No assessments in my area

[Callie79]

I had an appointment with mental health practitioner over the phone today and although I felt that I had in my E consult given a lot of examples of how I feel I have autism or at least have grounds for assessment she advised there are no adult assessments in my area . She also said that as I held down a job ( a job where I have been wfh which hides a lot of who I am ) then basically I was fine and just had anxiety . It’s so bloody frustrating ! She also said if as I described I had issues as a child why did my parents not refer me to CAMHS because in the early 90s none of that was even a thing in my area and my parents probably just thought I was eccentric and had their own issues .

I have had similar comments. I am diagnosed with another related condition and the consultant who diagnosed me said that I should not expect to be diagnosed as autistic as "I had managed to get to my appointments". It took me years to get another service to assess me, and this was done by a nice woman who used children's resources (I was mid fifties!) and a swaggering man who talked over her. I have often found doctors like talking to me as I seem intelligent and know something about the subject, but they can still show off a lot. I have had consultations go on for ages, feeling semi-social, and no actual clinical result.

In respect of your being asked about Camhs, OP, I have been asked if I could bring a parent to an assessment.
Which brings me to a bit of possibly useful advice, if you can, get someone to come to any assessments with you and basically appear less competent than you are. I don't actually think this is cheating, you can't show them what it takes for you to conform with going to appointments, and negotiating situations generally.

It’s just the getting appointments that’s the problem person I spoke to today basically just gave me a list of websites and pretty much get on with it (because I hold down a job !) . One of the main reasons I would like to be assessed is because I know myself I am a difficult person for colleagues to work with and because some aspects of my workplace environment I really struggle with . I am just at a loss what to do next I can’t afford to go private :(

I had exactly the same comments and issues. I was born in the early 1970s so childhood diagnosis would have been highly unlikely; and my elderly parents struggle to remember what happened last week, never mind whether I pointed at things when I was a baby. My only option was to go private, luckily I had savings I could use, but it's terrible that if people don't, they hit a brick wall.

The NHS are so stretched, it seems they'll do anything to avoid adding to waiting lists, and their process was damaging my mental health in the end, because I felt 'disbelieved'. Goodness knows why they thought I would seek an assessment for no reason; it isn't as though an assessment leads to any kind of material gain.

I agree BoardLikeAMirror, until I got diagnosed as having ADD, I felt as if I was being treated like thrill seeker after the ritalin. Callie79, you may need to broach the issue at work. Do you work in a setting that requires any people-friendly training? I find they listen a bit better if you quote their own training materials about inclusivity etc. You might be advised to look up your rights as a person seeking reasonable adjustments, also, think what adjustments you would like. There are threads on here about seeking adjustments at work.

I might actually speak to occupational health as I have to speak to them anyway . I totally agree it’s not like there is any gain or bonus to getting an assessment and people are only going to seek one if they feel a necessity for it . I do have a people facing role at work and really struggle to get on with colleagues and also find the environment I work in makes me feel awful as it’s harsh lighting and very institutional.

I think speaking to OH is a really good idea. According to the CAB, you do not need to have a diagnosis to request adjustments, you just need to be able to evidence that your impairment affects your ability to perform your role. It is in your employer's interests to offer reasonable adjustments because they will help you to perform at your best.

CAHMS was established in 1995 so how does she expect your parents to to refer you to something that didn’t exist?!

I would take this further, I think a long waiting list is understandable but they shouldn’t be allowed to say there’s no assessment available at all. I’m not convinced that’s true anyway, they just don’t want to refer you.

@Dadaya She was so dismissive of me because I work even though I explained that it’s mainly at work when I feel I struggle ( apart from work I usually only see my DP and dont have many friends . I also feel she didn’t take into account the fact the world was so so different in the early 90s children were not so much at the centre of things as they are now in terms of health .

I would make a complaint to her boss. She asked why your parents didn’t refer you to a service which hadn’t been invented yet! She clearly doesn’t know her own job and isn’t able to assess you properly because she lacks knowledge about this subject.

@Dadaya I know she also arranged to call me at ten and didn’t call until 11 and for someone with mental health issues things like phone calls can be stressful so while waiting for her to phone I felt like I had to sit still and quiet until she did phone. I feel like my GP referred me to her I thought it would lead to further things but from my conversation with her it felt like that’s it over . Will see how my discussion with occupational health goes

I would go back to your GP and request a full assessment. I had an assessment recently as an adult, I have a job and my job is minimally impacted, what I did say to them is this is my second career and I stopped the first as I wasn't well suited to it, there are also quite a few jobs or aspects of jobs I wouldn't do as I wouldn't be any good at them - like managing people.

I was asked also asked in the assessment if my parents had ever raised concerns, I did reply firstly it wasn't so recognised in those days (I'm nearly 40) and secondly my sibling had far higher needs than I did so I looked 'normal' in comparison. Both these seemed to be accepted as sensible reasons for no referral as a child.

Not much help to add but I'm going through a similar thing. My referral was rejected as I have a job (wfh also) and have friends etc. I'm a bit lost now

@NCQuiteConfused it’s so frustrating and saddening . I just refuse to understand why there is NO assessments in my area for adults . As someone who rarely troubles my GP I’ve found the whole experience very negative . @Jenn3112 im similar age to you and likewise my sibling had physical health issues which dominated my family for most of my childhood, because I was always in my own world with a book I pretty much got left to it .

@Callie79 Same, I'm booking in with my GP whenever I can and I want to push the issue and see what my options are before giving up.
Also, yes I too had a higher needs sibling and was often found reading in my own world for up to 7/8 hours a day in a corner somewhere! They thought I was just studious but I was probably hiding from noise and worldly distraction 😅

I spoke to occupational health today who o felt were very supportive and I have made another E consult with my GP basically saying that I would really like an assessment . I don’t have much faith in them at all but if I keep pushing at least it will be in my records .