IAPT telephone assessment -terrified

[Strawberryicecream88]

Hello
I have been struggling terribly with depression and anxiety for the last few months but been too scared (stupid I know) to do anything about it. I've finally filled in the form on the IAPT website and someone is calling me Friday for an assessment. What do I say? I feel like such an idiot saying that I'm struggling and feel very negative and tearful. How do you put it into words? Anyone else had this experience of a telephone assessment and can reassure me please?
I'm too scared to visit the GP face to face top but I know I really need to.

What you've said here is perfect.

Well done on trying to get some help. You deserve to be happy and to enjoy a better way of life, and you deserve help and support to treat your depression and anxiety. The IAPT person will have a guideline that they will be working to and will ask you a load of questions to help them (and you) get a better understanding of what is going on and how you might best be supported. I hope it goes well.

Yes I agree what you have said is perfect. They will ask questions so you won't have to just describe everything off the top of your head, there will be prompts. They are used to people not feeling their best, so I wouldn't worry about saying the right thing or getting it wrong. It's an enormous step just to acknowledge to yourself you need help and fill out the form. So you've taken the hardest step already. I hope it goes well.

I went through these last year. The 30 min assessment phone call is where they ask u loads of questions about how u are feeling and how it impacts you. They have to run to a tight time time slot so won't go into the reasons of why you are struggling and will just go through the questions.
Don't be scared of it, the man who called me was so kind. Just take a deep breath and start your journey with them.
Well done for asking for help and good luck xxx

Thank you so much for the responses

Yes what you’ve said here is exactly the sort of thing they will ask for. I’ve had three or four IAPT assessments over the phone, and each one has been someone really kind and easy to talk to. They’ve a set of questions they will need to ask. They might ask you a questionnaire of sorts and ask you to rank whether you’ve felt like something (e.g. tearful) some of the time, all of the time etc. I’m sure it will be fine

Is this the assessment for talking therapies? I had mine last week. As the others here have said, the person will ask questions so just answer them as honestly as you can.

Hello
Sorry for taking ages to return. I had the appointment and for a few hours after it I felt horrendous. Anxious, jittery and quite low. I also had a weird self-consciousness too like I'd finally opened up to someone and felt kind of shy and embarrassed for doing so. It can be hard to discuss innermost thoughts especially over the phone as you can't read the other person. I think I rambled on at one point when she asked what my triggers were and she cut me off a bit abruptly which made me feel silly. I apologised and just said that I was trying to give a bit of background information as to why I feel the way I do. She wasn't rude at all but the abrupt manner did make me hesitate a bit and after the call I sat over thinking about what an idiot I must have sounded 🙄😅which in turn let's the anxiety run wild. I don't know if it's normal to actually feel worse after a telephone session and whether it will get better in time once I get used to it. She has put me on the list for talking therapy but could be about 6 weeks but in the meantime she has set up something called Silver Cloud online for me to look at.

Nah, she just needed to bring you back on track to get the best assessment in the time allocated. Try not to worry about it and see how Silvercloud goes whilst you're waiting.

It's normal to feel weird/off when you're finally putting into words what's been locked up inside you for ages, as you're doing something different, rather than bottling it up and pretending it isn't happening.

Your feelings after the call are quite natural I think.
It can be so hard to say how you are feeling out loud, and when you've been muddling along for a while, to face those feelings head on can be very unsettling.
You can also tell what sort of 'score' you're going to get and that can make you feel vulnerable. I think I felt exposed and a bit scared - like "I've been really honest with you, are you going to help me now?".
Getting better from depression and anxiety means facing up to and dealing with things which are hard to cope with.
I hope you get the support you need OP and start to feel a bit better soon.

I had it a few years ago.i can't remember much as it was such a stressful part of my life. But I think they just ask you a serious of questions and you answer always/sometimes/never for example. Then depending on your score they will decide what the next step is. These people are trained to help you so no reason to feel like an idiot!