Anyone here been on a "Depression Course"

looby75

I've suffered with depression for many years and have had counselling in the past that I didn't really think helped (mainly because the counsellor was often ill herself so I could go months between appointments and eventually they stopped sending me new appointments out)

My depression has got really bad over the last couple of years to the point were I've had to go back on antidepressants (which I fought against for years as I don't like being on them) and was refered for counselling again.

I had a telephone assessment with a counsellor today and he has recommended me for an CBT "depression education course" which I am due to start next week.

I was just wondering if anyone else had been on one and what I should expect, oh and of course did it help them.

looby75

oh and the money saving bit....It's going to cost me a fortune in bus fares so I only want to spend all that money if the course is actually going to help

Yorkie1

CBT is often well indicated for people with depression and anxiety, but I'd want to know a bit more before deciding whether it is likely to be effective - is it a theoretical course only, or will someone be working with you as an individual to help you to identify the unhelpful thinking patterns. Who are the tutors - what are their qualifications? What evaluation has the course had / effectiveness - e.g. does it measure depression scores at the start and end, and what is the average improvement?

looby75

Yorkie1 wrote: »

CBT is often well indicated for people with depression and anxiety, but I'd want to know a bit more before deciding whether it is likely to be effective - is it a theoretical course only, or will someone be working with you as an individual to help you to identify the unhelpful thinking patterns. Who are the tutors - what are their qualifications? What evaluation has the course had / effectiveness - e.g. does it measure depression scores at the start and end, and what is the average improvement?

From the sounds of it it's a theoretical course. They are sending a letter in the post with more details.

All I have been told is that its' the first thing they recommend, that the course is taught in a group and that I won't have to talk about any of my problems.

Gingernutty

I'm afraid the answer is "it depends".

In Wolverhampton, the course is called "Stepping Forward" and is a six week PowerPoint presentation by people who have no presentation skills and a dodgy microphone headset to a darkened roomful of depressed and anxious people in a local hotel most Thursday evenings.

We got a workbook, there was a table for information leaflets, access to a lending library of books about health conditions and there was a Relaxation cd given out a few weeks into the course. There was free squash.

Various health authorities have some kind of "expert patient" programme, some dedicated to particular conditions and some are a general course for a variety of illnesses.

The six week course in Walsall was also held in a hotel and had a variety of people with rheumatoid, autoimmune, heart, Type II diabetes and hypertensive conditions. And me. Suicidally depressed at the time. That was no fun.

But I got a 3ft mini measuring tape keyring. :huh:

You might get more information when you get the letter inviting you to the sessions - there's usually some sort of questionnaire/information pack that comes with the letter telling you where and when the sessions are.

Gingernutty

looby75 wrote: »

From the sounds of it it's a theoretical course. They are sending a letter in the post with more details.

All I have been told is that its' the first thing they recommend, that the course is taught in a group and that I won't have to talk about any of my problems.

That sounds a lot like the Wolverhampton 'thing' - you don't have to embarrass or stress yourself out talking about your specific problems, you get a quick course in 'coping strategies' and may sometimes be asked as a group for quickfire answers in 'brainstorming' sessions.

As everyone was depressed and it was the middle of winter when I went, it was like drawing teeth to get any kind of answer out of us.....:rotfl:

looby75

Gingernutty wrote: »

I'm afraid the answer is "it depends".

In Wolverhampton, the course is called "Stepping Forward" and is a six week PowerPoint presentation by people who have no presentation skills and a dodgy microphone headset to a darkened roomful of depressed and anxious people in a local hotel most Thursday evenings.

We got a workbook, there was a table for of information leaflets, access to a lending library of books about health conditions and there was a Relaxation cd given out a few weeks into the course. There was free squash.

Various health authorities have some kind of "expert patient" programme, some dedicated to particular conditions and some are a general course for a variety of illnesses.

The six week course in Walsall was also held in a hotel and had a variety of people with rheumatoid, autoimmune, heart, Type II diabetes and hypertensive conditions. And me. Suicidally depressed at the time. That was no fun.

But I got a 3ft mini measuring tape keyring. :huh:

You might get more information when you get the letter inviting you to the sessions - there's usually some sort of questionnaire/information pack that comes with the letter telling you where and when the sessions are.

that sounds awful. It must have been a total nightmare for you (and thats putting it lightly)

It's a 4 week course here and I think it's held in a small community hospital (it's in a town about 15 miles away that I don't really know that well)

I'll see what the letter says, at this point I'm willing to try anything if it will make me feel better because I've been back on the anti d's for about 3 months now and while they have stopped my panic attacks they don't seem to have helped my mood at all.

Gingernutty

looby75 wrote: »

that sounds awful. It must have been a total nightmare for you (and thats putting it lightly)

It's a 4 week course here and I think it's held in a small community hospital (it's in a town about 15 miles away that I don't really know that well)

I'll see what the letter says, at this point I'm willing to try anything if it will make me feel better because I've been back on the anti d's for about 3 months now and while they have stopped my panic attacks they don't seem to have helped my mood at all.

The problem you might be facing, however, is that you might have to complete this course if you are to go on to any one-to-one sessions - it's like a series of hoops that you have to jump through.

Tablets not working - try group sessions - group sessions not worked - go on the waiting list for CBT - CBT not worked - go on to further sessions - further sessions not worked - go on the waiting list for the psychiatrist - psychiatrist tweaked your medication - tweaked medication not worked - and so on.

Although the courses I was on were fairly dismal, I have a bus pass and the locations weren't too far out of the way.

ali-t

If you want to get an idea what it might be like, the living life to the full programme is endorsed by the NHS and can be accessed here http://www.llttf.com/

Millie2008_2

OP, I don't have any experience of such courses, sorry, but I am sorry that you had a not-so-positive experience of 1:1 counselling. Counselling should have a beginning, middle and ending (the ending is v v important), irrespective of the duration and "not sending out appointments" is a wholly inappropriate ending. Going for months between appointments, unless the therapy is structured in such a way when you are working towards an ending, is rubbish too (I am a counsellor and things like this do bug me ! )

(Love the big bang quote-y sig )

Gingernutty - I hope you were able to give some sort of feedback on your experience(s), because they don't sound very good either . Sometimes I get very frustrated with things in the NHS (I have worked in the NHS, so have a fair bit of insight), but sometimes it feels as if nobody is really listening to what the patient wants/needs. I know it is far more complex than this, due to budgets, etc, but I do share your frustrations

looby75

thanks for all the replies (and link that I'll look at in the morning) I'm doing my best to go into this with an open mind but tbh I'm a bit jaded with the whole counselling thing.

Not only did I have a bad experience years ago with cancelled appointment etc but I've "dropped off the system" a couple of times due to a lack of counsellors. I hit rock bottom about 3 months ago and it was then I ended up back on anti d's and was referred back for counselling.

At a follow up appointment with my GP she asked how the counselling was going and when I told her I hadn't had an appointment for counselling yet she said she would chase it up. 5 days later I got a letter from them saying 'despite our efforts to contact you by telephone we have been unable to speak to you. Please contact our team to arrange a telephone assessment within 7 days of the date of this letter. If you do not contact us we will assume you no longer require our services.'

I don't leave the house that much and my house phone has a call record on it. I have had no missed calls in the last few months.