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To feel like mental health services are abusing me

263 replies

Westendtown · 10/10/2025 22:08

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?

OP posts:
XenoBitch · 11/10/2025 13:54

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 13:51

Just the whole trust where I am are hypocritical they say they don’t admit people because hospital doesn’t help yet admit some people who always call themselves an ambulance so always seek help

They will have other things going on that you don't know about.
You have said you don't want to be admitted, so why does it matter if other people are?
it does not impact the care you are receiving at all.

LIZS · 11/10/2025 13:55

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 13:12

No I don’t I go with care support

Does that care support include non uni/volunteer days and self care ? You imply that you expected your a and e visit would trigger more involvement and action. Who found you? When is your next review due? I would suspect that restricting prescriptions may relate to concerns about potential self harm or drug abuse, which may not only relate to you but all those prescribed similar medication.

ninjahamster · 11/10/2025 13:56

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 13:51

Just the whole trust where I am are hypocritical they say they don’t admit people because hospital doesn’t help yet admit some people who always call themselves an ambulance so always seek help

That’s why I asked if you were diagnosed with a personality disorder as since my diagnosis, hospital stays have been ruled out for me despite working well in the past.
However, you also say further up in the thread you don’t want inpatient stays so I wouldn’t dwell on that.
Have you contacted Mind? They have drop in sessions in my area for support.

user593 · 11/10/2025 13:58

OP it sounds like you’ve fixated on supported accommodation being the answer. I suspect if you did get supported accommodation you’d fixate on something else. I really wouldn’t take it personally. My DSS is agoraphobic and prone to bouts of psychosis (for which he is heavily medicated) and he was refused supported accommodation. Funding is stretched and a lot of it seems to come down to luck.

OhFeckWhatNow · 11/10/2025 13:58

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 11:25

Again then surely it would de skill other people or does it just apply to me

I get it, OP.
The mental health team say all sorts of things that don't make logical sense (or at least refuse to explain clearly why something makes sense). When you're already struggling it's horrible to be treated differently from others, you can't make any sense of what to expect or what you can rely on because all the rules seem different for you. Even worse if you're autistic, because you function in a very logical way and need things to make sense. Frankly, the way MH teams often operate would drive anyone mad, for an autistic person it's torture.

I believe that there are people struggling less than you who are in supported accommodation. It's all about labels. They stick a label on you at the start and then absolutely everything is biased according to that label. The same struggle for one person will be treated differently than for another, because of the different labels they've stuck on. One person will be treated with support and compassion, whilst another is ignored and treated like they're making a fuss about nothing. I'm not surprised PPs have mentioned BPD/EUPD diagnosis - they way you're being treated suggests they have stuck this (ghastly, unfair) label on you. (And how awful that the more compassionate "complex PTSD" label has been twisted to mean the same judgement and crappy treatment.)

Please know that you deserve much better, you deserve the same kindness and understanding as anyone else. But hell will freeze over before they give it to you.

It's not you. It's the whole shitty system.

If this was an abusive relationship, and you kept going back, hoping that this time would be different, this time he'd treat you properly... we'd all be saying LTB! And hoping you would understand he was never going to give you what you need/deserve.
It's the same with the MH system. It's about their failings, not you. They won't give you what you deserve so somehow you need to understand not to go back and keep asking. You are worth more than their crappy treatment of you.

ninjahamster · 11/10/2025 14:02

OhFeckWhatNow · 11/10/2025 13:58

I get it, OP.
The mental health team say all sorts of things that don't make logical sense (or at least refuse to explain clearly why something makes sense). When you're already struggling it's horrible to be treated differently from others, you can't make any sense of what to expect or what you can rely on because all the rules seem different for you. Even worse if you're autistic, because you function in a very logical way and need things to make sense. Frankly, the way MH teams often operate would drive anyone mad, for an autistic person it's torture.

I believe that there are people struggling less than you who are in supported accommodation. It's all about labels. They stick a label on you at the start and then absolutely everything is biased according to that label. The same struggle for one person will be treated differently than for another, because of the different labels they've stuck on. One person will be treated with support and compassion, whilst another is ignored and treated like they're making a fuss about nothing. I'm not surprised PPs have mentioned BPD/EUPD diagnosis - they way you're being treated suggests they have stuck this (ghastly, unfair) label on you. (And how awful that the more compassionate "complex PTSD" label has been twisted to mean the same judgement and crappy treatment.)

Please know that you deserve much better, you deserve the same kindness and understanding as anyone else. But hell will freeze over before they give it to you.

