Help a friend

Mattjimf

I want to help my friend who is having problems at home, but due to the nature of the problems, i really can not relate to what she is going through. A member of her family has mental health problems, and she is wanting to get them admitted to the mental health hospital. I have told her that i really can't help her, but would like to let her know there are people out there that have been through it and can help her, but i can't find anything suitable online and am hoping someone on here my have some ideas. If anyone can help let me know, if it's a helpline i would prefer it to be in Scotland, ideally the North East.

scoot1on1

Have you thought of contacting the Samaritans or maybe your Local Health Authority who should have groups or contact numbers who can help your friend.

Mattjimf

I have mentioned it to her, but it took me long enough to get her to tell me. The local health authority are about as much use as a chocolate teapot, and to quote her she "doesn't want to burden anyone else with her problems". This is why i'm trying to find some way of her being able to talk other people who have been in the same situation, her family aren't much help, and if i can prove to her that the people have been through the same thing it may make her more comfortable talking to someone.

Dumyat

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/profileorganisations.cfm?areacode=mh_organisations_scotland&pagecode=TISESC

try here. not sure what you're looking for ....but this site lists scottish contacts

Mattjimf

Had seen that site, unfortunately most the numbers there are for people with mental illness rather than people who are looking after someone with mental illness.

Edinburghlass_2

Probably there is help out there, its just a case of "getting into the system".

If there isn't help, there should be. Have you checked out forums or groups where people perhaps help each other online?

Nile

Mattjimf wrote:

I want to help my friend who is having problems at home, but due to the nature of the problems, i really can not relate to what she is going through. A member of her family has mental health problems, and she is wanting to get them admitted to the mental health hospital. I have told her that i really can't help her, but would like to let her know there are people out there that have been through it and can help her, but i can't find anything suitable online and am hoping someone on here my have some ideas. If anyone can help let me know, if it's a helpline i would prefer it to be in Scotland, ideally the North East.

I might be asking an obvious question here but has your friend contacted the (ill) family member's GP or surgery? If the ill family member is too poorly/confused to seek help herself/himself, it might need the intervention of another family member (ie your friend) to contact the GP........who will then determine whether hospital admission is appropriate.

Ria

I agree with Nile that the place to start is with the GP.

Mattjimf

My friend was talking about admitting the person this weekend, the GP just prescribes drugs which don't really help. I have told her to talk to both the family member and the hospital, she did talk to the hospital, but they said that the person would have to be admitted first. It's not the first time she has had to be admitted to the hospital, although the last time my friend had more people to help her.

Sarahjovi

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc14/hfc-00.asp

http://www.carers.org/how-we-can-help/

http://www.hebs.scot.nhs.uk/topics/mentalhealth/mentgroup.cfm

I found these links in Google by typing in Carers Help or Carers Help Scotland. Not sure if its what you really need.

Lots of site came up including Alzeimers and Schizophenia etc,. All have information for the carer!


Sarah

Mattjimf

thanks for that will check them when i'm not seeing double