Can we compare waiting time for therapy please?

[PaulieP]

I keep seeing lots of mentions within the NHS websites of some '18 week standard'. Apparently we're supposed to get seen in 18 weeks?

My mental health went downhill from around 2017. By early 2019, it was bad enough to go to the GP about it. Therapy seemed the best route and we all agreed.

That therapy eventually happened in the middle of 2022 by which time things were much worse. My line of work shut down entirely for nearly 18 months due to covid. I managed to get a min wage job for the interim but could not pay my bills so got into a hole I'm still in.

The limited therapy sessions just made everything a lot worse but they have to finish when they finish. I understand. That was January 2023.

I have been re-referred but no idea as to any timescale.

Is this other peoples' experience too? My mental health is now so bad that I can't help but think the amount of work needed just to get back where I was in 2019 is more than I'll get. I can't shake the feeling the NHS would just prefer if I went away.

Since this is MN, no I can't afford to go private. I can't even afford to eat all the time.

I was assessed recently by my local NHS service. The waiting time for counselling (as opposed to CBT) is 13 months.
My adult son has just waited 2years and 9 months since diagnosis for his 1st Dialectical Behaviour Therapy appointment.

This sounds extreme and I understand if not viable but have you thought about selling up and moving out of London to somewhere cheaper? You probably have a support system where you are so might not be an option but you probably wouldn't have to move too far to free up money? I was so unwell a couple years ago sectioned the lot and depressingly the only way I was able to get better was throw money at it to get help. It was worth it because I'm back on my feet now and building my life up again. NHS shouldn't be the way it is but it made my mental health worse battling against it

Also sorry one more thing does your employer have an employee assistance programme? Mine does and I got a few sessions recently to keep me focussed.

Jeez that's way way too long. How did you keep yourself together in all that time?

About 3 months ago I was told 9-12 months for advanced CBT via NHS. I needed help there and then though so I've been fortunate enough to go private. not sure where I'd have been in 9-12 months mentally. Im so sorry the system is so broken

@PaulieP with great difficulty.

I lost my job due to mental health. With respect, I did mention I'm only in receipt of benefits.

When issues started to appear, my employers' attitude was 'fit in or fuck off... but you can talk to us anytime'. I was demoted and rapidly managed out. I was forced to sign numerous pieces of paper that it was all voluntary when no other option was given. I think that was their assistance program. (There was a much vaunted mental health program in my workplace - with third party therapists actually coming in. My department was not part of the program. I'd forgotten about that until now.)

That's so shit sorry! I was pushed out my job to when I was at my lowest. Was so crap. I hope you are able to get the help you deserve soon!!

I thought from your first post you were still in the minimum wage job you wrote about, my mistake.

I'm sure that can be the case. I'm only going by what I'm told. Through all of this I've been asked a few times what kind of therapy I want. I don't know. That's why I want to talk to mental health professionals.

From what's you've said I might well be too 'complex'. Certainly multiple event PTSD and suicidal ideation. The lids still on self harm but only just. That's what's brought it all up for me today. Bored of figuratively and literally having to lock myself in and sit on my hands.

Thank you again for your reply.

My gp referred me for therapy this last Monday, and I've been booked in for therapy next Monday. This is the north west. Did I just get really lucky or something?

Thank you!

I wasn't ignoring on the moving out idea. I have no support in London so nothing keeping me here other than that's where I've always lived. My flat is all I have. It's the sum total of any security I have. It's very hard to think about giving it up. Also I'm pretty sure I couldn't sell and move out with zero money.

I think you did! Good luck to you and I hope it gets you what you want.

also, and I know this is messed up - IAPT services have a lot of KPIs they’re assessed on including patient recovery - they give you disorder specific questionnaires to complete and if at least 50% of patients don’t recover on those scales ie score under a certain number by the end of therapy they get hassled and put in special measures etc.

so sometimes they don’t offer therapy to people who it’s likely for one reasons or another won’t recover on paper and count towards their rates. Its a crap way to deliver therapy really and that’s why I left.

so sorry you’ve been left with no treatment OP it’s really awful 😢

That is unusual! Are you sure it’s not just the assessment appt to ascertain your needs/discuss options?

hopefully not but we would quite often have disappointed clients who they were starting ongoing sessions but weren’t

Thank you for the brilliant reply. It added so much sense to the situation it's cheered me up a bit!

It's been obvious to me there's always been more going on than straightforward resource/therapist shortages. You have helped explain some of my experience. There has been a definite reluctance

Thank you. Yes I am south of the river with SLAM.

I honestly didn’t think anything could really help especially for childhood experiences like that. I’m not ‘cured’ but I can at least speak about it now and even think about it. I used to go to counselling and never speak about it as I had no way to.

Some of the sessions are quite spaced out if I choose which means I am being treated over quite a long period of time.

I also actually get quite a lot from social media and YouTube accounts as a supplement. I find accounts relevant to the specific type of trauma helpful.

I am also in contact with other victims and we are able to support each other which is immensely helpful.

I accept I will probably always have some poor mental health but I am hopeful to try a program for generalised anxiety again like the Silver Cloud and it may work better after this CBT.

Your wait time sounds tourturous. There must be something else going on. I am really sorry to hear this is happening to you. I hope you get some support soon.

Same for me. Still worth the wait for me. But for others acute services are dire.