Advice for a friend (mental health)

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janer1967
janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
in Coffee lounge
My friends 17 year old son is suffering from issues like OVD depression and anxiety 

He had surgery this year for a twisted tube to his testicle and due to this and covid he is convinced he is going to die and is obsessed with thinking he has serious health problems . He doesn't have any health problems. He also has really bad facial acne and as a result wont go out 

He is on anti depressants and gas had 6 sessions of counselling which have been helpful 

However like everyone his counselling has now stopped and they say he is cured and they cant di anything about his thoughts he is dying . He isnt cured and is just getting worse

My question is where could he go next for support does anyone know where he can get help 

It really annoys me with all the time we see about mens mental health and speaking out but yet in reality there is no support out there 

Comments

  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,995 Championing
    I was wondering whether to not reply seeing as my reply will be negative but I prefer to know the truth even if it’s bad news so will assume others do too

    As someone who has used mental health services for nearly 2 decades I will say: don’t expect too much of the services (I.e. quality or quantity of support) and don’t expect it quickly. The mental health services is one giant waiting game and then when the waiting game is over it’s a guessing game as the treatment is often not right for the patient.

    People who are used to physical health services expect mental health to be the same, i.e. simple, one treatment that works for everyone, go in, see the doc, come out fixed, but with mental health everyone is different and there are dozens of treatments out there and the patient needs to find the right one for them

    Advice I would give...
    - go to GP and get them to refer to an appropriate service like community mental health who will then refer to someone more specialised. Expect a long wait, though
    - if it’s really bad, like crisis, go to A and E

    I hope this helps a little and sorry if it’s not helpful
  • cupcake88
    cupcake88 Posts: 1,414 Trailblazing
    Hi @janer1967 you said he has ovd do you mean ocd ? It depends on area but I personally would just show up and a and e that’s how I got all my help before I was just palmed off of  is he goes to a and e nurses can assess him and then put him in touch with mental health services . 

    I’m recieving therapy from a charity crisis team put me in touch with I’m still on the waiting list for my main therapy Under my community team but there are loads of outside charities offering counselling over the phone or zoom . My therapy is done over zoom weekly . 

    if he contacts his local mind they offer counselling .

    i find that having really bad ptsd , ocd and anxiety the only reason why I got help was because it got so bad I developed pychosis and had I got the help before I wouldn’t of got so I’ll so I can understand your friends frustration, hope this advice helps . But me going to hospital was the start of me getting help I was referred to home based treatment team /crisis team and they Helped me for a few months before referring me to a community team . 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    @cupcake88 yes I meant OCD 

    Thanks for the advice will pass it on 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Thanks @66Mustang any advice is appreciated and I know the frustrations and waiting game involved but he needs help now 

    Will see if there are any local charities they could approach 
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,995 Championing
    We all need help now, sadly the services will say that unless he is at risk of harming himself or others he will have to wait :(

    Sorry to be the bearer of bad news
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,995 Championing
    PS not saying I agree with the system just that’s the way it is sadly
  • cupcake88
    cupcake88 Posts: 1,414 Trailblazing
    Have you ever a had a cpn @66Mustang . I have a mental health nurse but that was only after being at a and e because I had pychosis 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,782 Connected
    It's all about the funding, if they pull it you have NO chance especially in this current climate.


  • cupcake88
    cupcake88 Posts: 1,414 Trailblazing
    It is bad there’s no funding . Had I got help at first I wouldn’t of got so bad even now the help I bet isn’t great but better than before 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 17,127 Championing
    edited December 2020
    There's Richmond Fellowship, which unfortunately isn't in all areas, but there's a postcode checker on there: https://www.richmondfellowship.org.uk/
    Rethink Mental Illness: https://www.rethink.org/
    The ones specifically for young people are probably the best to try first, & Young Minds is one I know seems good, but have added Childline & Action for Children as possible other resources.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,782 Connected
    Indeed, if I'd been diagnosed with the Asperger's 30-40 years ago, I can't imagine how much better off I'd be in life now.

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Thanks @chiarieds.
    He has been through young minds and they gave him the 6 sessions then said that's all they can do 

    Will suggest some of others you gave 
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    One of my sons has health anxiety especially due to the lockdown and pandemic, we contacted the local mental health team many many times and eventually they sent two people to see him. It didn’t do much good as they left him again but they did mention he needed to see a specialist who specialises in health anxiety. That’s all I know, sorry. It’s an ongoing problem for us and my son which still isn’t resolved. 

    There seems to be a gap, ether counselling or being sectioned but little between those two. There also seems to be, unsurprisingly, a lot of health anxiety about at the moment.
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 4,772 Championing
    edited December 2020
    I have severe health anxiety & OCD that latches onto that.  As yet, I've been unable to find any suitable treatment and am currently at the worst point I've ever been because I now have the physical issues every day that my health anxiety has always caused fears around!  I've made another push to get some treatment this week but there's nothing new about so I'm still stuck in an impossible situation.  

    As others have mentioned, you really only have the option of the standard 6 sessions of CBT which are meant to give you the 'skills' to continue your own CBT after that.  Or the option of the crisis team when you reach crisis point.  There's nothing in between.

    OCD-UK are currently running Zoom sessions if your friends son would find those useful.  He doesn't have to switch the camera on if he'd be self conscious about the acne on there.  They're doing 2 standard sessions a week and one 'specific' session.  I think it's meant to be 18+ but I'm sure a 17 y/o could get away with it.  There are also forums and Facebook groups though I don't personally find them helpful...it's just lots of other desperate people never getting the help they need and often posting things that can trigger other people.

    One good point is that he is able to take medication (I'm not, due to fears that it will make me more ill).  Has he been taking the SSRIs for long?  They take a few weeks to start working.  If it's been longer than that, maybe ask the GP for a different one or a higher dose?

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