It's not you. It's the whole shitty system.

If this was an abusive relationship, and you kept going back, hoping that this time would be different, this time he'd treat you properly... we'd all be saying LTB! And hoping you would understand he was never going to give you what you need/deserve.
It's the same with the MH system. It's about their failings, not you. They won't give you what you deserve so somehow you need to understand not to go back and keep asking. You are worth more than their crappy treatment of you.

This is actually spot on and has made me quite tearful. It sums up exactly what it is like when you are ASD and engaged with MH services and also agree the labels. Since my PD diagnosis, I’ve been treated really badly.

ThePure · 11/10/2025 14:05

It really does feel that you spend so much time thinking over what you believe others are getting that you are not. I can’t see any way in which this is likely to be helpful to you. I wonder if you feel invalidated and feel that people don’t see and understand your suffering because they are not offering you these things like admission and supported accommodation? I don’t think it’s necessarily true. It’s not automatically the case that the ‘worst’ people would or should be admitted it’s those who would benefit from the treatment available there which is mainly medication in a general short stay unit. It may genuinely be that these are not the best ways to help you (and in fact you have said yourself that admission has not been helpful). People suffer in all kinds of different ways and who is to say if schizophrenia or OCD or PTSD or severe depression is ‘worse’. It’s just that they require very different treatment approaches. It is generally accepted that people with OCD should not be admitted to non specialist units these days as the regime is unhelpful and yet that is a less stigmatised diagnosis. Therapy would be very good to try to break out of these ways of thinking that are not helpful to you.

BrightWolf · 11/10/2025 14:08

Oh bless you op, you’ve had some really harsh replies. Some people don’t understand mental health and autism. Wish I could give you a big hug. You’re doing so well to have got this far without any proper support. Mental health services are terrible in this country. Could you afford to see a private psychiatrist?
I don’t know anything about supported housing but for now try and take baby steps towards feeling better or it’ll all seem insurmountable. Do something that makes you happy, even a little thing, when you feel able.
For the hair, a friend of mine went through the same thing when she was depressed. She cut it short herself and detangled it as best she could. It takes time and will probably be a bit painful. But when it’s done you’ll feel better. Just work through the matts slowly, separating them with your fingers. Then make sure you brush your hair every single day, even if you’re feeling rubbish, to keep on top of it. I know it’s easier said than done.

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 14:10

childofthe607080s · 11/10/2025 13:52

In your opinion

In reference to

OP posts:
OhFeckWhatNow · 11/10/2025 14:11

ThePure · 11/10/2025 13:45

Our area has the whole program on the NHS but you have to move through the stages and engage with each one and complete it and then you get an invitation to opt in to the next stage. Many people just want 1:1 and are put off because they don’t want to do any group work which is a shame because I think they misunderstand what it would actually be like (not baring your soul in a room of strangers) and what the benefits could be. Sadly the NHS cannot possibly afford individual long term therapy with a highly qualified therapist for all who could benefit and group therapy is a lot more possible for the NHS to deliver so it is going to be the only available choice inevitably. I wish more people would be a bit more open to it as I have seen people really benefit a great deal and it also lays the groundwork for individual therapy to be more successful.

I'm glad they offer the full DBT in some areas.

What really gets me is the dishonesty of it. Calling it DBT where really it's "group DBT skills sessions". Or instead of saying "this person would benefit from in-depth, one to one therapy but we don't offer that/can't afford that" they just pretend there's nothing that can be done, or that the person is somehow unsuitable for treatment. It would actually be quite helpful and revealing to have the data on people who could be helped but aren't being, rather than pretending they don't exist.

ThePure · 11/10/2025 14:12

I am going to stop posting and hide the thread now as I do understand that posts from people who might be seen to be part of the system are usually unwelcome and I do keep the MH topic hidden for that reason. This was originally posted in AIBU with a very inflammatory title and I ought not to have posted.

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 14:13

ThePure · 11/10/2025 14:05

It really does feel that you spend so much time thinking over what you believe others are getting that you are not. I can’t see any way in which this is likely to be helpful to you. I wonder if you feel invalidated and feel that people don’t see and understand your suffering because they are not offering you these things like admission and supported accommodation? I don’t think it’s necessarily true. It’s not automatically the case that the ‘worst’ people would or should be admitted it’s those who would benefit from the treatment available there which is mainly medication in a general short stay unit. It may genuinely be that these are not the best ways to help you (and in fact you have said yourself that admission has not been helpful). People suffer in all kinds of different ways and who is to say if schizophrenia or OCD or PTSD or severe depression is ‘worse’. It’s just that they require very different treatment approaches. It is generally accepted that people with OCD should not be admitted to non specialist units these days as the regime is unhelpful and yet that is a less stigmatised diagnosis. Therapy would be very good to try to break out of these ways of thinking that are not helpful to you.

