Sufferer Looking for advice on treatment, especially in the UK

[Suzie B]

Hello everyone, what a beautiful blog, so much support and i dont feel alone.

Am 47, had cPTSD diagnosed age 40 and had it since age 5 from multiple traumas. Have spent all my life in therapy and done every treatment and therpay and read every book on trauma i'm a total expert haha. However, recenlty have very had suicidal ideation and 2 suicide attemots which were stopped thankfully somehow.

I live half in Portugal in an expat forest meditation community who love and support me so much it's incredible for 11 years now and sometimes go home to Cheshire UK as my family is there. But i dont feel happy there as my life is here now and i get immediate depression there. But the medical help now has reached i point i need inpatient state care which i cant have here as it's awful.

So i wanted to ask if anyone has tried this in the UK as i cannot live alone or function as have depression and panic attacks. Luck.... as have lovely friends and family who support me, have great boundaries and go rid of last codependent partner years ago... but no one can help and i cannot afford private health in UK only here, which is why i use top psychiatrists/therapists here as the isnurnace covers it but not in UK. But in Portugal there are no inpatient state units only private which i cannot afford and i dont speak the language.

I am scared of being sectioned in the UK, is it very bad?? What would they do ? I heard it takes 6 month to see a specialist !! But im getting to a point i have to admit i am a danger to myself (not others). Does anyone have experience with UK state inpatient psychiatric system, and if they do programmes or if they would just sedate/medicate and send home as they do here.

I know PTSD is a more of a management process (no real cure i guess?) where you have to create a little ecosystem of therapies, meds, treatmetnts, love and support which i have, but as it's remote forest community i feel i need to be closer to hospitals and doctors now with the suicide attemts. At home in UK living with my parents would not give me the community love i get here.... but it would help with the suicide attemts as we have great hospital there, but doctors can only just keep giving me new meds which never work as i have basically tried them all now my doctor doesn't know what to do for me here. The same would be in UK also as was in my teens and 20s.

Only tranquilizers help which i take every hour to stay sane. Any help guidance or experience with the UK state system would be great as will have to go bac but am terrified. Also am i an addict now and would have to come off meds? But then the PTSD would have to be stable or cured to not be on meds, so that's no an option my therapist said, as all PTSD patients need meds.

Thank you !!
Suzanna x

 

[Riley Jones]

Hello everyone, what a beautiful blog, so much support and i dont feel alone.

Am 47, had cPTSD diagnosed age 40 and had it since age 5 from multiple traumas. Have spent all my life in therapy and done every treatment and therpay and read every book on trauma i'm a total expert haha. However, recenlty have very had suicidal ideation and 2 suicide attemots which were stopped thankfully somehow. I live half in Portugal in an expat forest meditation community who love and support me so much it's incredible for 11 years now and sometimes go home to Cheshire UK as my family is there. But i dont feel happy there as my life is here now and i get immediate depression there. But the medical help now has reached i point i need inpatient state care which i cant have here as it's awful. So i wanted to ask if anyone has tried this in the UK as i cannot live alone or function as have depression and panic attacks. Luck.... as have lovely friends and family who support me, have great boundaries and go rid of last codependent partner years ago... but no one can help and i cannot afford private health in UK only here, which is why i use top psychiatrists/therapists here as the isnurnace covers it but not in UK. But in Portugal there are no inpatient state units only private which i cannot afford and i dont speak the language.

I am scared of being sectioned in the UK, is it very bad?? What would they do ? I heard it takes 6 month to see a specialist !! But im getting to a point i have to admit i am a danger to myself (not others). Does anyone have experience with UK state inpatient psychiatric system, and if they do programmes or if they would just sedate/medicate and send home as they do here. I know PTSD is a more of a management process (no real cure i guess?) where you have to create a little ecosystem of therapies, meds, treatmetnts, love and support which i have, but as it's remote forest community i feel i need to be closer to hospitals and doctors now with the suicide attemts. At home in UK living with my parents would not give me the community love i get here.... but it would help with the suicide attemts as we have great hospital there, but doctors can only just keep giving me new meds which never work as i have basically tried them all now my doctor doesn't know what to do for me here. The same would be in UK also as was in my teens and 20s. Only tranquilizers help which i take every hour to stay sane. Any help guidance or experience with the UK state system would be great as will have to go bac but am terrified. Also am i an addict now and would have to come off meds? But then the PTSD would have to be stable or cured to not be on meds, so that's no an option my therapist said, as all PTSD patients need meds.

