That doctors shouldn't refuse to treat self harm ? TW

[Riggsisadino]

I have struggled with self harm for 10 years know in many ways I am doing a lot better. I am finally getting some therapy and the frequency has massively reduced. I am going through a very rough time at the moment and I have been using it as a coping strategy I am working as hard as I can and engaging as much as possible but it's so hard to stop a 10 year habit. It happened about a month ago and the resulting injury had to be fixed by my local plastics department a hospital over. It took them a while to do. They said they had better things to do and wouldn't be prioritising mental people. But they did fix it. It has happened a few days ago but the plastics department have said they won't fix it as they've done it before. I may be able to live with this but it has gone through the muscle and resulting structures and I can't move my leg or weight bare it is also very open and has become very infected. I have a weakened immune system so am worried about this. I have a temperature and high heart rate. Nurses are struggling to dress it due to the size. I have had doctors and nurses escalate this but they aren't budging. They are going to try and get my consultant psychiatrist to get in contact so it's from a consultant. I have tried to get in contact with pals but no luck so far I just don't know what to do. I am worried about losing my leg or getting sepsis or never being able to walk again. I understand I did this to my self and I deeply regret it. I really wish I didn't do it. But as my doctor and therapist said it's a long road.
I just don't know what to do

Thank you @JemimaPuddlegoose ! You just have to talk to any patient or mh staff and they will tell you. Multiple times on this thread I've said comments have been heard by other people. It happens all the time. Attititide around mental health is not good. I've experienced/heard stories of no pain relief offered, the right treatment not being offered, not being prioritised correctly, comments being made etc it's not good

OP I’m very sorry to hear about your mental health difficulties. I’ve been there with self-harm but never to the degree I needed intervention.
if you have an infection they need to be doing more than dressing it. You need antibiotics at the very least and with a temperature etc you need urgent treatment. Is there a walk in centre near you?

Oh and you can email PALs - they’ll pick it up very quickly

I would second this, I have heard similar experiences from other people.

For all our talk about mental illness being OK to talk about and now and #beKind, there's attitudes even on this thread that those with injuries caused by their mental illness are not as deserving, or are taking away resource from those with "proper" illnesses.

Following DrEm_79 on Twitter really opened my eyes.

Actually, that is a bit unfair, reading back, I don't think that has been an attitude on this thread (that those self harming aren't deserving)

Hello. Please contact your MP. for example:

”Cornwall MP contact details”.

Please also contact the Mind charity in your area.

If you have an open infected necrotic wound then you should be in hospital. Maybe the plastics team dont deal with this sort of wound, have any doctors suggested having the wound cleaned and then debrided. . I dont know if you can just stitch an infected wound.

@BlanketsBanned this is what I and the other doctors and my local hospital thinks needs doing. Cause even if they can ever stitch it. It isn't going to heal with necrotic and infected tissue and there's the issue of the tendons and ligaments. Orthopaedics at my local hospital won't deal with it because of the fact I can't move my leg

OP, are they saying they won't do it, or actually can't do it?

Or is it a case of them not having the resources to do it as urgently as it should be?

I have a very unwell family member, and the lack of care/appointments they've had is absolutely shocking, but it seems to all stem from the fact that the nhs is falling apart and enormously understaffed/underfunded.

My family member is now permanently disabled/partly paralysed because the treatment they needed urgently wasn't available as quickly as was needed due to huge lack of resources.

“Only the second time” is a strange way to put it.

Are you working with your doctor on the support side here, attending appointments, taking any medication and so on?

Have the local hospital suggested you get admitted for the wound to be cleaned properly, have antibiotics, I don't understand why a surgeon cannot do that.

Suggesting a person with severe mental health issues set off down the road of an expensive and complex legal process feels like poor advice here.

Well yes, but with limited resources maybe the doctors are having to make decisions on who they prioritise. It happens all the time in health care.

