who should help not to show emotion and to feel guilty and attention-seeking (comments about being attention seeking, manipulative, told won't spek to you until you've "calmed down" or stopped crying, that sort of thing). Even this post has been written in a weirdly detached way; Im actually in bits. If I genuinely tell someone how I feel, I freak out and withdraw inside myself instantly. I could write on here that I'm suicidal and if one of you rushed round to my house I would be mortified and my "smile and be personable" social conditioning would automatically click in, no matter how much I desperately needed to talk about stuff. I can do it, it's just that usually the other person is sort of trying to jolly you out of it, so it feels wrong to keep dragging the conversation back to "I need to discuss this awful thing".

I feel like my background suicide risk is going up rapidly, and I don't know how to convey it. It's like the more reactive "shit, everything is too much" suicide risk was higher when living through crap. Whereas now it's more the background hopelessness that increases day by day. Does that make sense?

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:11

but i cant ask for help cos i just have and feel worse now

they dont listen they just say seek help. or go to GP. Thats what police MH triage team said. I explain i have done that a week ago and they say go bak. I could have seen him tody nd they still say go to your gp. they dont seem to understnd that going from pillar to post being sent somewhere else with no-one ever actually listening isnt helpful

i cat get help, im too fucked. if i was so thick id never tried to mke it bettermyself they might be helpful

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:12

purple - i have lterally just had the police here. after calling the crisis team. I have literally just dne the asking for help. they do not giv a fuck.

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:13

and te police said pull youself ogteher, as did gp when i sa him. im obviously supposed to be fine so muct be inadeuate for not being fine

OP posts:
ChoccyJules · 08/07/2016 20:14

OP you're not a bad person and you're not shit and you do matter. Would you try ringing the Samaritans? They won't say silly things like getting you to diagnose your own ASD. If you are scared, can you contact Womens Aid? Both of these will be kind to you.

OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:15

this is why i dont tell anyone anymore. I used to seek elp but have been so badly hurt by them i know it just makes things worse. to clarify thats seekig help - if theyd actully let me see a therpaist and maye have some support id not turn it down, its the fruitless attempts to get help when you have no energy just makes it worse. But also then its wrog for me to need support so no one here needs to tell me that and make me feel worse. I SHOULD be fine, but im not. nothing they can do

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:17

im so sorry but i find the samaritans a sort of echo chamber for hopelssness. im sure they do very valuable work with epople who are overwhelmed in the moment, but this is ongoing and just reached the point where i cnt go on. spelling it out to someone who cnt even add to a discussion of events (for eg.) just clafiries the hopelessness for me. im so sorry.

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:19

also they are alwys nice until they read my notes, the police are nice util they speak to triage team and then go cold. lies are in my notsand horrible charcter defamatio, they have stiched me up horribly. i was only ever in pain asking for help but they think im bad

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:21

i mst be shit, why else did they jusge meso horribly for goin and asking for ehlp in pai when i was still a teen? they hated me from the start. told me i should be fine and wasnt mentally ill. i just kept trying to be fine and got abused a lot in the process. but im not like other people, no im traumatised it doesnt matter. they secrely want me to be dead so i'l go away.

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:22

i know theres nothing they can do

the only thing that wud help is if i wasnt shit and wasnt scapegoated by others

i cant even get any answers to human behaviour i dont understand and the things that dont add up

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:25

i hate trying to seek help cos eithe its lot f energy i cant spare just t be upset and dismissed by gp or cmht. Alternatively if gets to emergency level then they make huge scen with police and ambulances and section 136's and long waits in a&e... only to be told... go and see your gp. Bckt o square one. i reached out for elp tnight nd there is no help there. jst another big scene to deal with

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:26

i see all their fcaes laughig t me,, all the men and the mh people. they hve all the powrr nd can abuse me and i cant stop them. they can laugh and call me stupid or patetic for feleig bad. im worthless. i wish i was ood enoygh

OP posts:
CobbledTogether · 08/07/2016 20:31

The triage team have seen you and for whatever reason have assessed you as not being in imminent danger of hurting yourself, whether you agree with that or not.

