Mental Health & The NHS

caela_2

p999j wrote: »

One of the most common drugs in everyday situations is aspartame. It is in coke and many other common drinks. It failed it's LD50 tests then was passed without any chemical changes being made. http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html Yet it is trusted because it received FDA approval, albeit in a manner more suited to the Krays than the politicians!

Firstly, I have 2 words for you- Thank You. Your entire post is brilliant and totally gets where I am coming from. As you say, we all have different routes of understanding and I am a bit of a naturalist and have chosen myself to avoid invasive treatments like medication in favour of more natural alternatives.

I am not judging people for taking meds, but I am against it myself. I worry about friends who take medication, presumably with little effect. I just wish they could find a natural way to get better. A lot of them say they could not live a normal life without their meds, but they don't live a normal life now. I don't know if it's just me, but they are still as ill as they were. I would tell them, but they seem to think it helps so maybe that is just enough to make them happy. I wonder if perhaps they ARE worse without their meds, or it they could be! One of my friends has been on meds for several years and still lives at home with his parents as he cannot work in his condition or live by himself. He has severe OCD which worsens and changes and is depressed too. I'd like to know what these miraculous pills are really doing for him, but I know that it's none of my business. If he wants to take them I'm not going to tell him otherwise, and likewise he is the same with me.

I would be more inclined to believe in the possible benefits of these pills if I genuinely saw people make improvements on them. Instead, another friend is more depressed over the fact that she was defecating her bed at night as a side-effect of her new meds.

Many medications have actually been responsible for people's death, helping to motivate them before they improved their mood. A motivated depressed person can plan and execute their own suicide, like many of them did. It was too late for these individuals when this product was restricted in its use (I think it is still legal now, just docs want to avoid the law suit). Unfortunately, you cannot tell if a rat in a cage who is destroyed shortly after the medications have been tested on them, is 'suicidal' or not.

As an informed individual who also studied psychology in depth at University level, I have decided not to take medications. However, sometimes this makes me feel like I am blaspheming against some pharmaceutical god, with people telling me my benefits should be stopped or refused and that I shouldn't get help. I've even told some people I am against medications to be accused of wanting to kill everyone on the planet because look how pills are saving us all.

In conjunction with the post I have quoted here, did you know that phenalalanine (sp?) is also a massive contributor of depression? Along with a lot of other additives put in our drinks, foods and cosmetics. Parabens are a long-known carcinogen, as is talc- they have been physically found in tumours. These are still perfectly legal and approved products. To really highlight the situation we are in, just remember that tobacco and alcohol have both undergone extensive testing and are still perfectly legal (as long as they warn you of their potential fatality). They are not removed from the market in order to protect consumers. Now imagine how dangerous something has to be before they finally think they have a problem on their hands and pull it? Especially where there are millions being made from it. Hmmm...

When it comes to meds, I think we should agree to disagree and perhaps return to the real question here- what help IS available via the NHS for mental health problems? Seeing as we have already covered medication and that I was already aware of its availability, can we move on?

caela_2

Sugar_Coated_Owl wrote: »

If you aren't prepared to help yourself I don't see why the government should give you benefits.

Not sure if that was directed at me because I'm sure I've made it abundantly clear that I am prepared to help myself, in fact- I seem to be the only one trying. First good few YEARS I went to various GPs telling them I needed help and was laughed at, told I wasn't depressed, told to come back in a week, all when I had told them I was suicidal at the worst of times (even went to try it directly after one appointment). I am the only one who managed to change GPs and make new appointments and finally get through to someone who after several appointments gave me my FIRST depression test (an itemised list of symptoms with scale of how often you suffer from each). She then said I was depressed and told me that unfortunately, the NHS was vastly underfunded in my area and that treatments were limited and mostly unavailable. She said she could offer me pills, which initially she was opposed to until I told her I don't take medication, then she was willing to prescribe it (duh). She has been great, but it has taken me years and lots of effort (in a depressed state, this is multiplied significantly), to get where I am now in my stage of 'treatment' which is basically someone actually acknowledging that I am depressed (despite having been diagnosed with it previously, been in hospital and physically seeing the diagnosis come up on the GPs screen currently when I am talking to them... duh).

caela_2

Sugar_Coated_Owl wrote: »

FYI I have declined residential treatment as I think it's a waste of 100K and I don't believe I need to be inpatient.

What kind of conditions are you referring to?

Ha! So you're declining the recommended treatment and having a go at me!

caela_2

kno wrote: »

It's quite unethical to force someone into taking medication not under a section. By removing their benefits what do you hope to achieve, that they will somehow get better or that they will somehow change their opinion on medication?

Just because something worked for you doesn't mean it will work or be appropriate for everyone else.

For that refreshing dose of sanity, I thank you.

kno

caela wrote: »

When it comes to meds, I think we should agree to disagree and perhaps return to the real question here- what help IS available via the NHS for mental health problems? Seeing as we have already covered medication and that I was already aware of its availability, can we move on?

Fantastic post.

Maybe most People just see their GP rather than their local Mental health trust when dealing with the NHS, therefore just get offered medication instead of proper care and treatment plans.

kno

caela wrote: »

For that refreshing dose of sanity, I thank you.

Sometimes it feels as if you are the only one who questions medication as the default treatment for mental illness. So it's been quite comforting to here others are not so endeared with the chemist culture.

Sugar_Coated_Owl

caela wrote: »

Ha! So you're declining the recommended treatment and having a go at me!

No, I've opted to do DBT instead of going IP again

Beachy

To the OP.
I would ask your GP to put you on the waiting list to see a Psychiatrist at your nearest CMHT (Community Mental Health Team). You could then ask the Psychiatrist what suitable treatments are available and take it from there.

Natty68

loobyloose wrote: »

I see you are in kent, i assume you went to the one in maidstone, when i was there it was announced that leavers was dropped from 2years down to 18months, thats after the initial 1year in intense therapy. After that it is assumed you are *cured* as that place has such a good reputation.
Also in kent they are finding such miniscule ways to kick you off there CMHT. Mental health help has become really hard to get, no wonder suicide rates have shot up, yet papers do not report it much nowadays for some reason.

I was hoping to be sent to the centre in Maidstone after my intense therapy in my own local MH hospital. Unfortunately it didn't appear..

You are so right about Kent finding ways to kick you off there CMHT. Apparently they have cut there CMHT by 23% this year, so far, and unfortunately I appear to be one of those that has been affected by this. Not a lot of help for me though, and sadly my GP can't do much else apart from re-refer me to the CMHT to see if we can go through the whole rigmarole again..

jackymax

I am/was you!
I read your post and few others but didnt read all, so this might already have been said.

Get your doctor to refer you to the Mental Health Social Services!!!!

They are the central hub of getting you all the different kinds of physical, mental and financial help that you need and are entitled to!!

Yes they are underfunded, but they manage that by delegating to other agencies for specific help in each category.

Downfall: Their underfunding means you may have to chase them up... a lot!!
But you are only chasing up one person! They then will to deal with all the sections of the systems that can help your situation.

I came on here to look for help with a related issue, but saw this and registered especially to post this reply to you!

Mental health disabilities often include the problem of not being able to cope with all the agencies you need to contact... so this is STEP 1.