MH support/autism??

redroses91 · March 20

I have been under MH services my whole life. Been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and BpD. I don’t think I have BPD what so ever and I think it is autism I was diagnosed with when I was 14. I’ve found it a hard diagnoses to accept if I’m honest and it’s only the past two years I am finally accepting it.

My MH team don’t know what to do with me or what help to give me. I just get passed pillow to post which makes me feel more frustrated.

I did have a cpn but that was taken off me and now they’ve referred me to some bridge building thing where I meet up with someone to go out shopping and whatever.

That’s all when snd good but I do all that and it’s not what I want. I just someone I can talk to. I just never feel listened to.

Where do I turn to??? Do I go to my GP for support with autism? I just want the right support for myself.

Adrian_Scope · March 21

It's really important that you feel like people are listening to you and helping you out, especially when it comes to understanding your diagnosis and getting the support you need. If you feel like your current mental health team isn't giving you what you need, you could try talking to your GP. They can help you figure out what's going on with your concerns about autism and connect you with the right people who can give you the support you're looking for.

redroses91 · March 21

@Adrian_Scope
thank you.

I have gone through pals as it’s been an ongoing thing now and I had a phone call with the team manager yesterday but me and my partner also felt it was so generic. It was always, “my team wouldn’t do that, it’s not in there nature etc”…
I don’t normally ask for help from them unless I need it because I know how snowed under they are with funding etc.. I feel as frustrated as the MH team do. I wish we could just all figure it out so I can get the right support lol
I think my next step will be my GP. All I want is someone to talk to, that is like medication to me, it helps so much otherwise I bottle things up and it gets to a point like now where I am desperate and having bad thoughts because I don’t feel I can express my emotions properly.

redroses91 · March 21

I don’t need a ‘shopping buddy” because I go out a lot and get my own things etc… it’s more my emotions.

letitbe · March 21

redroses91 said:

I don’t need a ‘shopping buddy” because I go out a lot and get my own things etc… it’s more my emotions.

I know EXACTLY how you feel , I’m diagnosed with BPD too and it’s all emotion based . The CMHT I’m under are completely useless and have ignored my emails for help. They let me down so much last year that I ended up on a psychiatric ward for a few weeks, they are so totally useless. All I want was someone to talk too also but they just ignore everything . I’m at breaking point as well and really don’t know what to do. I hope you get some help from them. Have they offered any therapy for your BPD ? Or have you had any in the past ?

letitbe · March 21

There’s a lot of stigma attached to BPD . When I was in a ward last year I briefly saw a great psychiatrist who said living with BPD is so distressing because of the emotional dysregualtion …. He was the first and only psychiatrist I’ve seen that was understanding.

redroses91 · April 5

I’ve heard from pals after an extensive process. They are looking into it still. The manager did get back to me but nothing was done so I went back to pals and they went higher up, got contacted he said “it wasn’t a lot to ask for a cpn as he could see my side” so will go back to them. it’s just a lot of two-ing and throwing and I’m just so tired and drained. I’m really burnt out. I don’t want to complain I understand they are stretched. I don’t know what else to do. I’m just not in a good place.

Albus_Scope · April 5

I'm sorry to hear this is dragging on for you @redroses91 it's very unfair on you. But I'm glad there appears to be some movement at least from the higher ups.
I've seen that a lot of women are diagnosed with BPD when it's in fact autism, so it'd definitely be worth asking your GP to start the road toward a possible diagnosis either way. I've written a piece about speeding up the process here which may be of use to you?

We're all here if you need to talk some things through, I know how important that can be for the brain.

redroses91 · April 5

@Albus_Scope I had a diagnoses of AS when I was 14 but have just been in the MH system ever since and it just feels no one knows what to do with me. Do you think it’s still worth going to my gp asking for what help I do need?

The MH team have referred me to a buddy thing but I’ve had that in the past and a cpn is more helpful I just need someone to talk to and not go out shopping with which the buddy thing doesn’t provide. I’m just at a loss I feel. I don’t want to not be awkward but I just feel I’m not being heard by the system. Idk if that makes sense.

Albus_Scope · April 5

I think it's always worth speaking to your GP. Sometimes even speaking to a different GP can be super helpful. Some just don't know a lot about mental health unfortunately.
Could you possibly use the trip out shopping with the buddy as a time to chat too? Or look into local talking therapies services?
I get what you mean about not being heard. It took a few years and a couple of GP swaps before someone paid attention, but once that GP did listen, oh things moved quickly. So hold on in there, there's people out there that really can help.

redroses91 · April 5

Albus_Scope said:

I'm sorry to hear this is dragging on for you @redroses91 it's very unfair on you. But I'm glad there appears to be some movement at least from the higher ups.
I've seen that a lot of women are diagnosed with BPD when it's in fact autism, so it'd definitely be worth asking your GP to start the road toward a possible diagnosis either way. I've written a piece about speeding up the process here which may be of use to you?

