Home care team?!

[Heihei]

Today I’ve had an assessment by the START team. I’ve struggled with highs and lows for a long time and originally the GP said I had general anxiety and depression. This time the referral team suggested I have bipolar and referred me through to the start team.

The mental health practitioner today has referred me to the home care team. I’m freaking out a bit because I don’t know what this means? I know I’m not doing great and I haven’t been for a long time but this all seems very serious and overwhelming. Can anyone who has any experience with bipolar or the home care team give me any ideas of what is going to happen to me. I’m really very anxious now.

Sorry no experience with bipolar but I think the home care team is just the community team who will look after you 'in your home' rather than at hospital. They will visit you, help with appointments etc and keep an eye on you to help you in your recovery. Dont be anxious they are there to help x

Thank you for your reply. I’ve had a bit of a rough few days and I’m feeling all over the place. DH is also feeling very pressured. He’s usually my support but he’s been really losing his temper quickly and said he’s really upset that no-one is acknowledging how hard this is for him.

I feel so awful. DH is at uni and I usually work full time but at the moment to drs think I’m not really fit to go to work. Now DH feels like I’m robbing him of his chance to do uni because of my stupid behaviour. He’s usually so supportive but everyone has their limits. I’m sorry for rambling I don’t have anyone else to talk to. I’m just scared of what is happening I suppose.

I get that, i'm a carer for my DH whilst trying to hold down my job & it's hard work.
Not ideal him saying it's silly behaviour but maybe he is just worried & stressed about you. We're also human & selfish so yes I have many woe me moments when it's DH who is going through it all
Hang on in there x

I'm having treatment under a home care team right now so I could probably answer a few of your questions.

Home care usually takes place in the home but I opted to have mine in my local mental health hospital because that's just where I feel most comfortable talking about my mental health. When it starts you're usually seen every other day or every couple of days; this is just a short term support plan. Home treatment is usually a couple of months at most. Around my area it averages about 3/4 weeks.

Your team contains CPNs, doctors and psychiatrists. They just check on your and offer crisis support. The psychiatrists and doctors can also provide medication and monitor changes before passing the new medication information to your GP following the end of home care. Also, medication given while under home care is free.

And after reading your reply: they will see you on bank holidays and weekends. Mine runs from 8am to 9pm so fitted around my old job and some home treatment program offer phone calls instead of some appointments. Appointments are usually really short. I've never had a home treatment appointment last longer than 25 minutes

Thank you so much @hormonallyspeaking that is really helpful. I’m so anxious I’m not really thinking very logically and the idea of being involved with a service I’m not familiar with sent me into such a tiz.

@lovemyboys I know you’re right. DH has stood by me through years of poor mental health and in that time I’ve done some very misguided and selfish things. I just feel so guilty and I hate seeing him stressed and upset. I just feel like such a waste of space. I hope this will be the start of me getting better.

Thanks so much for the responses.

Can I ask how you managed to get this level of support? I am not coping well at all at the moment but can't see how to get support.

Hi Lupie.
I’m so sorry you’re struggling at the moment. I’ve had problems for quite a while with depression and anxiety. I went to my GP and he suggested I self refer for CBT again. During the phone asssessment for CBT the lady I spoke to wanted to refer me to the START team. Very quickly I was brought in for an assessment and saw a psychiatrist. He has diagnosed me with Bipolar He arranged the Home care team.

I think your first port of call should be your GP. If you’ve been through them already what about the crisis team?

How are you getting on with home team?

It’s a bit difficult to get used to, essentially having strangers coming to your house, I get quite anxious about them judging the house (!). I know that’s just daft but I can’t help it.

They’re great though, they’ve done an awful lot to help both me and DH. I’ll see the psychiatrist again on Thursday to start the mood stabliser and the home team will continue to monitor me before I’m released to the CMHT. Thank you for asking