Do You Feel Let Down By The Nhs?

[brassed2bits]

I posted yesterday about my therapy coming to an end, and how well 'they' think I have done, versus how crap I still feel and how so much is still unresolved.

Is this the general feeling of people here?

Are we taken so far along a road, and then dropped because we are too 'difficult to cure'.

[coco]

I think it takes a special person to understand people with bpd. Ive got a very understanding social worker who has stuck by me so far. But i agree people do seem to lose patience. Ive had experiences of having a social worker for 3 years then i soon as i went 'psychotic' she passed me on to another worker. Then my last social worker went of sick because she couldnt cope.

As i said it takes a special person and they have to know what it feels like to have bpd, because its crap. They have to step in our shoes!

I went to a borderline personality group and i found it actually made me worse rather than better.

I also had counselling when i was 19 and when i got ''aped she got made redundent. I never got to see anyone else.

So yes the nhs is crap! And it is also crap with people with bpd.

Love Evaxx

[pault]

i totally agree,i have a social worker to who is one of the best human beings i have ever met,i think its hit and miss with getting decent nhs professionals,my doctor once put down on my medical certificate agressive behaviour,i was like wow,ive never had an episode or outburst with an nhs worker,how could he do that,i feel totally let down by the medical and education system and thank god there is some truly special people out there,as my social worker who has known me for 3 years and seen me in all the different stages of my illness ive been in and who regularly points out im a kind caring person,infact it was her that got me referred to a psychiatrist,to be honest i got the impression psychiatric services are overworked and underfunded like most of the nhs last time i seen my psychiatrist when he closed my case he was running 1hr 30 mins behind,i remember sitting in the waiting room with other people who were really agitated and wondered if it was a test lol,doesnt seem real does it they have outpatients some of whom probably have anger issues and put them in a stuffy room and leave them to stew for that length of time.personally i thought maybe the psychiatrist couldve tried the people with mobile phones and asked them if it was ok to reschedule but there ya go he is the one with the degree lol.

[Doug]

Yeah, this is happening to me now, both my therapist and my cpn are telling me how much better I am, but in reality I feel just as dreadful as ever and nothing has really been resolved.

I went to see my t this morning, and hey, she's very good with words.

Hey, ho, the nhs!

d

[Miko]

Doug can they substantiate that opinion?

My Rethink person whom I'm lucky to have and I, we point to random heaps of belongings strewn everywhere and we say, "with the foods I have really improved (they are all neat and I am using them) but I have forgotten the names for the numbers and can't tell the difference between four and three or five when I am getting my change in a shop and am forgetting words or places or faces". In other words it is concrete and based on specific detail. I am calm and resigned and not taking it out on people. I plan to investigate neutrally whether there are suitable resources for my case and don't care whether incompetent heads roll or not.

I just posted a lot about organisational thinking, in response to the person who is training as a MH nurse. It was based on what observation I have done.

The key is not to put professionals on a pedestal.

[~ Mandy ~]

I have a great therapist who I see every week, and my psychiatrist is okay, but I think that I've never had the help I need when I've been suicidal.

GP's don't really know what they're talking about, I've been insulted by more than one at my surgery, even by one who I saw regularly (because she told me to) and suddenly seemed to turn against me.

I have been under the crisis team more than once, but they never listen and don't help me, at times I have been literally begging for help and nobody listens.

I think a lot of it just comes down to luck, either where you live/the services available in your area, or the individuals you see. I've got nothing against the NHS personally, just some individuals who work for it.

[wednesday]

For twenty years I really struggled to get by and I think it is amazing that I survived my teenage years.

Lately however, they have been brilliant. It has taken two and a half years to make progress but I really believe it can be done.

It is hard to accept that all people can do is to try and help when we desperately want them to fix everything. i am very lucky to have the support I have now. I've gone through lots of therapy which has been damaging and a psychiatrist who nearly had me kill myself due to inappropriate medication. I am well aware how frustrating it can be.

[JTBadBug]

I feel let down at the moment...as they have totally blocked me at the moment...my gp talks to me, I have an appointment booked for the end of April and have not spoken to anyone since 16th Feb. they refuse to answer or return my calls. I don't know what to think about them...I am trying so hard not to be black and white...they care...they think I am scum but I can't do it...so at the moment I think the NHS support services are naff, but, once they speak to me...if it is positive I will forget the heartache and they will be good again.

There seems some positive responses to your thread....I think some people here can teach us a thing or two. I can certainly relate to your feelings of not feeling much better after long term therapy which I had in the mid 90's.

B2B, I am sorry too, I did not respond to your..."do you remember me thread"...of course I do...and it is good to see you back.

Take care, Jane x

[brassed2bits]

Thanks JT, and everyone.