We're all here if you need to talk some things through, I know how important that can be for the brain.

I had the diagnoses of Asperger’s when I was 14 so it is on my records, I know it’s just autism now I believe not Asperger’s?. I’ve just been in the mental health system ever because no one knows what to do and I don’t know what support to ask for if I’m honest. I just know I don’t want this buddy thing they have referred me to. I can see why they have and I get it but I’m the one doing it at the end of the day I’ve had all that in the past, I don’t need help with independence etc..What helps the most is just someone to talk to which the buddy thing doesn’t provide.
I will still look into the info you have give

so would you recommend still going back to the Gp to see if they know of any support.

Albus_Scope · April 5

Your comment got caught in our spam filters there @redroses91 apologies! Asperger's now comes under the umbrella of ASD now, so they're seen as pretty much the same thing.

redroses91 · April 5

@Albus_Scope sorry my comment posted twice as the first one said it didn’t post and didn’t come up. I would definitely prefer talking therapy and have thought about discharging myself back to my Gp be more useful as MH services have said don’t have anything. It’s just finding them ppl. I just get “there’s no funding etc…” I know but ahhhh lol it’s just a constant round about. Again I don’t want to put in complaints and waste my energy on that but in the end, you feel you have no choice. I just want the right help for myself so I will go to my GP and see what’s what lol the buddies I’ve done it all lol it’s not helpful.

Albus_Scope · April 5

No worries @redroses91 the spam filter sometimes catches things if posts happen too quickly or edits are done fast. It's something we're looking into.
Have you looked into self referral locally for talking therapies? Funding really is an issue currently, it's so darn frustrating, so I totally understand!

redroses91 · May 15

Hi
so in the last month or so we’ve back and fourth to pals and I got a STR worker for a few sessions and she basically sign posts me to what help I need. I met her yesterday and I’m really not trying to be negative but yesterday I really stressed that I am a creative person I love art, writing etc… she asked what my day to day to day is and I said I go for drives with my partner and walks and she said oh “join the gym then and because your a mum go to mummy groups”.

I couldn’t think of anything worse and I couldn’t afford the gym and I wouldn’t have the confidence to walk into one as I did 6 years ago. She picked up on the word “confidence”. Ok fair enough.

I’m just done with all the groups, confidence building things etc.. I’ve done it all. All I keep asking for is someone I can talk to, a cpn, counsellor, talking therapist. Whatever it is. I just want that. That helps the most. I’m tired of all these groups I’ve done it the past ten years and I’ve learnt things but yeah.

Then she said I didn’t really answer her question when I said about my interests when I thought I did.

Then she said well it seems I’m keeping myself afloat and my mental health’s all good when I don’t feel that way at all.

How can I get across that I feel really low? I’ve expressed plans to not be here and whatever. I just feel like I’m saying the wrong thing all the time tho I’m pretty clear.

I’m open minded to this STR worker and willing to try to help myself but I just don’t feel listened to and it might seem like I’m being awkward but I’m not.

She did say to try and think why I need someone to talk to and what I want to talk about. To me it’s just day to day things or maybe things in my past it’s a mix of both. Is that a good enough answer? Idk anymore. This is just how I feel at the end of the day and I’m sick of justifying it. lol

redroses91 · May 15

That would push me over the edge tbh.

adaptorMH · May 15

I think this is extremely unfair, you can’t say stuff like that, yes it might have worked for you but everyone is different, you can’t say that someone needs to go to work or go to the gym, how do you know that they don’t have anxiety for being in spaces with loads of people? [REMOVED BY MODERATOR - Uncivil comment]

Albus_Scope · May 15

Heya @redroses91 it's good you have your STR worker now and I'm sure they're doing their best to help you, even if it seems a bit lacking currently. It's very early day and they need to get to know the real you a bit better first and that can take a bit of time. I guess they're currently just throwing some ideas at you to see what you react best to. though I totally get wanting to run away from mummy groups!

If they're asking for your interests, could you maybe be more specific with them? So say you love painting giant daisies, instead of just saying art? It may help them focus things a bit more for help. Maybe some art therapy could be good? Though I understand just wanting to talk things through with someone, I find it really helps to just chat about my day as a way of processing things, which ultimately helps me stay calmer and less stuck in my head.

redroses91 · May 15

How do I delete my account?

Albus_Scope · May 15

Hey @adaptorMH I don't think Cressida meant anything negative in their comment. Sometimes we can miss the meaning and tone in the written word, but no malice was meant at all.

redroses91 · May 15

Not really feeling great from your comments right now to be honest @Albus_Scope and I want to delete my account please.

MH support/autism??

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