Making Progress (and Private Therapists?)

[Liana]

So I guess I can say I am making progress. After a couple disastrous appointments with a therapist who seemed to think I am fine, I made a doctors appointment. I went this morning and mentioned PTSD and that I was finding it difficult to cope, and also that I didn't know what to do.

She understood, heard me out and actually listened to me, which was nice for a change, and then she gave me a couple phone numbers to ring and get support. No one has officially diagnosed me with PTSD yet but the doctor today said that she thought it was very likely, regarding my symptoms and history and that she didn't want to make a diagnosis. I'm going to ring some of those numbers up on Monday and see what options there are.

There is one, a private psychiatric service thing and all the others are on the NHS (in the UK). For those on this site in the UK, should I seek out the private service or the NHS?

The only problem is the fee with the private service averaging at about £80 - £150... and I only get £20 a week so that's going to take some saving up.. But is it worth it? If it is I can talk to my family, who, fingers crossed, are more than willing to help.

 

[digger]

You could also try charities. I didn't have a very positive experience with the nhs personally, but lots of people do. You need to factor in how long you might need therapy for as well if you're going to look at private. You don't want to get used to working with a therapist and then not be able to pay. I would try nhs first if I was you given your financial position.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

Essentially I second Digger. There are plenty of therapists - even ones that specialise in trauma that are cheaper than £80-150, but they'll still be more like £25-50. I'd say get what you can for free, for now and save up in the mean time. Most therapies on the NHS are 8-12 weeks, which won't "fix" your PTSD but it might give you some space to vent, seek out a diagnosis (I had to see a Psychiatrist for that) andgive you some coping strategies and skills. The thing is the therapists will play the system and can say 8-12 sessions for depression, then 8-12 for anxiety, then 8-12 for PTSD and help you for as long as possible. There are also longer term therapies, but these are difficult to get, I have 48 sessions to start with from my therapist, so there's no worrying for a little while (but I still manage to ;P)

A little way away from me there was a service that I could donate what I could afford from 50p upwards that would provide long term and even indefinite therapy that was charity based, unfortunately because of it's location and because of other issues I couldn't go to this, but I just wanted to say there are things out there. Also Mind have drop in centres all over the country (though not where I am) and these might help.

It depends on you - if you have very complex and/or multiple traumas you may need therapy for a long time, you may do if you have a solitary trauma, but if you think you're going to need a long time and you feel that disruption in the service will be distressing, then maybe private is better, but if you can't afford it then you can't afford it. I think one great thing about private is if you feel you're not getting on with your therapist you can change and choose more freely before you start - there is an ability to change on the NHS but it took me so long to get what I'm getting now, I wouldn't want to even try and what if I didn't like the next person more, plus my lady's very nice actually!

 

[Liana]

Thank you digger1. I'm not particularly interested in charities, the few that I have gone to have been very condescending and a bit too blunt with me which I told them and they told me that was how they did things.

Kas_Can_Fly - I've also tried 3 times to get a diagnosis (once with a psychiatrist who told me I was fine and just being a teenager, a second time with just my therapist who just brushed me off and now with a doctor who does agree with my PTSD worry, but wont diagnose me or give me medication or actually refer me to a psychiatrist or psychologist), so now I feel a bit messed around.

Last time I tried to change my therapist with the NHS, she told me she thought I was depressed and said so. I found a couple psychiatrists around my area with reasonably low fees, and one who offers the first session free, but I worry about ringing them up and such.. Because I'm not diagnosed with anything, I feel really out of place when I shouldn't. If I went to a private psychiatrist would they do an assessment if I asked?

 

[digger]

Yes I meant to say as well that £80 - £150 is expensive. I don't pay that much. I guess it might vary a bit depending on where you are in the country, but if you do decide on private then look around a bit and also don't be afraid to ask if therapists offer a sliding scale for payment depending on clients financial situation.

 

[Echo]

@Liana - I went via the NHS to see the psychiatrist first. The person I saw asked lots of questions and then I waited for some months before I received a letter to say I was being referred to the psychology service. Then I waited many more months before I got to see their psychologist. In the meantime, I had sought out a private trauma therapist myself who had diagnosed me. I let the psychology service and my GP have copies of my diagnosis and they all agreed with it. In the end, the only purpose for seeing the psychologist was to have the diagnosis confirmed and to find out whether the NHS could offer me appropriate therapy. They could not.

Following the NICE guidelines for how to treat people with PTSD, you probably won't get given any medication, unless you are depressed or suffer from something else aside from PTSD. The guidelines do not suggest medicating people with PTSD unless they refuse talking therapies. The psychology services are the ones who provide talking therapies, the psychiatrists prescribe drugs. So it is likely to just be a hoop you need to jump through on your way to a diagnosis and treatment. I would suggest you save your money to pay for a private trauma therapist, if the NHS doesn't ultimately have anything to offer you. So go with the NHS route until you find out what they have to offer, if anything.

Meanwhile, as @digger1 says, try the rape charities, such as Rape Crisis or other women's charities appropriate to what has happened to you, who will offer you help for free or for a very small donation. They probably won't diagnose you, but you may well quickly get to see someone to talk to and to start to help you. You may find that works perfectly and you never need to find someone privately. You don't have to tell the NHS you are doing this, if you don't want to. It is your business. They may not bother to help you, if you have found help elsewhere. If you need benefits, though, you will need your doctor on side, and you will probably need a diagnosis, so go through the NHS hoops regardless.

 

[digger]

You want to be looking at psychologists/counsellors rather than psychiatrists I would have thought if you're wanting therapy? Is it diagnosis or therapy that you want?

 

[Deleted member 20280]

I will agree in principle with both @digger and @Kas_Can_Fly . My personal experience was that my employer paid the therapy costs and I was seen by the top end Psychologist in the area.

When I lost my Job and was referred to the NHS in the South-West (Devon) I found them to be total ****. It really depends on what part of the UK you are in as to the level of care you will get.

That said take what you can on the NHS as you National Insurance is paying for it.
:hug: if you accept it.

Welcome to the Forum too.

Laurie

 

[Echo]

Sorry, my last post crossed with yours.

Two things - remember you can always change your doctors' practice if you feel your doctor doesn't understand. Secondly, you need a trauma therapist (who will be a psychologist not a psychiatrist), not a psychiatrist, unless you want drugs not treatment. A trauma therapist can and will diagnose you.

 

[Echo]

My first appointment with a trauma therapist cost £45. On the basis of that first conversation (50mins), she diagnosed me.

 

[Lucycat]

There is one, a private psychiatric service thing and all the others are on the NHS (in the UK). For those on this site in the UK, should I seek out the private service or the NHS?

The psychiatrist I have seen on the NHS also does private work. My therapist, that I have been seeing on the NHS for the past 4 years is a NHS Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN). There is no time limit to my therapy. He does EMDR, Brainspotting and sensorimotor psychotherapy. If I went private I don't think my care would or could be any better - and I would have been paying to see the same psychiatrist anyway!

I guess my point is that whether it is NHS or private is less relevant than what the service can actually offer ( within financial constraints)

 

[Lucycat]

not a psychiatrist, unless you want drugs not treatment

My psychiatrist does not deal with my prescriptions. He oversees and supervises my therapist. The psychiatrist is also trained in EMDR and Brainspotting. He is an expert in trauma and has published papers on it.