Dropped by CMHT, yet again

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FrainBart

Staff Alumni
#1
So I am currently undergoing a PTSD stabilisation course via talking therapies, While the information given is great, its not really practical. I was on a dose of 225 venlafaxine, but after 9-ish months I don't feel any better, I just feel more leveled out at a really depressed level. Against advisement from my doctor (I refused a prescription for 1-2 weeks worth of reducing doses, I was not happy to pay £10 for a week of medication at most) I went cold turkey. Having been through the withdrawal before I knew iI could do it again.
This heat has been brutal and I live on the top floor of a block of flats. Inside, I have hit temperatures of nearly 40 celsius. This time its been brutal. 10 weeks ago I asked my doctor to refer me to CMHT (community mental health team) so that I can get on the right medication plan, and actually make some progress again. After a month I had not heard anything so my doctor chased up for me. Last week after a scheduled appointment (where after discussing, and agreed to stop my medication) I decided I had wasted her time enough already, there was nothing more she could do, so i won't be getting any more scheduled calls from her.
Yesterday I finally thought I would chase up CMHT. I finally got through to them, and they informed me I was not on their system. So I contacted my docttor surgery, to find out whats going on because my doctor hadd made a referral. They got someone to look into it and found out that cmht had dropped me because I was already receiving treatment from talking therapies.

Talking therapies were the ones who suggested it would be good to get a referral in so that once their help ended I should be somewhere with CMHT. The two services can work together, and the only one that can't work with the CMHT is the crisis resolution and home treatment team. In which case talking therapies would be canceled. My doctor had been chasing it weekly for me, and hadn't even been informed they had dropped it. This course ends in 2 weeks. I have no medication, I have no scheduled appointments with my doctor, and now no referral.

I am feeling really lost, and hopeless, and its reinforcing the thought that I am not worth anyones time. That I don't deserve this help. This time I made the effort andd got myself referred to all the services I should be in contact with, I put in the effort and got it all done. I did everything right. I did what I should have and all i have to show for it is a deeper feeling of despair and depression for it. At what point should I just realise that I am just never going to get the help that I need.

I keep telling myself I am doing this for my daughter, but somedays it doesn't feel like a battle worth fighting
 

Daphna

Ninja of light
#2
I can understand your frustrations. You are worth the time and effort, just every day has troubles within itself. I live day by day bc I can’t do anything about the past but forgive it and learn from it. I don’t stress about the future bc I’m not living it yet. I can only handle the present day and that’s a lot in itself.
It sounds like you got everything handled. You should feel accomplished. Places like that are funny about their terms and practices. They have their protocols etc. I am curious what was told to you that you don’t feel is practical and why. If it’s prying don’t worry about it. Welcome to SF. *shake
 

FrainBart

Staff Alumni
#3
But the information given in regards to cmht and talking therapies is that they work together. so they tell me one thing and do another.

The reason its not practical is because the coping mechanisms and techniques (most of which I already know) require a lot of time. If I am at home, then it is not a problem, but if I am at worrk and having some problems then the techniques won't work because (as per management decision) I have to call a supervisor and wait for themto send someone over for me to go somewhere to do anything. which can take anywhere up to an hour. If I leave before someone has come over I will face a disciplinary.

Realistically in a day to day setting, we don't have the opportunity to go and hide for however long to use the techniques that they are recommending.
 

Daphna

Ninja of light
#4
But the information given in regards to cmht and talking therapies is that they work together. so they tell me one thing and do another.

The reason its not practical is because the coping mechanisms and techniques (most of which I already know) require a lot of time. If I am at home, then it is not a problem, but if I am at worrk and having some problems then the techniques won't work because (as per management decision) I have to call a supervisor and wait for themto send someone over for me to go somewhere to do anything. which can take anywhere up to an hour. If I leave before someone has come over I will face a disciplinary.

Realistically in a day to day setting, we don't have the opportunity to go and hide for however long to use the techniques that they are recommending.
I can see your point. I know you was given mixed information and it’s understandable that it upsets you. At the same time, now you know the truth and it’ll prevent any mixups in the future. Best not to dwell on it, you already have a lot on your plate as it is.
 

Innocent Forever

🐒🥜🍌
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#6
Rather, not they DO work together, they can. Talking therapy is stage I think 3 whereas the cmht are stage 4. They often don't mix the 2. I wonder if @Ash600 knows anything about it even though it's not his expertise.
 

Ash600

Of dust and shadows
SF Creative
SF Supporter
#7
Rather, not they DO work together, they can. Talking therapy is stage I think 3 whereas the cmht are stage 4. They often don't mix the 2. I wonder if @Ash600 knows anything about it even though it's not his expertise.
True, meds are more my expertise, not really the at times deeply convoluted intricacies of trying to access medical support services. Although it seems these two should be working in collaboration, quite often it seems that CMHT would be talking the lead role. Lot of of it is tied up in inflated bureuacracy which obviously is of no benefit to the service user. As already advised, tapping up the GP to try to push things along seems a suitable optioon.

Did come across this though, which might be of some interest

https://www.rethink.org/
 

Holding my breath

SF Pro
SF Supporter
#8
The system does seem to be very complicated and getting dropped from CMHT seems to be fairly standard without being told. In my area the talking therapies and CMHT do not work together. It’s one or the other. The talking therapies are the primary care and can be self referred, CMHT is secondary care. I had to drop one to get to the other. The down side I found was that my taking therapist would refer me to secondary care and then stop seeing me, CMHT would assess over the phone for 20 mins and refer me back to GP care. So back full circle. This happened 4 times for me. Finally I was referred after being picked up by the police for being unsafe and I thought they’d accepted me. However i landed up making an attempt and a Good Samaritan stopped her car and called the duty team for me. It was then I found that my file had been archived! It was reinstated and I must say after a lot of time on waiting lists I have finally got a care coordinator, psychiatrist, a vocational specialist and a mental health worker who I see regularly. So it can be done. It’s sad to say you have to be bad enough for them to accept you and you have to keep pushing for the help but it is possible. I also have access to 24 hour crisis team should I need them and a private psychiatrist and a private psychologist. I can have 5 appointments in one week, although more usual is 3.
I know it’s frustrating because you know you need help but that shows you want to fight this. Keep asking, keep speaking to your gp. The more CMHT see your name and file come up the more likely they are to finally listen. I really hope you get there because having the right team behind you really does make a difference.
take care. *hug Xx
 
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