Not really people that benefit tbh I’ve known people who constantly self harm in hospital and abuse staff still get admitted

OP posts:
Westendtown · 11/10/2025 14:14

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 14:13

Not really people that benefit tbh I’ve known people who constantly self harm in hospital and abuse staff still get admitted

Diagnosed with eupd for reference

OP posts:
childofthe607080s · 11/10/2025 14:14

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 14:10

In reference to

You your immediately preceding post where you said your trust was hypocritical

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 11/10/2025 14:17

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 14:14

Diagnosed with eupd for reference

You have been diagnosed with EUPD?

pinkdelight · 11/10/2025 14:18

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 14:13

Not really people that benefit tbh I’ve known people who constantly self harm in hospital and abuse staff still get admitted

That reply proves the point that @ThePurepost sets out making. That you are focused so much on what others are getting and there’s no way that is helpful to you. To miss that point and revert to what others are getting… I don’t think this thread can help you. But do take care and take note of what mumsnet HQ posted and call those numbers for help IRL when you need it.

Badmintonmatchwinner · 11/10/2025 14:28

How do you cope with studying at university? If you are lonely havevyou looked jnyondhated university acvommodation?

Ponderingwindow · 11/10/2025 14:31

DomesticHeathen · 11/10/2025 08:32

Cheaper homemade version - jam jar half filled with lemon juice. Stretch cling film over the top and poke small holes with a fork or skewer so the flies can get in but are unlikely to get out. Leave where the flies most commonly congregate, and occasionally swirl the lemon juice so it sweeps flies that are resting on the inside of the jar into the liquid. Once you've drowned them all, pour the liquid away down the loo.

Apple cider vinegar is my personal favorite for this.

Ponderingwindow · 11/10/2025 14:42

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 13:34

Because they don’t mind that I’m struggle in every other aspect having more medication would be helpful to me as then I don’t have to pick it up every week and waste my time

It’s clear from your posts that you are intelligent. You want more support from the system. It also appears that you are hyper-fixating on particular kinds of support. I understand how this can happen. I also have ASD.

picking up your meds weekly is a form of support. A very big one that protects your safety. It costs the health system in both time and money to process your medication one week at a time. It would be much easier to give you a longer supply. The short duration is a support system. It keeps you from overdosing. It requires you to maintain a routine. It provides an additional check-in with a member of the health care system, no matter how brief.

You may find value in challenging yourself to look for hidden ways they are trying to help. Ways that seem annoying and may sometimes even be misguided, but they are trying.

AnAttractiveManSaidHiThereToMeToday · 11/10/2025 15:57

OP - I had a mother with BPD (now called EUPD) so feel I can answer your post. I also have been diagnosed with CPTSD which might mean I also have EUPD but neither the mental health nurse who I saw monthly for 4 months, nor the clinical psychologist were prepared to say that.

What they did say is people with CPTSD from childhood, often do have BPD/EUPD as well but not always.

My mum who had BPD did alot of things that sound like you are doing. I hope you will forgive my straight language but as someone who is on both sides then I am talking about myself as well as my mother and it sounds like alot of it applies to you too.

My mum would do alot of crazy, dramatic things for attention. Calling out ambulances because she was lonely and convinced she was having a heart attack. Calling out social services as an emergency saying she had no food in the house or money (both complete fabrications). Call out police making up dramatic things like her family had abandoned her (nope, spoke to her on the phone that afternoon), told one family member another family member was stealing from her and then retracted it as soon as she got attention and was asked for details (ie she made it up).

Now I have never did any of the above things and was always horrified when my mum did this and wasted so many peoples time. However I have done things I am quite ashamed of like testing people in relationships, do things for attention within relationships, panicking and being dramatic about things that didn't warrant it. I also had trouble sometimes with life ie giving up jobs before I had secured another or making bad spending decisions or using self destructive behaviours ie overeating to soothe myself. I know the empty, desperate, lost, despairing way it makes you feel inside and you are grasping at something...anything to give you relief from the feelings inside.

