What Do You Want From The Crisis Team?

[Sweep]

Very rare I use them these days...

[manja.]

Unfortunately there is no crisis team in my area at all, so just to get one would be a start.

[Maddie50]

The last time I used them was just after my sister died. i was feeling very destabilised, had run out of pills and was grieving. The crisis team worker told me to sit in the garden - I told him to f*** off and I will never call them again.

What i wanted was someone to listen, to help me access meds as withdrawal is horrible and maybe to assess me for hospital because lathough I could never ask for that - being safe and looked after in hospital was what I wanted and believe I needed.

[toaster]

Maybe it's not in their job description toast, but maybe it should be? I mean, their job is to help people in crisis and that's what would help me. Just to have some space, feel looked after and feel like someone cares a little bit.

well ok yes but then you could say this about many professions - like, its not a psychiatrists job to therapise, its not a therapists job to be available 24 hours a day etc. i guess there has to be boundaries and limits to what certain services offer and my understanding is that the crisis team are there for those in mental crisis ie. psychosis, mania etc. they arent an emotional support service which is what a lot of us want. i agree that some of the people who work for the crisis team are heartless fuckwits but then i think 'well they went in to this job to work with schizophrenics etc, not be a counsellor'...it doesnt cost nowt to be nice i know but i guess there are fuckwits and people we dont like in all walks of life

there are helplines like samaritans and you can have face to face contact with them. there are other phoneline organisations.

i know only too well that if the crisis team had done what i wanted i would have become totally dependant on them and i would have fucked about to get their attention, and i know i am not the only one here who would have done that.

we need long term therapy and support and i guess it is up to us to access that. when i was on my own i came to the conclusion that i would always have to manage on my own so i set up systems to manage that and i accepted it wasnt up to other people to get me out of crisis. and since that acceptance i have not been hospitalised, overdosed or self harmed - i can count on one hand the amount of crises ive had since ive accepted its up to me to get myself out of it - in fact ive only had 2 or 3 in the last 2 years. one when i came off drugs, i went into crisis in australia and i think theres another in there. before that, when i was calling the crisis team, wanting others to get me out crisis, i was CONSTANTLY in crisis. and now im not. and that can only be a good thing.

just my take.

[carlylight1]

my understanding is that the crisis team are there for those in mental crisis ie. psychosis, mania etc. they arent an emotional support service which is what a lot of us want.

i never knew that is who they were meant for. i'm confused, isn't someone who's suicidally depressed having a mental crisis too?

alhough i don't feel i've had the right support from mh services in general i do feel lucky after reading other peoples experiences that the crisis team have mostly always been supportive.

i get the feeling that they know that i hate to ask for help so they don't think i'm going to become dependent which could be why they spend a lot of time talking things through. or maybe they all operate differently in different areas i dunno.

we need long term therapy and support and i guess it is up to us to access that.

i'm looking into this now too. could i ask how you went about accessing it?

[toaster]

hey vivien,

i guess when it comes to the suicidal thing (in my experience) , other people cannot make the suicidal feelings go. the crisis team are a short-term intervention. the problem with this relating to us is that people with bpd can have quite a lot of crises. i know when i was in full bpd swing i was in constant crisis, overdosing all the time, cutting all the time, drinking, taking drugs. the crisis team would have had to be available to me 24/7, 365

i do not know if suicidal feelings ever go away. what i have learnt and am still learning is how to manage them in a more healthy way. i do not have to act upon the feelings and i use more appropriate, long term services. the plan for me will eventually to be able to manage without services.

i know i am biased but i do promote samaritans. pie said earlier on in the post about people NOT calling them - if this is the case then we need to be asking ourselves what is it that we REALLY want. surely someone who is desperate will access any form of support possible? i know i have, in times of sheer desperation i called samaritans. and they helped - not all the time but sometimes and it was for that very reason i chose to go and volunteer for them. why would people rather the crisis team? i know for me it was because, really, i wanted to be in hospital when i called them.

i know there are different types of depression but i know when i was 'truly' ('truly' for me) depsressed i did not have the fucking energy to harm myself. i could not be arsed. i guess i think now that if i have the energy to harm myself then that is the best time to use that energy to help myself. words, i know, easy words. and i know not everyone or even anyone will agree with me.

as for therapy i would start with your gp. be totally honest, tell them what you want. you may have to be quite firm lol but they are more likely to take on people who are obviously committed and willing to work.

good luck :)

[bibiddi]

My social worker has told me when I go into crisis, and she's not on duty, to call the crisis team. So, my understanding is that they are there for us to use for emotional support.

I have never called the samaritans, and have only occasionally called my SW/crisis team. Its not because its not serious, or I'm not desperate, its because when I am bad, I dont feel I am worth saving. The lower I get, the less likely I will ask for help. I choose the crisis team, because they can access my files, and they will know who I am, and may give more relevant support. Its pot luck who you get, when you call the samaritans. I do know a few people who have volunteered for them, some were excellent, and some I wouldnt wish on my worst enemy!

[toaster]

'I do know a few people who have volunteered for them, some were excellent, and some I wouldnt wish on my worst enemy! '

i think that can be said for the crisis team as well bibiddi, as well as most walks of life. i had a visit from the crisis team when i was i icu and they bollocked me for being in there. not the best approach. and someone who you feel doesnt help you, that person may be ideal for another person.

my gp used to tell me to call the crisis team then the crisis team would tell me not to. that was the gps fault.

[bibiddi]

my crisis team have never told me not to call them.

I think someone earlier (sorry cant remember who) said that perhaps it depends where you live, as to what is offered by the team.

Toaster, I am glad you are where you are now. You have, and are achieving so much.

I think others,including myself are at different stages of the path.

[carlylight1]

((bibiddi))- i get that feeling too with the crisis team that they already have an idea of some of my behaviour traits which makes it easier to talk.

toast, that makes a lot of sense what you wrote. i have no clue what my diagnosis is although i have some borderline traits its definitely the more acting in than acting out 'quiet borderline'(i've heard it called). i guess this prob makes it easier in some ways to get support off the crisis team. it must be hell for a person trying to live with all the acting out and when i think about it it must be hard for services too to know what the appropriate care is. aside from constant hospitalization i guess theres not really much they can do to keep someone safe.

i remember calling the samaritans a few times about 8 years ago. i've not really considered it since but probably should seeing as i was a much younger person then which is why i probably had the experiences i did. they were really nice who i spoke to but i found it hard to open up along with feelings of shame and embarassment which led me to just needing to get off the phone asap.

i guess i think now that if i have the energy to harm myself then that is the best time to use that energy to help myself.

i love that. yes it feels impossible a lot of the time but its important to just try and remember that such a way of thinking even exists.

with the therapy i think being firm is something i should try. tbh i feel like i'm being passed from one section to the other because no ones really sure whats wrong. am currently seeing the early intervention psychosis team. the cpn from there seems to agree that i have a lot more emotional problems than psychosis so i guess it helps to have someone who backs up my view.

thanks for the reply xxxx

[lucy]

I used to live in hull amd they had a self harm team- who were excellent 7-7 7 days a week and they listened and fully aceepted there was little they could do other than listen when they were off it was the crisis team who were ok to be fair i didnt want to be in hospital i just needed someone to talk to

Im in leics now and it sucks you cannot ring the crisis service unless you are reffered so generally in leics its suck it up and carry on