So options open to you if you feel unsafe are to go to A&E where you'll be seen by the duty psych or to find a way to handle this yourself through distraction.

Here's some distraction ideas.
Post here.
Write a list of books you've read and mark them out of 10.
Work out your top 20 songs. See if you can find them on YouTube and play them.
Get a piece of paper and try to draw yourself.
Go for a walk.
Go out and buy a stupid sticker album and a load of stickers - like the kids have. Start filling the album. I've done this and it's great distraction.

If what you're thinking is that nothing could help, then it's unlikely you'll try anything, but give it a go. It's got to be better than doing nothing.

OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:31

i ended up hitting myself ad hurting myself because od how cisis team woman spoke to me. want to do more. sorry. why am i bad for being in pain? why dont crisi team have any skills at tealking to someone whos depressed?

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:32

triage team didnt see me - just spoke to police over phoe

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:34

ive been doing all that stuff for about 6 weeks now. just coping minte by minute. but its hopeless. im not getting better, im struggling more each dy. there isnt any hope left.

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:36

peple just want me to live so they dont feel bad. they dont actully care that im in so much pain. im so tired of having to pease everyone

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 08/07/2016 20:37

why dont crisi team have any skills at tealking to someone whos depressed?

It sounds like you've been unlucky. If you feel like you're going to hurt yourself going to A and E is a good plan.

cobbled has some great distraction ideas to try. I'd add start a silly thread on chat and see what happens.

CobbledTogether · 08/07/2016 20:38

Ok, so the triage team haven't assessed you. Did they talk to you at all? If not then A&E is still an option if you are certain that you are unable to keep yourself safe.

You've been doing distraction. Cool. Talk me through what you've done. All of it if you can. Making lists is a good distraction! Maybe then look at some of the things you've done that gave you some actual respite from these feelings and do it again.

OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:41

its all so confusing. what am i supposed to think o feel? peoplekeen to send me off to ask for help, but "help" is teeling me to do the stuff im already doing. they dont seem to grasp how much i am struggling.

I feel hoepless because there isnt a way out, there is o help and after so many years i know i cant do it alone.

am i wrong for wanting help or not? cos they make me feel i am, so i dont ask, i do what they and posters here advise me and jus keep trying, distract, hobbies, blah blah. but its not getting better its gettig worse. I want to die. so then ppl tell me to seek help and think im rong for not wanting to. Confused Do you see what i men? I dont even know what im allowed or suposed to think, none of it adds up

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:45

im so sorry, but nothings giving me respite from the feelings nowadays. i cant concetrate for feelig awful. Feel literally hevy, its hard to move. Im so sorry, im not trying to be bad, just being honest. i seem to be fucked up in a way that others arent, cos i dont get better and no-one sems to undersatnd hw bad it is

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:46

A&E wouldnt help though. same thing. Id just be sat there all night, i cnt cope with that, sitting there knowing if i wasnt so shit id be fine. drunks everywhere. then they get the crisis team t see you, and they tell you to see your gp.

OP posts:
OnceThereWasThisGirlWho · 08/07/2016 20:47

please could i tell you the tings?

OP posts:
CobbledTogether · 08/07/2016 20:50

I can hear how bad it is, but when someone comes online and is obviously distressed, and appears to be saying that they're in imminent danger of hurting themselves, it would be irresponsible of them to suggest anything other than to go to A&E if that's the only source of help, or offering distraction ideas. As you know, there are no magic ways to resolve this.

I hear what you say about A&E but if being there would at least keep you safe while they wait to assess you, then that's some extra safe time.

Puff42 · 08/07/2016 21:00

Cobbled is right, please go to A&E. She's right, it would be extra safe time. I'm in another country so not sure how it works in UK but if you tell them you are in imminent danger of hurting yourself, won't they admit you and put you on psych ward? That's how it works over here.

CobbledTogether · 08/07/2016 21:03

Puff, sadly in the UK there is such a dreadful shortage of beds after government cuts, it's difficult to get a bed, but if the OP is demonstrably in imminent danger they would at least assess her.