Help :-(

[Sarah Lewis]

My doctor referred me to the mental health team. They gave a diagnosis of a phobia. I am scared of spiders that's a phobia not what I go through daily that's terror. I was told there were no psychologists available on the NHS. So was given Prozac which don't help and sent on my way. My diagnosis )private... Was done by Reme aquerone one of the leading psychologists on UK. My doctor even can't believe they won't accept his diagnosis. I've been through so many avenues it's now 20 years on and I'm still struggling.

 

[Suzetig]

I'd go back to your GP for a second opinion, the NHS is the biggest employer of psychologists in the UK and while there's a waiting list, they should still refer you. The person you refer to runs a private clinic and so has a vested interest in telling you you need to be in therapy for years on end.

The NHS centre of excellence is in Nottingham - I'm guessing you travelled to the private place you refer to so could presumably travel to Nottingham if referred? The NHS most likely won't accept this guys diagnosis because he isn't qualified to PhD level - he's a psychotherapist rather than a psychologist and in the UK therapists aren't qualified to diagnose, no matter how good they are in their field.

 

[Sarah Lewis]

I'd go back to your GP for a second opinion, the NHS is the biggest employer of psychologists in the UK...

My GP can't refer me as there is no psychologists on NHS in my area. Reme came to me it was funded by a charity for me. I live in Dorset. My GP accepts my diagnosis and has tried to get an IFR (independent funding) for me to have the treatment privately. It's been refused and then an appeal was refused also. I have tried everything !! Honest it's so hard here to get anything done. Meanwhile I'm getting worse.

 

[digger]

Has your GP referred you to you Community Mental Health team? Just reading up on Dorset's mental health provision and it looks like they are the main referrers for accessing psychological therapies.

All NHS trusts have psychologists, Dorset included, but access, availability and adequacy varies from trust to trust and some are much harder to navigate than others. Is it more that the specific type of therapy you were recommended by the private therapist isn't available to you on the NHS, or that you are being told that there are no psych services at all in Dorset?

Don't get me wrong, I know how inadequate and frustrating (massive understatement!) trying to get help through the NHS can be, but if your GP is telling you there are no services they can refer you to, then I'd look for a new GP.

 

[digger]

I can't afford to go private it would be 100 pounds a week. W

I don't pay anywhere near this. Is this because you are wanting a specific therapist/type of therapy. It might be worth considering other options than the one specifically recommended you by the private therapist you saw for diagnosis.

 

[Sarah Lewis]

Has your GP referred you to you Community Mental Health team? Just reading up on Dorset's mental health p...

I've been referred to the mental health team and they just said CBT which I have had 3 sessions of and its worse now than before. The psychiatrist I saw from the mental health team said its a phobia and just sent me on my way with yet another session of CBT. Which I refuse to have as I'm getting worse each session. They said there is no psychologists in my area they left and were never replaced.

 

[Sarah Lewis]

I don't pay anywhere near this. Is this because you are wanting a specific therapist/type of therapy. It...

That's the quotes I have been given by the private psychologists that have called me back. Some are so busy they can't take any more patients on.

 

[digger]

They said there is no psychologists in my area they left and were never replaced.

It would be laughable if it weren't people's lives on the line huh! A few years back when I was trying to access NHS support here, I got referred to a non existent counselling service - I asked how long it would be before I would see someone and was told they hadn't actually hired anyone yet!
I had to give up on trying to get help through the NHS as the stress involved in the process was, frankly, dangerous. :(

I don't want to push you on this point as you seem reluctant to answer it, but it sounds like you are trying to pursue a very specific type of therapy - if this is the case it may be that, for now, you need to reassess whether a different, possibly more accessible and affordable, course might be more helpful.

 

[Sarah Lewis]

It would be laughable if it weren't people's lives on the line huh! A few years back when I was trying to...

No not a specific type. Just all the local therapists seem to be 100 a session. Most haven't got any room in their lists for new patients. But many haven't even got back to me.

 

[digger]

I don't know which part of Dorset you're in (and I'm not asking) this is just a suggestion that you may not have tried if you can only find £100 per hour therapists. I just put BH1 in as a postcode search for bacp registered therapists who have post traumatic stress listed and most of them are coming out around the £40 mark.
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If you do a search for your own postcode it may come up with some options you haven't found yet. Hope it helps.

Also some therapists may work on a sliding scale if you explain your circumstances.

 

[Sarah Lewis]

I don't know which part of Dorset you're in (and I'm not asking) this is just a suggestion that you may n...

Thanks I did a search there's one in my postcode. I will email them. Their charge is 40 as you said I could afford that once a month. I will ask them what sessions are recommended