Seems like I am not alone in my experiences. If only it weren't important things like our lives they were playing around with.

I don't know what to do or think ... make a fuss and push and push for more time and help, or slink off into the darkness with all the crap in my head to drive me mad.

Bollocks. Thats what I think.

[JTBadBug]

"If only it weren't important things like our lives they were playing around with"

they push and push and push...one day...they will push too far... sometimes it seems the easiest way to go...

I don't know what to do or think ... make a fuss and push and push for more time and help, or slink off into the darkness with all the crap in my head to drive me mad.

Bollocks. Thats what I think.

I have walked away without fighting for before...but, all that happened is everything was hidden, I lived my life like it was absolutely wonderful..I never saw anything bad...and never felt a thing...I the things that get blocked after abuse stayed blocked and then I cracked again 8 years later, with the same problems...what a waste...I figure if I don't die premature I have another 35 years...why should I feel like scum for asking people to help me learn how to get the most out of it. Well those are my thoughts, so, if you can fight...but, they make you feel like scum and dying anyway.

Dodgy Jane x

[Apps]

Feel like the NHS is too stretched to care properly for anyone at the minute.

Think they would rather try to cure everything by throwing meds at people rather than try to get to the root of the real problems.

Just my opinion.

:sofa:

[stuart-g]

The sad thing is your opinion is spot on! The professionals just dont seem to grasp how hard it is to deal with the problems of BPD.. Their lables seem to just are used to justify their mistreatment!

It seems to me that nothing has altered in this country and introduction of "Borderline personality Disorder No longer a diagnosis for exclusion"! and "The BPD capabilities frame work" seems to be totaly ignored by everyone!

Social workers arn't Social any more they just seem to be behind many of the problems and encourage their clients to be Socialy Excluded by their actions!

I don't even have the BPD disorder but all my services that should be in place to prevent me becoming ill just arn't there... Nobody really is interested in putting things right! There is no excuse for the way we are being treated!

Stuart-G.

[alwaysthinking]

I don't know what to think yet. I was seeing someone and after seeing her 3 times I called to set up an apt. and she said she would call back in 20 min. and I never heard from her. I left three messages within the next few days and she hasn't called back. Im not sure why? I never yelled at her, threatend her, or anything like that. In fact, she seemed to really like me because she was encourageing me to come to her group that she has. Who knows what the deal is? This has me confuesed. Maybe she didn't want to work with me because she seemed to not know what my problems where either. I mean, I don't even know why I have been feeling the way I do for the past 5 years.

I do think that if I found a therapist to work with me about my issues. I have never receiven a diagnoses of BPD but I suspect that I might be or I at least have some traits to it, as I can relate to much of the things said by people with BPD.

[moo moo]

I feel totally let down by the nhs, Ive just been backwards and forwards to the consultant just to have more tablets and offered no other support, I am sick of it. just feel like i am going around in circles!!! glad its not just me,sometimes it feels like it!!!!

[becsnoamp]

I wrote a long post to this thread and it has just disappeared! Can't be bothered to type it all out again so will do it another day. Pain.

[becsnoamp]

I'm sorry to hear there's so many people here who have had problems with the NHS. Just goes to show that the psych people don't know or understand how to treat people with bpd in the proper way that gives us support and treatment.

I had more to say but the post disappeared, so will do the rest another day. But wanted to let people know that I have been through something very similar, and it was just awful. I think I've come out the other end now though and wanted to let people know there is hope out there.

[Micheal]

I think there's been a lack of structured tests use - might have saved on time and guesswork.

I've had a lot of difficulty communication wise with psychologists and I find them quite cold in their beliefs(?) and manner which has had direct relevance to my difficulties I mean it's not just an irrelevant quibble.

I've never felt 1 hour sessions were enough either.

I've bascially been insane for most of my life and I pretty much still am really so I have a lot of sympathy for them! Imagine being a psychologist: after they've seen you for an hour at 10am for example they might have another 4 or 5 more people to see in the same day I mean the whole working week thing must take its toll they just can't be the best that they could be when they see me cos their efforts are spread across many people.

[crunchynut]

The NHS leaves you feeling lost alone and in despair and even trying to call volunteer organisations is no better just engaged tones or if you feel really hopeless I suppose one can call the Samaritans but this is no help on the road to trying to get treatment. It has been 10 years of trying to get help from the NHS and I am so lost for words just left with feelings of hopelessness, despair and scared. With the lack of support I lost my job, got into debt, have not seen any of my family for 10 years and in the future if there is one I will be homeless due to financial difficulties. My experience leaves me regretting ever trusting in them to just give me a helping hand and to wish that I had never gone anywhere near the mental health system.

[strat]

Doug can they substantiate that opinion?