I can see some overlap in your behaviours with my mum and I can see some with my own. My mum never took accountability for herself to the day she died and ended up in a nursing home where the staff had to constantly move her away from other residents with fake reasons as she was always wailing and crying and upsetting the other residents with her outbursts. In her defence I will say MH services have gotten better over the years and in her era from 1930's to 2023 when she died things like BPD were only starting to be recognised and dealt with. However she was her own worst enemy and for example I would say to her look I think you might benefit from being on prozac and she would agree and demand taken to the doctors where she would have a huge scene wailing and crying. We would get her the tablets, I would go to the chemist and get them for her and then she would either refuse to take them or take them a couple of times and say they made her feel sick and then refuse to take any more. We actually did this 3 times with her and 3 times she refused to take them.

As you can imagine this was very wearing on everybody round her ie people would try and help her but she refused to do any of the heavy lifting herself.

I was in the position of being subject to her behaviour but also being able to understand some of it (although my behaviour does not seem to be as extreme).

What I wanted to say is I am in middle age and it took me to my forties to start taking account of my own behaviour which meant giving up relationships until I could get better. It also meant taking prozac long term and engaging with MH services. I am now due to get schema therapy (group) on the NHS which I am sort of dreading but also grateful to be getting. It also means I have been single for over 11 years now as I refuse to subject another partner to my behaviour until I am well.

Like you I can feel overwhelmed and very down and quite destructive. At the end of the day though as many people have already said the only person that can help you is actually you.

Yes you can ask for antidepressants and you can ask to see MH people but you shouldn't expect fast, special treatment as you will have to wait your turn and that can take months or years. Meanwhile you can try and read things yourself or watch things on you tube (there is a surprising amount of excellent material on CPTSD and EUPD, not all of it mind)

You need to start of small and get the basics under control.
Every day - have a shower or bath and wash your hair. If it's full of matts just do this and go to a local hairdresser and get them to cut it short.

Everyday try to eat simple but healthy and keep your kitchen clean and tidy. You can eat really simple stuff like beans on toast or baked potato with tuna. I'm sure you can manage that.

Wash your dishes each day and wipe your surfaces. I don't personally make my bed cos I live alone and it doesn't affect me really. If you want to though it's just a case of straightening the sheets and pulling the covers up.

Now this is going to sound harsh but remember the background I come from when I say it so it applies to me as well.

Nobody gives a shit if you are struggling or mentally ill. What I mean is you really are on your own and so it is up to you if you want to look after yourself and try and get better (baby steps) or whether you want to continue to live in chaos.

My mum chose to live in chaos to the day she died.
I lived in a normal but not right in many ways life until my forties when I had to start facing the music. It's been lonely, it's been scary, it's been painful, it's been very sad to see all the things I messed up or chances I blew. I have lots of regrets, lots of people I didn't treat right and lots of work still to do on myself. It will probably be an ongoing process till I die.

Having poor mental health regardless of how it happened is rubbish. You are at a huge disadvantage compared to people who are mentally healthy. However I promise you whilst there is help out there it is not quick and the only person who can really turn this around is you.

The day you start helping yourself is day 1 on your journey to a more well life.

I wish you luck.

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 16:37

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 11/10/2025 14:17

You have been diagnosed with EUPD?

No traits of not the full disorder I also have anaxity and depression diagnosed

OP posts:
Westendtown · 11/10/2025 16:38

AnAttractiveManSaidHiThereToMeToday · 11/10/2025 15:57

OP - I had a mother with BPD (now called EUPD) so feel I can answer your post. I also have been diagnosed with CPTSD which might mean I also have EUPD but neither the mental health nurse who I saw monthly for 4 months, nor the clinical psychologist were prepared to say that.

What they did say is people with CPTSD from childhood, often do have BPD/EUPD as well but not always.

My mum who had BPD did alot of things that sound like you are doing. I hope you will forgive my straight language but as someone who is on both sides then I am talking about myself as well as my mother and it sounds like alot of it applies to you too.

My mum would do alot of crazy, dramatic things for attention. Calling out ambulances because she was lonely and convinced she was having a heart attack. Calling out social services as an emergency saying she had no food in the house or money (both complete fabrications). Call out police making up dramatic things like her family had abandoned her (nope, spoke to her on the phone that afternoon), told one family member another family member was stealing from her and then retracted it as soon as she got attention and was asked for details (ie she made it up).

Now I have never did any of the above things and was always horrified when my mum did this and wasted so many peoples time. However I have done things I am quite ashamed of like testing people in relationships, do things for attention within relationships, panicking and being dramatic about things that didn't warrant it. I also had trouble sometimes with life ie giving up jobs before I had secured another or making bad spending decisions or using self destructive behaviours ie overeating to soothe myself. I know the empty, desperate, lost, despairing way it makes you feel inside and you are grasping at something...anything to give you relief from the feelings inside.

