Despite various targets for "referral-to-treatment" times for 'real' medical ailments, no government has really had much of a go at increasing the provision of psychological services to patients.
Of course since such issues are incredibly rare, no-one on this forum will ever have suffered any form of mental illness, or significant event that may have benefitted from assessment, and possibly treatment.......
Anyways I digress - found this a bit of a shocker:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-17130934
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I assume that half the battle with mental illness is realising and accepting that you need help.
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Very sad, he was obviously quite ill, was it the right job for him I wonder, anti-depressants aren't right for everybody (especially SSRI's) but it can't be easy prescribing for a patient in circumstances like that, tragic.
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Lygonos, my experience is that many more MH sufferers are being treated 'in the community', if at all. Access to MH services has definitely decreased and can be very difficult to access. I've seen a number of families who are clearly desperate for help. Very difficult for them indeed. Unlikely to improve in the current climate.
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I found this Doctor's story a shocker:
Her father was on BBC radio & Tv this morning.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17125956
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094031
Last edited by: John H on Wed 22 Feb 12 at 22:18
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Having had some experience of "issues" when my first wife died unexpectedly - I was put in the (very capable) hands of a bereavement counsellor the day after the funeral. I have absolutely no doubt that this effectively saved what was left of my sanity. It cost the NHS nothing (it was privately funded on my behalf) and the consequences where I never visited a GP, never prescribed a drug. I learnt from a friend that she had to wait 9 months on the NHS for a couple of sessions. I had access to however many I felt I needed (around 6 in the event). A living example of stitch in time.
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I know all about mental health and the problems including counselling Lygonos.
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>> Of course since such issues are incredibly rare, no-one on this forum will ever have suffered
>> any form of mental illness, or significant event that may have benefitted from assessment,
>> and possibly treatment.......
Not experienced myself but have first hand experience of knowing someone who needed treatment etc. That was very stressful for a few days. I won't discuss in the forum but could discuss if it helped an individual in similar circumstances.
Worst few weeks of my life!
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I have a daughter who suffers from mental illness- controlled a bit by drugs. The service is overstretched and underfunded - and has been for years..
From what I have seen of it, overwhelmed by the numbers - some self inflicted, some not.
Care in community far better than old style asylums... unfortunately needs are infinite and resources limited.
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A young friend holds a responsible job - manages a few dozen staff. Peak time at work he went off the rails - unable to cope with even small issues at home far less work issues. Went to GP and prescribed pills............weeks passed but things got worse.
Not being short of funds he paid for some help......hypnosis, behaviour therapy........ this stabilised him and he went back to work but was unable to function at the level required. The MD called him in and confessed he had suffered in a similar fashion 15-20 years previously and not to concern himself about work.
After 6 months or so he was seen by the NHS...........new pills, weekly / fortnightly consultations and within 2 months able to cope with home / work /life in general............2 yrs on still on pills but reducing dosage.
NHS excellent, but what if he had been seen right away rather than a 6 month delay? Would he have recovered more quickly, been back working & earning (self employed!) What would have happened if he could not have afforded the £3,000 he spent privately in the first 6 months?
NHS mental health, like many branches of NHS, needs more funding to be more able to cope with the need.
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Obviously a sad case, and I have some experience of coping with depression, bereavement, etc.
But a needlessly sad aspect of the case to me was the head's comment:
"There was no reason in my opinion to be disappointed. The exam results didn't bear that out."
As if had the results been bad his action would have been appropriate? !
No suggestion that the system might have been partly to blame, by placing such emphasis on the exam culture in the first place. The head seemed unable to switch out of professional mode even when talking about the death of a colleague.
It's a bit like the obligatory comment whenever a young person is killed in an accident. He was so bright, well-liked, had a great future, etc, as if the death of an ugly unloved failure isn't a tragedy too.
Last edited by: Cliff Pope on Thu 23 Feb 12 at 08:32
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>>It's a bit like the obligatory comment whenever a young person is killed in an accident. He was so bright, well-liked, had a great future, etc, as if the death of an ugly unloved failure isn't a tragedy too<<
How right you are m8!
