Nhs Mental Health Support

[Heaven666]

Hello


Does anyone have experience with getting mental health treatment on the NHS?

 

[therapybankrupt]

Sorry I have no experience with NHS. I am not sure what they offer and I have never heard of it. I am in the US so that may be the reason.

 

[Springer80]

Yes and let me tell you it was long, tough and traumatic. Mental health and trauma therapy are two entirely different schools of thought.

 

[Lucycat]

I was very lucky.

I had immediate access to appropriate NHS mental health treatment, but the truth is I already knew who to contact myself as I work in the NHS and my husband is a retired Mental Health Worker. We went straight to those we knew when I first needed help. It has been brilliant, but I know it is not the same for everyone.

 

[cherryblossom]

Yes, but it's not easy, and you don't always get the best/ right treatment.

Getting specific help from a specialist in trauma / sexual abuse / PTSD on the NHS could be quite difficult.

First you need to speak to the GP, and hopefully get a referral to the local mental health team and likely a CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse), who will assess you and your needs and go from there. The mental health team might offer you a psychiatrist, for assessment, diagnosis and drugs therapy, and psychologist for therapy. Also other help might be available such as vocational support, group support/therapy, help for alcohol/drugs etc.

I got my best treatment / therapy through a local charity that specialises in sexual abuse, so it would be worth finding out what is in your local area.

 

[Heaven666]

Interesting. Other people told me the same thing. NHS is not perfect, but at least is free and usually it works decently. Anyone complaining about the NHS should spend a month in another country, they will stop complaining immediately!

Cherry, care to tell me the name of the local charity? I am looking for somebody with experience in dealing with a child rape survivor (3 years old) with a language barrier and a strong cultural barrier (she grew up in a culture comparable with Afghanistan)

 

[cherryblossom]

The charity is only local to where I live (south west UK), has only one office and helps people within about 10- 20 mile radius. It's not a national charity.

Her GP, and local mental health team should be aware of any similar charities in your area, or you could see if a google search comes up with anything.

You could try the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) website in order to find a local therapist privately. http://www.itsgoodtotalk.org.uk/

I'm not complaining about the NHS (I currently work for them!), however, it will just depend what services/ specialists are available in your local mental health team.

 

[Springer80]

The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (N.A.P.A.C.) would be very good in directing you I would have thought. Personally I would speak to specialist charities/organizations and go with their advice and referrals rather than the prescribed theoretical and medication biased route the NHS are obliged to offer. I'm not insensible to what an extraordinary resource health care provision in the U.K. is, especially in comparison to other couires. My mother also worked for the organization for 35yrs. However, trauma/rape/child abuse treatment has not been applied to the level of research that is current. It unwittingly and repeatedly will put the sufferer you want to protect through her ordeal again. Also a lot of this is not to due with NHS/Charity funded etc but down the the societal stigma associated with it, non specialized people are often afraid or repulsed by the horrifying things they hear and in protecting their own selves from it bring more damage to their patient, who is still essentially a raped 3 yr old. A specialist will understand this.

I wish you all the best for your search and hope and wish the best recovery for your loved one.