To feel like mental health services are abusing me

[Westendtown]

I’m struggling living alone and want to be in supported housing. For reference other professionals have said I’m clearly not doing well when I’ve had paramedics and police to my accommodation. They just won’t accept this and keep telling me I’m too capable for supported living because I’m a uni student and volunteer. I do this to give me a focus as I would completely spiral without it. Again they can’t see this. Nearly every night I’m crying and struggling. My rooms a mess with fruits flies and I don’t even know how to start sorting it. My hairs matted yet they are telling me I’m fine it feels like gas lighting as it’s making me like I’m making this up and maybe I’m fine. I have care in place but don’t feel it’s what I need as I’m still struggling a lot and don’t have hours when I really need them most at night. I’m at a loss what to do as they just won’t listen to me, do you think I’m attention seeking?

It’s not student housing for reference it’s temporary homeless housing

Call your local MH crisis team. Not sure it’s supported housing that you’ll get but you clearly need more support

I think that it is just the thresholds are so high for support nowadays.
My family begged them to put me in hospital but they said no even though they won’t visit me as they say I’m too dangerous.
I think there just isn’t places to put people.
Im sorry you are struggling. Do you use services like the Samaritans? .

Have you applied directly for supported housing?

supported housing for mental health issues isn’t common unfortunately so I would imagine you are going to struggle with of without the support of your MH team.

what specific support do you need? It really varies and your requirements will dictate what you might qualify for.

It doesn’t sound like OP is under the crisis team, she should have 24/7 support (as in a phone line) if so.

they’d be expecting to visit and respond to crisis though, not help with hair or housework. It doesn’t really fit

There are quite a lot where I am it seems that some people that are in these are actually more capable than me but yet they still arugula I’m fine.

The phone line here is referral only out of hours and my community team haven’t spoken to me for three weeks, I was found blue yesterday after police broke my door in yet they act like things are okay.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fruit-Fly-Ninja-Trap/dp/B09SLX6GQS/ref=asc_df_B089MB7VFZ?mcid=7e067bb046a53cd4a484dc27d2da5593&hvocijid=14290448195308701318-B089MB7VFZ-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14290448195308701318&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9190174&hvtargid=pla-2281435176858&psc=1&gad_source=1&th=1

for the flies.

Is it mental health supported housing though? Because supported housing ( as a product) is generally for people who need fairly minimal physical support, the most obvious example being older people.

i advise in this area and think the organisation I work with are one of the few who provide it in London, let alone country wide

I suppose I’m just checking you’re not seeing supported housing about and thinking it could be for you.

for example my experience of mental health supported housing is that you came with a care plan to be fulfilled (presume you don’t have this?) which dictates where you go. Of the these places are just rooms, sometimes even with shared bathrooms. Our customers would generally be dead or in prison without the rooms.

but it really is the life long serious mental illness population who would end up in this housing. And mainly because it just isn’t suitable for anyone else. It’s not somewhere you want to be

Who argues you’re fine? You need to apply via council housing waiting list with social services support. Who is stopping you doing that?

It is yes I also have autism to. In my area they have to apply for it. They actually assessed me as needing it in fact for some I was turned down as being too high needs so their solution was that I live alone.

Thank you

Supporting housing isn't a mental health treatment, it's for people who wouldn't be safe living alone. Having fruit flies suggests you can't keep the home clean, that's something that a care package in the home can help with. If you're not engaging with the support you get to clean at home why do you think it would be any different in supported living?
Supported living costs the council a fortune and there's also a shortage of places in a lot of areas. It needs to go to the people who really need it.
I don't think the MH team are abusing you. I think you need to take some personal responsibility, engage with the support at home and be as independent as you can. Losing independence isn't likely to help your mental health.

I’m not safe living alone either

In what way do you not think you are safe?

I’ve nearly died living alone

Seems to be more they pick and choose who’s safety they care about

what is your mental health diagnosis?

How old are you because that will in part inform the options open to you. Supported housing for young adults is usually given on the basis of young people leaving care or who have significant learning difficulties rather than due to poor mental health, although the residents often do have mental health concerns.

How did you nearly die? That doesn't automatically mean you need supported housing. People die in supported housing too.

In what way? Do you have a disability or health condition which makes you prone to accidents or falls etc? Or do you mean you have made suicide attempts? If you aren’t safe at home because you have active suicidal intention, most supported housing placements would decline you as a suitable candidate as the level of support they typically provide isn’t at this level. Supported housing is mostly aimed at assisting people to live independently with support, not providing the constant nighttime care and attention you say you need to keep you safe. Your community team need to be advocating for you to receive inpatient psychiatric treatment in the first instance if you are making suicide attempts.

If you’re a student, are you in contact with student support / welfare at your university? They may be willing to advocate for you. Are you engaging with your care workers when they visit? They shouldn’t be leaving you with matted hair, if your care package includes personal care. If your care package is provided by ASC then you need to raise this with them.

This is the type of thing I struggle with these types of comments similar to the mental team. Saying people would die if they weren’t in supported living but then when I make the point I could people then reply that I could in supported housing.

They wouldn’t want me as an inpatient in fact they basically ensure I’m never admitted not that I want that

I think people are trying to work out what your risk factors are?

If the risks aren't clear to the MH team they can't manage them and if you don't make the risks clear on here people can't advise you.