How can I get the help I need with my depression and anxiety?

[JustMyName]

I've suffered with depression and anxiety for over 20 years, but in the last few years it got worse.

I contacted the mental health team after a total lack of interest from my gp and they came to my house the next day for a brief assessment. I'll be booked in for a detailed assessment hopefully soon.

I'm currently unable to work as I often can't leave the house. I can't make phone calls and often don't open my mail, as I get extremely anxious about it. I can only drive to very familiar places on a good day. I can't use public transport most of the time due to health anxiety/ germ phobia/ Emetophobia.

I've no family or friends nearby who can help.

What would really help me would be someone to just help occasionally with making important phone calls, attending important appointments like assessments and counselling. I know for a fact I'll have a benefits assessment later this year and at the moment wouldn't be able to travel there.

How can I ask for this, so that they understand that this is truly a problem that could lead to me losing my benefits and then my rented home. I think they'll just think I'm taking the piss. I expect them just to look at my antidepressants and maybe adjust and put me on the waiting list for counselling. I have briefly had a support worker who helped with things like that, but despite them referring me when I moved, I didn't get any help here. Maybe it doesn't exist.

It keeps me awake every night worrying about it and I feel it would help such a lot if someone were able to help with this.

I paid for 5 years of private therapy. It was a huge sacrifice and I couldn't afford much else at the time.

What I'd previously received under the NHS was hugely insufficient and inconsistent. There just isn't enough funding for it, the NHS is buckling under the enormous pressure of cuts these days.

12 years ago I could barely leave the house, and after the therapy I paid for I feel as much like a normal human being as I ever will.

Thanks. I'm already paying for private help with pain at the moment that I can't get on the nhs. I just wish there was some way of getting some support with these few day to day tasks, maybe an hour a fortnight would be all, so that I can stop worrying about these things and concentrate on getting better. But they don't seem to understand.

Contact MIND and see about getting a mental health advocate.
.[[https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/advocacy/what-is-advocacy/]]

I’m a long term MH sufferer also over 20 years. I have just started a mental health support thread as there was one on here years ago. It was a check in and people would write about their positives and negatives. Consider joining if you feel up to it. I can remember people writing about their sometimes tiny goals saying they had managed to go out and buy milk and it being very supportive. Have a look for any local charities that have support groups. In my town there is one that meets weekly that I know of.

Thanks. I emailed MIND but they say I have to go in which just hasn't been possible yet. I'll try.

Do you have a link to the thread?

I Have asked for my thread to be removed as I found a long running support thread so I have put the link here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feeling_depressed/3396889-Anxiety-support-Hand-hold-or-chit-chat-come-say-hi-3?watched=1&msgid=93942121#93942121

Thanks Valkadin.