I can see some overlap in your behaviours with my mum and I can see some with my own. My mum never took accountability for herself to the day she died and ended up in a nursing home where the staff had to constantly move her away from other residents with fake reasons as she was always wailing and crying and upsetting the other residents with her outbursts. In her defence I will say MH services have gotten better over the years and in her era from 1930's to 2023 when she died things like BPD were only starting to be recognised and dealt with. However she was her own worst enemy and for example I would say to her look I think you might benefit from being on prozac and she would agree and demand taken to the doctors where she would have a huge scene wailing and crying. We would get her the tablets, I would go to the chemist and get them for her and then she would either refuse to take them or take them a couple of times and say they made her feel sick and then refuse to take any more. We actually did this 3 times with her and 3 times she refused to take them.

As you can imagine this was very wearing on everybody round her ie people would try and help her but she refused to do any of the heavy lifting herself.

I was in the position of being subject to her behaviour but also being able to understand some of it (although my behaviour does not seem to be as extreme).

What I wanted to say is I am in middle age and it took me to my forties to start taking account of my own behaviour which meant giving up relationships until I could get better. It also meant taking prozac long term and engaging with MH services. I am now due to get schema therapy (group) on the NHS which I am sort of dreading but also grateful to be getting. It also means I have been single for over 11 years now as I refuse to subject another partner to my behaviour until I am well.

Like you I can feel overwhelmed and very down and quite destructive. At the end of the day though as many people have already said the only person that can help you is actually you.

Yes you can ask for antidepressants and you can ask to see MH people but you shouldn't expect fast, special treatment as you will have to wait your turn and that can take months or years. Meanwhile you can try and read things yourself or watch things on you tube (there is a surprising amount of excellent material on CPTSD and EUPD, not all of it mind)

You need to start of small and get the basics under control.
Every day - have a shower or bath and wash your hair. If it's full of matts just do this and go to a local hairdresser and get them to cut it short.

Everyday try to eat simple but healthy and keep your kitchen clean and tidy. You can eat really simple stuff like beans on toast or baked potato with tuna. I'm sure you can manage that.

Wash your dishes each day and wipe your surfaces. I don't personally make my bed cos I live alone and it doesn't affect me really. If you want to though it's just a case of straightening the sheets and pulling the covers up.

Now this is going to sound harsh but remember the background I come from when I say it so it applies to me as well.

Nobody gives a shit if you are struggling or mentally ill. What I mean is you really are on your own and so it is up to you if you want to look after yourself and try and get better (baby steps) or whether you want to continue to live in chaos.

My mum chose to live in chaos to the day she died.
I lived in a normal but not right in many ways life until my forties when I had to start facing the music. It's been lonely, it's been scary, it's been painful, it's been very sad to see all the things I messed up or chances I blew. I have lots of regrets, lots of people I didn't treat right and lots of work still to do on myself. It will probably be an ongoing process till I die.

Having poor mental health regardless of how it happened is rubbish. You are at a huge disadvantage compared to people who are mentally healthy. However I promise you whilst there is help out there it is not quick and the only person who can really turn this around is you.

The day you start helping yourself is day 1 on your journey to a more well life.

I wish you luck.

Thank you for your reply sorry you went through what you did. Please could you explain how I’m like your mum though please as I don’t call ambulances for no reason or lie about my family members so I’m unsure what you mean

OP posts:
Westendtown · 11/10/2025 16:40

childofthe607080s · 11/10/2025 14:14

You your immediately preceding post where you said your trust was hypocritical

How can you say they aren’t if the refuse to admit certain people because they self harm yet admit some people who self harm in hospital to when that’s the excuse not to admit others no matter the risks. I don’t always seek help after I harm myself this person I’m talking about it always does yet gets admitted

OP posts:
ninjahamster · 11/10/2025 16:50

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 16:40

How can you say they aren’t if the refuse to admit certain people because they self harm yet admit some people who self harm in hospital to when that’s the excuse not to admit others no matter the risks. I don’t always seek help after I harm myself this person I’m talking about it always does yet gets admitted

It’s the personality disorder curse. Once you get that diagnosis or traits of, they treat you really badly.
it’s really frustrating and unfair.

Westendtown · 11/10/2025 16:59

ninjahamster · 11/10/2025 16:50

It’s the personality disorder curse. Once you get that diagnosis or traits of, they treat you really badly.
it’s really frustrating and unfair.

This person has a full pd diagnosis

OP posts: