I've started this thread in the hope that other people who have had positive experiences within the mental health system (inpatient, out patient, therapy etc) will share there experiences....
This is mine.
My name is Ashton and I was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (along with some co-morbids) when I was 15.
Throughout the past 8 years I've had multiple admissions to psychiatric units beginning when I was 12 years old. I am now 20 and my illness has become much more managable with the help of my psychiatrist, nurses, past psychologist and the staff at psychiatric hospitals.
I have more understanding of my disorder, my behaviours and feelings through talk therapy, one on one with nurses and group therapists, CBT, DBT and group work.
I have learnt new skills and strategies to manage my disorder, mindfulness/grounding, healing art, therapeutic journaling and have become much more able to trust.
In the majority of my time in hospitals I have been supported, cared for, treated with compassion and respected.
The staff at the hospital I am associated with are amazing, never giving up on me in the 6 years I have been admitted in and out.
Without all these people, especially my psychiatrist and and a particular nurse I do not believe I would be here today.
I am thankful to them always, and knowing they are there if I need them is a huge support.
I haven't recovered, my journey has really only just started, I have a lot of work and healing still to do, but when i look back at how I was a few years ago I am amazed at how much I have improved..
I hope others will share their experiences here too, I look forward to reading them.
Take care everyone :)
ash and lostboys
My care co-ordinator is possibly the best thing that's ever happened to me.
She is supportive, understanding, and intelligent.
She listens to me and doesn't judge, and also tells me little things about her life to make me feel better, or just to make me smile.
She has taken me to A&E, driven me home from a hospital 30 minutes away from where I live, and lets me smoke in her car :P
I get along ridiculously well with her.
Oh, and she's doing 1-1 DBT with me which is helping a lot.
So yeah, love that.
Also, my local psych ward has some amazing staff.Some of the nurses there, I actually miss like crazy.They are just lovely women.
Two in particular I really got along with - one of them is brutally honest and hilarious, and to be honest she's not really a good nurse because she constantly said quite controversial things to other patients/me but she also gave me a lot of hugs and told me I was lovely, and actually treated me like a normal person.
The second was just the kindest woman I have ever met, excluding my current care-co.She sat in A&E with me for 3 hours holding my hand and trying to make me feel better, and bought me hot chocolate and smoked with me where we weren't supposed to, and I guess I liked her so much (well, all of them actually) because she treated me more like a friend than a patient.I mean, there were obvious boundaries, of course, but she made me feel very comfortable and supported.
My old Psych was also lovely, because she was honest with me but still really sweet and caring.
I am grateful to have my therapist who I've been seeing for about 6 years, who has stuck with me through thick and thin and made me realize I need to be my own advocate and take responsibility for my actions and my recovery. She has never given up and has said she is in it for the long haul if I'll let her be.
I am also thankful for the residential treatment program I went to, where I met some of the most compassionate MH professionals ever, and the hospital I went to there which treated everyone as a human being and not a disease.
Most of the professionals I have encountered have been great, so all around I'm glad.
I have gained objectivity and stability and maturity through hard work that they have assisted me with.
All the psychologists including my current one have been so kind and undertsanding but my first ever pyschologist helped me the most when i was in hospital and i felt like i could relax and joke around with her aswell as talking about serious stuff and deep emotions and feelings, even when i was really mean to her, when i was angry at the situation i was in and myself and the hospital she always understood and didnt always try and calm me down but left me to my anger so i could calm down.
I did tell her how i felt when we stopped working together (when i was put in adult services) in a letter and she wrote one to me aswell so i have that to remind me of just how caring she was, it was sad saying goodbye to her but i will always remember what she did for me and i have progressed (even though its only a little) since seeing her so i am very thankful for that
My other 1/2 had a brief psychotic episode (no diagnosis of anything else as no psychosis following this period) in jan last year & was sectioned. The hospital were great (apart from the one i guess neccesay time when she was restrained & injected-they were a bit rough so i hear) & the care she has now both from her psychatrist & the early intervention team (insight team) & especially her car worker Chris has been nothing sohort of amazing! She's also received excellent help from a psychologist & is 150% more able to deal with anxiety than before. It's been 5 1/2 months since shes had any thoughts/anxieties & she's currently 'tapering off' her olanzapine & hopes to be med free soon.
It's been hard for her but she's back at work & doing fab & i truly beleive she's benefited from being ill (!) as she now realises that worry/anxiety can't rule her life anymore.
I'm also one of the lucky ones who's been allocated an awesome psychiatrist. She really gets what I'm trying to say, even when I'm really struggling to communicate what I'm thinking. And for some strange reason she seems to really believe in me. Whether that's how she truly feels, or something she puts across to all of her patients, it is something that I really appreciate. She makes an effort to get to know a little more about me as a person. But most importantly, she explains everything to me so that I can understand how my mind is working, and try to work around that.
