has anyone in the uk had the same or similar experiences with their GP & health - mental health services?
at my last gp practice that i was with a year ago, they were very aloof, dismissive, patronizing , argumentative with me when i would make appointments about things i was worried about, i got exasperated one day and had enough, i said sternly to the doctor , ” i dont come here to be spoken to this way by my doctor or health professionals, im going to make a complaint ” - i then walked out and i made a formal complaint with an external agency.
they incorrectly logged i had an aggressive outburst and put it in my medical notes - i left there of my own accord , because their attitude was very hostile especially after id complained.
the present GP practice im with, they seem to have a fairer attitude but still seem a bit alien and aloof , abrupt. plus you can’t choose which doctor you want to see in the practice , you have to see the doctor you chose when you joined the surgery , the doctor allocated to you..
anyone else have the same experience at their surgery ?
ive had psychological disorders most of my adult life due to an unbelievable sh!t unfortunate life, and my experience with the psychiatric services has been bitter and miserable - not always had consistent help of therapy or diagnoses , slipped through the net , struggled to get proper help.
2 years ago i was diagnosed with BPD personality disorder and my psychiatrist agreed i need intensive psychotherapy , psycho-dynamic therapy , but theres no resource for the therapy in my area, so im having to take what their offering which is occupational therapy to get me integrated back into society because ive been isolated and a recluse for so long.
my psychiatrist has no power over what services are available or whats on offer he can just recommend - from my observation.
ive suffered with these symptoms all my adult life : impulsive aggressive outburst, struggling to control rage and aggression, losing control of conduct , paranoia that people might be against me, panic and anxiety about being outside thats turned into agoraphobia - racing , scattered thoughts everyday , forgetting things, post traumatic stress symptoms , panicking perceiving threatening behavior from other males , reacting with intense severe aggression. fluctuating moods everyday , severe depressions one minute , feeling ok the next - nightmares , flashbacks.
ive suffered alot of things in my life like bullying, attacks, being singled out , head injuries in a street attack because i lost control of rage - time in a mental hospital. had an unbelievable sh1t existence so far - im now 31 nearly.
my psychiatrist said all the symptoms i have are basically as a result of my traumatic life experience and that i have no mental illness or psychosis .
he said i have good intellect and great insight into my problems.
he is adamant i dont have a mental illness like bi polar or another mental illness.
he refuses to prescribe any medications because he said they dont work in the long term and can be incredibly addictive, and they wont work for me. even though i asked for some medication that is non addictive to help with my symptoms…
like i said individual psychotherapy is not available in my area due to no resources and no funding - so im having to take what their offering which is the occupational therapy to help me ‘ practically ‘ to exposure therapy to my fears and anxieties - to get me integrated back into society to attend resource centres etc.
im hoping the therapy i asked for will become available at some point, the 1 on 1 psychotherapy.
although im a bit in bewilderment that they’ re resolute about giving any medication.
has anyone else had these type of problems or experiences with their services ?
i worry im on my own with this treatment and sh1t service and everybody else is getting the right, ideal help and support except me from their health services.
Posted in psychotherapy office
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February 17th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
I lived in Scotland for just over a year and had the same experience. I moved over from Sweden after a divorce, where I was in great psychiatric care for Tourette’s and comorbidities (OCD, agoraphobia and anxiety, mostly).
I arrived with my medical records and a lengthy letter from my Swedish doctor saying I needed to continue therapy as soon as possible, and listing my meds. I spent years trying different combinations of medications to find ones that worked without exacerbating other conditions, and was finally managing okay.
The first GP dismissed me without even looking at my records, after finding out I had been on a low dose of benzos (Xanax) regularly for over a year. I only took them as needed (before school or work), but he treated me like a junkie and said he wasn’t going to prescribe anything, or recommend me for further care. Apparently they are only prescribed short term (like 2 weeks) or inpatient in the UK, and he felt if I was taking them long term, I must have addiction problems. I don’t drink alcohol nor do drugs (I hate anything that makes my Tourette’s worse) so this really offended me. I changed GPs, and experienced similar. He said the waiting list for mental health care was over a year, and he wasn’t willing to put any new patients on it.
As a result, I had to suddenly go off the medications, and I was isolated with no therapy or medical help for Tourette’s, which in my case is fairly disabling. I ended up quitting my job from anxiety, and couldn’t get help for my problems anywhere. In the end, I had to move to another country, my experience in the UK was awful.
Unfortunately, mental health care in the UK is falling apart. You have to be seriously mad to get any real help, the doctors have too many patients, are overworked, and the system is running out of funding.
You aren’t on your own, and I attribute the serious depression, drinking, and drug problems in the UK to the lack of proper mental health services. I knew so many people that could have had a fulfilling life with treatment for their illnesses and disorders, but were left to suffer alone with no medical guidance. It’s really unfortunate, but I’m not sure it will get any better for you. You can try changing doctors again, but there’s just not enough funding to get good care. The other option is what I did: move.
February 17th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Some doctors out there are really cautious about prescribing meds, which can be a good thing but, of course, can be a bad thing too. And similarly with mental health, diagnosing someone is very subjective and can be a good thing or a bad thing. It’s controversial, no matter how you look at it, so it’s not just you in that respect. Still, if your doctor said you have good intellect and good insight therefore you don’t have a mental illness, he’s made a very grave assumption. There are plenty of intelligent people with mental illnesses. And people with mental illnesses can have insight and seek help.
However, it does sound pretty miserable if you’re in a place without proper mental health resources and it does limit you in your options. If your doctor is really that adament about keeping you off medications, then try his way for a bit. Be open to different kinds of treatment plans. Remember, medications are chemicals that you put into your body and mess with your system in some way and it’s not always completely beneficial. Have you been on medications related to your diagnoses before? If so, how did they work? In any case, try out the occupational therapy first and if that doesn’t work, go back to your doctor and tell him so.
February 17th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
You decribe your situation very well which means you know whats up. That leads me to belive that you can sense and feel others indefferance and attitudes. Yes some clients do get the bad end of the deal….rember, the people that you see deal with more stuff than you can even begin to imagine.
Even thought mental health workers are not supposed to pre-judge you…it is kind of human nature to do exactly that. They maintain a safe distance from real emotional contact basicly from their own insecurites or protection. And that distance can be perceived as coldness.
I feel really bad about your experiance with leaving and then having it noted as being aggresive. Unfortunalty because of your mental health history how you handle things may be misunderstood and taken advantage of. For instance when you disagree with something and have the guts to verbalize it…it might be taken (probably will be taken) the wrong way.
Is there anyway you can start all over by going to a new agency and explaining that you were not happy with the service with the old agency. Assure them that you are serious about getting treatment for specific issues and are looking for a place that can handle your issues…