Not really, Miko, it's based on my telling them things about the relationship, so it depends on my state of mind at the moment of telling, more than any "real" measure.

My own feelings are that I've been down this road before, nothing changed then and nothing will change now - all down to me, of course, but I don't think I'm capable of changing.

Doug aka strat

[DJGreedyG]

The NHS gave up on me over a year ago. It was a mutual thing cos I gave up on them too.

The docs at the local surgery don't give a shit about Mental Health and there was one time I got mad with one, told him he was a shit doc to his face and they were going to call the police and get me nicked!!!!!!

G

[DJGreedyG]

I've just had an idea.

I've got no experience in organising anything but it's time to do something.

Who'd be up for coming on a march/demo on Parliament and try to get a meeting with the Health Minister, whoever he or she is this week?

In some countries people take to the streets and get things changed but we seem to be too reserved in the UK, any protests here are usually half-hearted. Let's fight these buggers properly!!!!!!!!!

Take Care All

G

[Amanda28]

It depends on a lot of things. I just completed a year of therapy in a dbt clinic. in dbt they only do stage one treatment which is

1. reduction and elimination of suicidal behaviors, para suicidal behaviors, and ideation.

2. reduce and eliminate therapy interfering behavior.

3.decrease quality of life interfering behaviors ex, depression phobias etc.

4. learn and apply dbt skills.

-mindfulness

- distress tolerance

-emotional regulation

-interpersonal efectiveness skills

So it really all depends where you go.For myself I don't think bpd is a treatable disorder. I believe this because I'm living a life worth living. so I think it is possible to live normally with bpd.

Amanda

[crunchynut]

DJ, I hear the frustration that you are feeling. One is left so demoralised and despondent. Mental Health is a dirty word in this country. Even the organised voluntary groups do not seem able to make any changes, one is left with feeling that some direct action is the only way of being heard. I remember watching a fathers for justice group standing on one of our bridges stopping all the traffic in order to try and be heard but it takes a lot of inner resources to do such a thing, of which I personally am very short of. I find it even hard to post here most of the time due to the way I feel. But I wish you well if you are able to organise some kind of protest and would certainly sign any petition. Good Luck

[DJGreedyG]

Thanks for the reply Crunchynut.

I know that many people have difficulties getting motivated but if there's anyone here like me who's able to get motivated at times, jump on board. We're going to make some noise.

Stuff bits of paper and meetings and "there, there, everything will be alright" patronising bullshit. It's time to stand up to these people. When Brown gets in, he'll have us all in a chain gang breaking rocks or something for 2 quid an hour.

What part of "I'm unable to do a proper job cos my head doesn't work properly all the time" doesn't he bloody get???????

I'm not dressing up as bloody Batman though!

Take Care

G

[mort]

It depends on a lot of things. I just completed a year of therapy in a dbt clinic. in dbt they only do stage one treatment which is

1. reduction and elimination of suicidal behaviors, para suicidal behaviors, and ideation.

2. reduce and eliminate therapy interfering behavior.

3.decrease quality of life interfering behaviors ex, depression phobias etc.

4. learn and apply dbt skills.

-mindfulness

- distress tolerance

-emotional regulation

-interpersonal efectiveness skills

So it really all depends where you go.For myself I don't think bpd is a treatable disorder. I believe this because I'm living a life worth living. so I think it is possible to live normally with bpd.

Amanda

I had a year of dbt. I did really well and found it helped me.

It was a hard year of weekly group sessions, homework and struggle but also weekly one to one support with a t who I eventually trusted completely. At the end of that year it stopped. I could have been attending fortnightly "graduate" groups but have only managed 3 so far. To be honest I feel very lost and hurt by it all. For me the cut off was too harsh and the awareness that there is something out there that can actually help me help myself, but was abruptly withdrawn feels like another case of trusting just to be let down again.

Apparently the year cut-off point was due to lack of NHS funding and the "experimental" nature of dbt in my area. I have now been told that in an ideal world dbt would be available until the person undergoing therapy felt comfortable with ending it.

At the graduate group last week I was told that because of the fact that I now feel so much worse, it might seem that one year is "un-ethical". i.e. after struggling to feel more in control of emotions and to have some hope, I have been left feeling more abandoned and hurt than ever and a complete failure too because I did so well and have now "regressed". Just wish they might have prioritised ethics over funding a bit sooner.

I'm trying to work out how to get things improved, to have dbt extended so that it fulfills its own criteria more fully but I don't want dbt to get stopped altogether. How do I know that expressing myself might not end up with less help for others not more? Should I speak out? I would feel so guilty if the therapy was withdrawn and other people would then lose ANY chance of being heard in our system. I already feel guilty for not being satisfied with a year when some people don't even get that opportunity.

Sorry for going on. Hope other people have more positive experiences.

tc

mort x