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It's a bit like the obligatory comment whenever a young person is killed in an accident. He was so bright, well-liked, had a great future, etc, as if the death of an ugly unloved failure isn't a tragedy too
Surely just a form of words to provide some comfort in a time of distress. It's not always necessary to tell the absolute truth.
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And in that small tragic little tale, is the complete life cycle of modern mental health issues.
The seeds are sewn at school, where we are teaching our kids to be stressed from an early age with interminable "published results" based testing and pressure at every stage of growing up, in this case resulting in stressed teachers as well.
Is it little wonder that stuff like this happens.
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>> as if the death
>> of an ugly unloved failure isn't a tragedy too.
Well to be fair, they wouldn't be missed would they! No point wasting mealy mouthed words.
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One problem with getting the right treatment for someone suffering mental health problems is getting them to realise it. If they are an adult they have to go voluntarily - there is no way of forcing it on them.
If someone was clearly not of right mind in a public place and you think they need professional help there is very little you can do. An ambulance couldn't take them away etc. Apparently (and maybe Lygonos can comment) but you can try calling the police and telling them the person 'needs to be taken to a place of safety'.
And if you've ever seen people in a mental health unit, sometimes the look on their faces can be shocking. But typically it is the drugs they are on that is doing that to them.
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Read up on sectioning Rob. That's not usually voluntary!
I'm no expert but daughter works in mental health in a secure unit. I understand most of her patients (is that what they are these days?) are perfectly "normal" in appearance and even behaviour much of the time. But when something tips them over, it can be another story completely. And in her environment it can cause a very scary chain reaction.
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>> Read up on sectioning Rob. That's not usually voluntary!
True - but doing that to someone is quite a step because of how that might effect them in the future. And don't you need to get them to somewhere to get them sectioned? So if they are in need of help out of hours then how do you help them? Which is why I mentioned the place of safety thing.
Step-son is training to be a mental health nurse. I don't think I could do that as a job but we're all different.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 23 Feb 12 at 10:25
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>> One problem with getting the right treatment for someone suffering mental health problems is getting
>> them to realise it. If they are an adult they have to go voluntarily -
>> there is no way of forcing it on them.
People can be detained under various provisions in the Mental Health Act 1983, particulalry those who are a threat to themself or others.
tinyurl.com/7ejykeh (pdf 0.5MB)
IIRC police also have power to detain somebody who is clearly disordered pending referral for treatmnt.
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>>Well to be fair, they wouldn't be missed would they! No point wasting mealy mouthed words
Every possibility that's exactly how 'Baby P' would have ended up had he survived his upbringing.
Any less of a tragedy?
Not in my book.
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In that case you don't waste mealy mouthed words, you try and fix the cause of the problem don't you. Its not a tragedy its a crime.
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It is of course both things.
The further tragedy is the *** responsible will be walking the streets in the next 2-3 years (one released yesterday apparently halfway through his sentence).
Fully rehabilitated doubtless.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 25 Feb 12 at 00:12
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Our eldest son has mentall illness.His illness started at the age of seventeen.He passed his his A levels and was due to go to university.He lives a steady live in a nice flat and the drugs control his illness.Maybe that is one of the reason our daughter became a mental health nurse she knew how to deal with the difficult situations we had in the past.
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Sorry to hear that Dutchie, my brothers grandson became schizophrenic due to drug abuse, he tried to kill his mother and father and so was sectioned.
He is quite bad nowadays I hear, and he lives in a mental hospital, I met him a few times, hefty geezer, like, I wouldn't want to argue with him!
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Never mind Dog that many things and situations have happened in my live.I'm used to it.
Our son same illness,he was never violent or aggresive with me.Very strong when he had a attack but luckily I always managed to control him.He is very kind and calm very intelligent more brains than his dad.>) Sorry to hear about your brothers grandson Dog.We all have our cross to bear.
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>>We all have our cross to bear<<
Tell me about it!!
I've met more-than a few schizophrenics over the years, and I'm always weary of them - even if he or she was my own flesh n' blood - it can be a truly devastating illness though (in some cases) but then there are others who have a more milder form, and they go on to lead a relatively 'normal' life (with medication)
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Access to mental health help - Old Navy