The second counsellor I went to was also brilliant, at that time I just needed somebody who would attempt to understand, and who would listen to what I was actually saying, and she did just that.
The community psychiatric nurse who did some cognitive behaviour therapy with me was fantastic. He was another person who took the time to explain everything fully, and was very much of the opinion that I should be taking responsibility for my own recovery. And he took feedback and changed the plan of treatment as we went along. That was really good of him, rigidity would not have helped at all in that situation.
Generally speaking, I've been lucky with the people I've encountered. Some of the doctors have been a bit cold, and the first counsellor I saw was no good for me, but all the other mental health professionals I've seen have been great.
I've been in about five different psychiatric hospitals, and whilst the stays werent always great, there were always one or two excellent nurses I could talk to anytime and who really helped me get through the admissions.
I've had some bad psychiatrists but my most recent has been great, a really good listener.
Also my previous CPN was absolutely amazing, unfortunately for me she has gone on maternity leave but I hope to carry on with her when she gets back.
Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different…
you once called your brain a hard drive, well say hello to the virus.
Most of my psychiatrists have been great (except for one....!) and my current social worker, psychologist and therapist are all really supportive and give good advice.
I found being in the adolescent ward in 2005-2006 helpful as most of the nurses there were great and they helped me to distract myself when things were hard. I also temporarily made friends with some other patients there.
The adult ward wasn't great but there were some nurses who really made an impact on me and made time for me. I made quite a few friends there.
The secure unit I was on was daunting but the some of the staff there were AMAZING. I had one-to-ones twice a day and when I was distressed, they were there for me. A few times after getting restrained/IMed, one of the nurses hugged me while I was crying and made me feel safe.
Ok psych wards aren't great, but there are some qualities, and had I not been kept in the wards, I would be dead by now.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
My CAMHS nurse was so sweet and lovely and a beautiful woman. My CPN now is also very very lovely, helpkful, kind and considerate. I've never had any kind of bad experience with her, or reason to complain. She's amazing.
She's given me her mobile number so I can ring or text her any time, she's insisted I stay with her through the local CMHT changes, and hasn't discharged me even though I haven't had a MH problem in two years :)
My current psych, whilst slightly odd (he looks JUST like the demon headmaster and even does the taking-off-glasses-thing!) really listens to me, and most importantly, BELIEVES what I tell him. So many psychs think you're out to lie and manipulate, but this psych trusted me, gave me the right meds, and because of that I've been happy and healthy for 2 years :)
I have a very positive experience of my mental health team too. Hasn't always been the story but as I've got older, I've been helped to understand myself better (with the help of my first, brilliant therapist) and people understand my case better too. They listen to me and take me seriously; they don't treat me like the 4-year old I often feel and take into account my opinions. I think, in time I've learned to communicate better too, and this has come through trust for and from my team.
I'm grateful at the moment for the staff for kindly offering me a side-room on my ward (which is mostly dorms) when I was upset by goings-on with the other patients. I feared that they wouldn't think I was "ill" (because my distress was largely PTSD rather than psychotic illness like most) and would think I was just being over-sensitive and making a fuss. But they didn't think that at all; they were very accommodating and put my mind to rest.
It has taken nearly a year since this breakdown for me to get all the help and support i need but finally i have it, and finally i can see i am starting to feel a little better. Last year was a rollercoaster, i had a breakdown, lost my job, and tried to kill myself. I also got given the diagnosis of BPD.
Recently i have been allocated an OT and a care-co-ordinator, who along with my psychiatrist and GP are giving me the support i need right now. Still getting to know psych and others but my GP is a godsend. I probably wouldn't be here right now were it not for her (and the doctor i saw previously to her who got the ball rolling and got me treatment straight away)
It took too long IMO to get CBT but i know there are long long waiting lists,and tbh now wasn't the right time for it.
Even with benefits mine is a slightly more positive experience. I'd heard so many bad things about claiming ESA but had no problems and was put into the support group and got awarded DLA. So i feel lucky in that respect.
Life Is Like A Beautiful Melody Only The Lyrics Are Messed Up
Mostly just wanted to bump this - it's a really good thread, thank you for starting it.
My experience with the mental health system is pretty limited (and hopefully it can stay that way!) but the experience I have had has been very positive, for the most part. The CPN I saw when I was younger was lovely. It didn't help much but that was because I wasn't ready to co-operate; she was really nice, she did everything she could to make me comfortable talking to her, gave me plenty of information, etc.
My psychiatrist, I like. I didn't at first - but again, not his fault. He has tried to be accomodating, he's supported me in not moving home, in spite of the fact that everyone - including him, I think - really thought I should. That's important to me, that he understands I need to make my own decisions.
Also, in hospital - was only there for a few days, thankfully, and I HATED it, but I can see now I was pretty lucky. Most of the staff were really good, two of the nurses in particular were very kind to me, they knew I was terrified and made time to talk to me.