Thank you !!
Suzanna x

Hello Suzanna,

Welcome to our community, and thank you for reaching out and sharing your story. I'm truly sorry to hear about the difficulties you're facing, but I'm glad you have a supportive network around you in Portugal. It’s encouraging to know that you are connected with such a compassionate group, and I hope that this community can also provide some comfort and understanding.

Navigating the mental health system can indeed be overwhelming, especially when facing such urgent needs. I understand your concerns about seeking care in the UK and the anxiety that comes with the possibility of being sectioned. While experiences can vary greatly, it's important to remember that inpatient care is meant to provide a safe environment to stabilize and assess what treatments might work best for you. Ideally, they should offer a combination of medication management and therapy. However, it's understandable to have concerns about the quality and approach of care.

Your fear about medication dependency is valid, and it's crucial to have this conversation with a healthcare professional who can evaluate your situation. Knowing that you've tried many medications and are in a critical state emphasizes the need for professional guidance. While tranquilizers might offer some immediate relief, it’s essential to work closely with your healthcare team to find a sustainable treatment plan.

It's great that you've managed to set boundaries and build an ecosystem of support, which is so crucial for managing PTSD and CPTSD. Your bravery in seeking help is a testament to your strength; remember, you deserve compassionate and effective care.

While I can't provide specific advice on the UK system from a firsthand experience, I hope others in our community who have navigated similar challenges will share their insights. You are not alone; many people here understand what you're going through and are here to support you.

Please continue to reach out and connect with others who can empathize with your journey. Remember that professional help is always a vital part of the path toward healing. Take care and be gentle with yourself.

Warmest wishes,
Riley

 

[Midnightmoon]

Hi Suzie, welcome

I have decent experience working in them, I don't know how they compare to the Portuguese system but the seldom offer the theraputic work that people hope for and deserve. It's more about risk and medication management. You'd more than likely be cared for in the community via a CMHT, AO or crisis team as supposed to an admission unless the risk was unmanaged in the community. There is more opportunities for theraputic stuff in the community too.

Seeing a specialist, as in a psychiatrist? In the community that depends massively. You can see one within a few hours if it's a MHA assessment via a secondary service. You could be waiting 18 months plus on an NHS list for general psychiatry review. On the wards, no, they're there every day and you'd see them within 24 hours of admission usually. Psychologists aren't on the wards as standard and the wait is indeed huge. You have theraputic services more readily in things such as theraputic communities but a space in one is incredibly hard to access and often require lots of hoops to jump through.

When you say you are an addict, it depends on what you are dependant on currently but there are programmes for detox. Again they can be done in the community as well as on wards, depends often as much about physical health risk as well as mental health where detox is concerned.

Navigating the system is hard, a GP would be your first point of call really who could then start the ball rolling with whichever referrals were needed but it's not a speedy process

 

[Suzie B]

Hi Suzie, welcome

I have decent experience working in them, I don't know how they compare to the Portuguese system but the seldom offer the theraputic work that people hope for and deserve. It's more about risk and medication management. You'd more than likely be cared for in the community via a CMHT, AO or crisis team as supposed to an admission unless the risk was unmanaged in the community. There is more opportunities for theraputic stuff in the community too.

Seeing a specialist, as in a psychiatrist? In the community that depends massively. You can see one within a few hours if it's a MHA assessment via a secondary service. You could be waiting 18 months plus on an NHS list for general psychiatry review. On the wards, no, they're there every day and you'd see them within 24 hours of admission usually. Psychologists aren't on the wards as standard and the wait is indeed huge. You have theraputic services more readily in things such as theraputic communities but a space in one is incredibly hard to access and often require lots of hoops to jump through.

When you say you are an addict, it depends on what you are dependant on currently but there are programmes for detox. Again they can be done in the community as well as on wards, depends often as much about physical health risk as well as mental health where detox is concerned.

Navigating the system is hard, a GP would be your first point of call really who could then start the ball rolling with whichever referrals were needed but it's not a speedy process

Thank you so much, really great advice. I wont give up and it's good to know im not alone. God bless x