I've never seen them before because i didn't live in the UK but i moved here less than a week ago and have had to be stitched twice already and now they want to see me on Monday (I refused to see them on the day because i didn't feel up to it).
My main question is what should i expect from them? What do they do? I'm pretty unsafe right now and will probably have SHed again by then... I'm pretty anxious right now which will stop me from getting help because i don't want to be kept in or anything - i've avoided that most of the time by lying. I just think that knowing what to expect from them might help take the edge off my anxiety.
I've met most of the London ciris team staff lol! So if you're int eh area, I can probably give you specifics.
The crisis team basically just wants to meet with you so they can find out what support will best suit you. They'll ask how you are now, how you've been and what you're feeling about the future. They'll ask what your living situation is like and about your life in general (jobs, friends, family, anything you think is important).
Then they will discuss the treatment options with you. They may offer you an inpatient stay if they feel you would benefit from it, but ti's more likely they will offer you a Home Treatment Team (basically, people will come pay you a visit at an arranges time each day, every other day, or weekly) to talk with you about how you're feeling, offer guidance and support and make sure you're taking your meds (if you have any). They will probably refer you to the CMHT who will liase with you and whichever teams you have in place (GPs/criris/anyone else) in making sure you're safe and secure within the cominuty. Your designated CPN or support worker will ak you what you want.... do you want to join groups/volunteer/find a therapist/get active/anything else... and help you to achieve it if they find it appropriate.
Work with them, they're a good team to get involved with. Normally the crisis team will see you for a few weeks while you're in crisis... and after that will transition you into the community a bit better.
in my experience with a crisis team they either take you or leave you. But they just ask you the sort of questions you would except like "do you have any more plans to harm yourself?" "are you alone at home?" "are you taking all the medication u need" etc. Because they contain a social worker and a couple of docs including a shrink, they have the power to admit you or and section you under the mental health act so if your unsafe and honest you may get put into hospital or they will give community alternatives which is the most likely case in your scenario.
they won't put you hospital for -just- self-harming though they dont really care about that much, if i'm blunt. they only take action if your a suicidal risk or a risk to others because there aint generally many beds available.
I have always found it better to be open and honet with them. the times i have closed down and refused their support, or not worked with them as i should have been the times i have ended up in IP. They are basically there to get you through the 'crisis period', and will talk to you about what is going on in the here and now, what you are struggling with right now and stuff. they may offer you visits at home, or may offer you phonecalls to give you support, and to help you cope. they may advise you to see gp's and such or they may refer you to cmht...though a referal does not nessisarally mean that you will be succsesful in getting help from the cmht. good luck, and i hope you feel better soon...
Sometimes it is easier to hide where noone knows who you are.
So if i'm hearing this right, if i'm honest with them about how ***** i'm feeling i could run the risk of section? I tend to find it hard to be honest about how bad things get, but it also tends to manifest itself physically in shaking and lack of eye contact and stuff so its not always the easiest to hide...
Thanks for all the replies though, i do find it hard to accept help especially when i feel like this - i feel guilty for peoples time and generally just have a really hard time with it. Lets hope the crisis team will help and not just inflame the situation...
It's unlikely they will section you. If they *do* offer you an inpatient stay it would be for a couple of days while they sorted a home treatment team, and each day you would be met with a social worker from the crisis team.
to be honest, you are more likely to get sectioned if you don't be honest with them and stuff. like i said in my previous post, it is when i have refused to cooperate that i have been made to go IP.
Sometimes it is easier to hide where noone knows who you are.
The problem is that i've moved in with my Gran and she doesn't know, in fact no one in my family knows how bad things are, there is only one friend who knows what's going on and she is away on holiday from tomorrow for a week. This is why the idea of a home treatment team is freaking me out - i can't have people coming over to my house, i won't let them, i really hope that's not just seen as me being unco-oporative... I've missed 2 calls from them too unintentionally and i cant ring back because i dont have the number (it was on private - but i know the calls were from them because only one other person has that phone number). It's just all stressing me out right now. I'm worried they're going to turn up here anyway, i'm worried they're going to try and force me into taking medication, i'm worried they'll keep asking questions until i fall apart, i'm worried that they'll know i'm not being completley honest with them and equally i'm worried that i'll break down and end up being honest. If i hadn't missed the call and knew what was going on it would be so much easier right now.
Dont worry about missing calls, I do it all the time lol. They are used to it.
If you can't meet at home, you can arrange to see them in the community (coffee shop/park/ their offices) they're usually very flexible and will work with you. Honestly, try to stay calm... there's nothing to be frightened of, they're just there to help you however you want them to.
The crisis team are often willing to meet at a designated place - maybe a local park or even the local cmht if you would prefer. Sometimes they prefer to see the home situation, but it is not a bar to seeing them.
You should be able to find their contact number on your local pct and cmht websites if you feel calling them back would help you feel calmer about things.
To answer your original question - the crisis team meet people who are in crisis in order to gauge what level of risk they are at. From my experience at least part of this is how much you understand responsibility for your own actions.
The crisis team when they met me said that IP was always seen as a last resort, and that they would only recommend that if it was really necessary. It is more likely that they will refer you to psych assistance or meet you again to ensure you are safe.
Roiben x
If the Human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we wouldn't.
