I haven’t blogged for ages so thought I would about something that is really causing me problems & something that I find so hard to understand.
Earlier this year I was discharged from mental health services after being in them for 16 years & even though I had a major episode only in February – 3 months before discharge.
I have been seeing my GP on a regular basis but not having any psychiatric support from a CPN or therapist has been hard but manageable ywhilst being well. As soon as I started to feel unwell I contacted my GP but in a 10 min appointment (which I had to wait for 4 days) there is not a lot they can do but because I have been discharged from MH system I have to be re-referred, re-assessed & go over so much ground again & to top it all they probably won’t get me any help until crisis point is reached & even then it won’t be easy.
I can’t see that this is a cost effective or therapeutic way to treat people with recurring conditions such as bi-polar which I have. Even having a CPN I could see every month could even prevent a crisis & would stop this horrendous anxiety about having no support.
However much I would like never to be unwell again I am realistic that this will/is happening & therefore coping with that unsupported is so hard.
I am now also a governor of the mental health trust I was under – I can’t see this making a difference but wonder if I can & help others like me!