Slightly off-topic - but all contact I've had with GPs and general hospital staff has also been really positive and supportive.
I've really been incredibly lucky :) But it does show that there are good professionals out there who genuinely want to help.
I do my fair share of moaning about the mental health services and there have been a few occasions when I've felt that I've been let down by them. But all in all, I have to admit I've been pretty lucky.
I have a care co-ordinator who, through all our ups and downs, has always come through for me. Within a few weeks of my initial referral to the CMHT, I was admitted to a specialist unit for treatment and I was extremely fortunate to be given funding for 11 months IP care. My care package in the community has been very comprehensive, I was offered and referred for every service offered within the area which my team felt might be beneficial for me, including complimentary therapies such as acupuncture, which has been amazing.
When I relapsed, my dietician and ED nurse intervened early on; instead of being allowed to deteriorate further and become acutely unwell again, I was given further specialist day care (which was funded out of area as my trust doesn't have a specialist unit). Because of their pro-active attitude, this admission was much shorter and less distressing than it would have been had they waited until I was in medical crisis.
Following my discharge from day care, my care co-ordinator made a referral for me to get into supported housing and I moved into my new home less than four weeks after the initial paperwork was submitted.
I am also fortunate to have a fantastic therapist who I have worked with now for over seven years, although I have funded this privately.
I've met a lot of people experiencing similar difficulties to me who have never been given the opportunities that I have, the variation in services offered to people, even within the same trust, is grossly unfair.
I think that this is a great thread, it's so easy to focus on the short-fallings of the mental health services, but there are some fantastic professionals out there who really make a difference to peoples' lives.
RBT x
I give myself very good advice
But I very seldom follow it
Could explain the trouble that I'm always in...
Thanks to everyone who has replied!
It's so great to read everyone's helpful experiences, and hopefully will help others who have had little or no experience in the system to see the good that can come from the mental health system.
Quote:
it's so easy to focus on the short-fallings of the mental health services, but there are some fantastic professionals out there who really make a difference to peoples' lives.
hey just seen this.
I have had some alful experiences mostly in camhs where I was passed around between 9 different mixes of pyschs nurses psychologist, didnt have alot of hope once I turned 18 I was passed on to Adult services where I met my current CPN.
She is amazing, i would have seriuosly killed myself by now otherwise but she has been the only person to treat me like an adult and not some screwed up kid, shes kept all her promises ( shes open about she doesnt make them unless she can keep them) and I trust her more than anybody, has meant that I have told her things and started to open up about things I never thought I could. she is truly fantastic and id be lost without her! ive been seeing her just over 3years now, and I actually feel like I could get stable with her support eventually x
' Your always going to have the hurt, you may as well use it'
'Writing can be a way of righting any wrongs that have been done to you'
'Scars tell a story of where u have been, but they dont have to dictate where u are going'
My currently psychologist is AMAZING, unfortuantly I wont be seeing her for much longer though :(
but she is the first one to take what I say seriously and not treat me as if I'm "damaged goods". She is also the first person in 6 years to actually figure out what's going on with me, rather than just referring me after about 4 sessions...
she''s also anaged to convinse the psychotherapy department to consider working with me :D (Every time anyone's tried before they've just bounced me back)
My dance movement therapist is fantastic and I really enjoy her sessions. My social worker has also got me into cooking for myself and doing things independently.
My psych happens to be the consultant, so she really knows what she's talking about.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
Some of my experiences/professionals I've met have been awful, but looking back I've had a LOT of positives too.
Overall I thought CAMHS were brilliant. I didn't to begin with, but most of the therapists were really patient with me and tried their best to help. The consultant I ended up seeing was fantastic, he really listened and completely understood me even from my first appointment. When I got 136ed by the police he came to the station the morning after and sorted out an emergency admission at the nearest adolescent unit, which saved my life.
At the unit most of the staff were brilliant. They took the time to help me even when they were really busy and they kept on at the dietician from the EDU next door to come and see me and were (mostly) patient when I was refusing to eat or take Fortijuice. I made friends there and had some really good times (which is surprising considering all of our issues) - if things on the ward were settled and things weren't too busy they'd take us to the local park/library/shopping. My DBT therapist and skills worker there were lovely and so were most of the doctors, especially my consultant. They genuinely seemed to care, even though I bloody hated them sometimes. Agency workers were a bit meh but one of them was fab, he used to come into the courtyard and smoke with me even though if he was to get caught he'd be bollocked.
So yeah lots of positive experiences when I was in the adolescent unit (one of the staff was especially awesome because he loved The Dresden Dolls too and we'd sit and chat about Amanda Palmer when he was on my 1:1/meal supervision!).
Not really keen on adult services, but most of the people I've met ARE nice and try their best to help so that's a positive.
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