When I was referred to them, they called me every day to see how I was doing and offered to come around for home visits if I needed them to. They also called an ambulance when I was at high risk of suicide.
I wouldn't be too worried about it; they're nice enough and just want to help.
The Crisis Team will most likely want to make an initial visit to your home, they will speak to you about what is going on for you at the moment and asses what level of risk you may be at. They will then decide a care plan with you, that may include regular meetings/phone calls to help make sure you are safe and provide a link to the cmht which can help answer any questions you may have or set up any support you might need.
I appreciate how scary it is, but they are there to help you and to keep you safe. Do try to be as honest as you can with them.
Roiben x
If the Human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we wouldn't.
They are coming to see me tomorrow to run an assessment. Is there anything I can do to prepare for that?
think about when you have been ill in past - eg. depressed mood most of december, maybe write them down. at my first assessment they kept asking me when i started having mood problems etc and i was that much of a state i couldnt inform them properly.
Just try to be as honest as you can; they're there to give you as much support as they can. My experience is generally answering questions about yourself and stuff and they want to keep you as safe as they can. Good luck and well done for talking to your doctor.
The only time you will find real light is when you're searching in the dark..
i personally dislike them, however I don't know if it's me or them. I hope it works out well for you, they're an alternative to hospital usually and assess whether you'd be best in hospital or home, usually they try and resolve what's going on for you at the moment to avoid hospital.
i personally dislike them, however I don't know if it's me or them. I hope it works out well for you, they're an alternative to hospital usually and assess whether you'd be best in hospital or home, usually they try and resolve what's going on for you at the moment to avoid hospital.
xx
I am glad that I am not the only one that dislikes them. In fact it is written into my CPA that I would be better having an short admission into my local psych unit than have them calling.
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
I personally like having contact with them, as they tend to be re-assuring & keep me safer than I could be, but then again the crisis team here have never come to see me, only ever tend to speak to them on the phone or in the hospital just before admission to see if they can help keep me out of hospital by providing me with any other help as hospital beds here are like gold dust. Hope you find them helpful, They've always been really nice to me, understanding & empathetic to my situation & 9 out of 10 times are able to help & keep me from requiring hospital admission :), Although there are instances when I've felt hospital admission would be better, like now where I'm going through a real bad patch but it could still happen yet in the next couple of days. I don't mind the hospital & being admitted, it's a break & reduces stress for me, but not everybody likes admission as in general your not allowed off the ward. The Crisis team are there to try & help you, if there's anything you think you need just tell them, they'll do their best, You can have someone like an OT (Occupational Therapist) through them who will come & wake you, make sure u shower/bath & take you out the house try to get you less isolated if you feel you can't go out alone & don't have friends or family who are able to help :). Just be as honest as you can tell them what's bothering you, on your mind etc. no matter how trivial you think it may seem, at least give them the chance to try & help you, if you don't find them helpful or beneficial after a week you could always discuss it with someone more senior :), hope that makes sense & helps a little :) :) :) good luck *hugs*
I think the crisis team generally is more help for people who are suffering depressive episodes than for those who are suffering from hypomania/mania or are psychotic - mainly because there needs to be a level of insight there in the first place to call them. I know they referred me to the crisis team last year, and they discharged me after the phonecall, because because I was hypomanic I didn't feel there was anything they could do for me - I felt fine.
But crisis teams can be very hit and miss. You can call them and literally the only response you get is "have a cup of tea" then after that "have a bath" then after that "watch tv" - I often think the crisis team is there more for worried parents/relatives/friends to call to alert services that they're needed. Often though the crisis team then doesn't arrive in time and by the time they DO arrive, something has already ahppened or the person has been talked out of whatever they were going to do.
The crisis team does have a very difficult job - I mean they are dealing with some of the most unwell and acutely unwell patients, and that can't be easy to be able to get it right all of the time.
"Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living."
I suffer with Manic episodes too & found them helpful in a way that they'd spend time with me trying to calm the mania & take me out so as I wasn't isolating myself, as I felt Paranoid that I was annoying when Manic, but in reality if the people care enough they'll see past the Mania to the person inside & they'd initiate a conversation where the Mania wouldn't take over but where I'd engage & feel like I've achieved something without being Paranoid that I'm annoying :)
Also when I'm Manic I tend to want to drink Alcohol more, so they help me resist the temptation & try to get me to drink Fruit Juices & other healthy drinks, often taking me somewhere where I can't get Alcohol for the day :)
So from my personal experience they can be helpful when your Manic but you need to explain your feeling manic but that you are vulnerable & need some help with managing your Manic episodes, easier said than done unless you have someone you trust who can ring them for you.
I've also found them helpful when having Manic & Depressive episodes so I think it depends on the crisis team & their experience in dealing with Manic people, if you don't give them a shot you won't know if you find them helpful, not everybody does but it's worth a shot :)
I guess it was my first episode of hypomania so I wouldn't have really known what I'd need them for anyway. But maybe in future they'd be useful for me with regards making sure I ate (I barely ate during my that episode). It's good to know that they can be useful with manic episodes.
"Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living."