Yes as mentioned a couple times I'm working really hard. I attend all my appointments, attend therapy, take medications, I am working very well with my team. I am not classesed as having a SMI (severe mental illness)
Yea local hospital have suggested treatment but because it comes under plastics and they don't have that department they can't admit at this time. This has been escalated further. They have said they won't do it they have not once said they can't do it. The only thing one junior has said is that it may not be able to be stitched up which I'm okay with in the long run

Op I mean this in the kindest way possible but am going to be very blunt ......
Stop fucking injuring and hurting yourself!

The NHS is on its knees and tough decisions are made every day about who gets treatment. If you're opening wounds etc that they've already fixed then they will be wondering is there any point fixing it again. They may decide to prioritize a rta case instead.

I understand mental health issues but ffs injuring yourself to the point where you need this level of medical intervention?

A family member of mine went through this and the damage was so bad and irreversible that the rest of the family now are left forever with the consequences of their actions....round the clock care is needed. Forever.

You have no idea of the devastation your actions bring on others.

I pray this is a huge wake up call for you I really do. Before it's just too damn late.

Harsh as I might sound, I am sending love and healing thoughts your way .

The posters saying "this would never happen" clearly have zero personal experience

this.

i have seen a&e wash out stomachs- a practice that was discontinued years ago as it was shown to cause harm- purely to “teach a lesson”.

I’ve also seen wounds stitched without adequate anaesthetic, again to teach some sort of lesson.

so I have no doubt that a plastics would refuse an admission because it’s self inflicted.

o/p can you ask if you can be seen out of area? would someone ring round for you? You may find someone more sympathetic.

*Op I mean this in the kindest way possible but am going to be very blunt ......

Stop fucking injuring and hurting yourself!*

genius idea! Maybe you should get a job in a psychiatric department where you could just tell people to eat more if they’re anorexic, cheer up if they’re depressed, to snap out of it if they’re suicidal.

you’ve solved our MH problems!

do you really think o/p hasn’t thought of that? They’re working really hard with therapy to recover, if only someone had just told them to stop it 🙄

FFS

I suppose it must be a question of priorities. Other people may be on a waiting list too who require urgent treatment.

Congratulations
You just solved self harming. People just need to read your inspiring words and be cured.
well fucking done

It isn't as easy as just stop if not I would have done it a long time ago this is why I'm working with MH teams and having treatment and in many ways it is working. And again it is in the same area but not the same wound. It is not helped by the fact my tissues/skin break down quicker than most so if I had a 'normal' body this much damage wouldn't be done. I really want to stop which is why I'm engagaing in so much treatment. Unfortunately it is hard to understand unless you go through it yourself. A lot of people going though addiction struggle to just stop. If it was as easy at that no one would struggle with self harm. It is a dangerous slippery slope and mental health treatment is so little you often don't get it till a certain point has been passed. I am trying my best at the moment. I am going through a lot and I am actually impressed I've not gone back to my old frequency.

Exact words??

...fixed him...

But you were pregnant in 2021 ??

Simple mistype. Sorry

@Alliswells your post is ridiculous and you clearly have no understanding of self harm. Nobody wants to be in that position, unfortunately sometimes people are unwell and they self harm. It is never as easy as just not doing it. The guilt tripping of 'think about the harm you are causing others' is also so unhelpful. Perhaps try having some empathy for OP.

And as for the posters talking about prioritisation - self harmers don't want to be in this position. Many self harmers have a mental illness, which is not a choice. They deserve proper and timely treatment, not for health professionals to blame them. There is still such a lack of understanding around self harm and mental health, it's really sad.

@FemmeNatal Alright, fair enough, it’s not great as literal advice. But I think it does express that this sounds terrible and should not be happening and OP should be treated better. Unlike poster above who thinks saying “stop it” will help.

Plastics won't touch an infected wound. And honestly even as someone who self harms I can see their point. They are massively overstretched as it is and having to choose who to prioritise. Who would you pick? The post cancer treatment reconstruction? The child disfigured by an accident? Or the woman whose self inflicted wound they have already repaired once and who will very likely undo all their work within a matter of weeks anyway?