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I am a 49yr old woman covinced I need a proper psychiatric assessment

Posted , 3 users are following.

lynne05476
lynne05476

This is my 4th episode of depression and by far the worst,I am convinced it is all reproduction related.Isuffered severe pms ,post-natal depression staved off another bout by going onto hrt approx 18months ago ( ?peri-menopausal) and now 11 weeks into another episode.I have never been referred to a psychiatrist and feel I should be ????

0 likes, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • sally104
    sally104 lynne05476

    Posted

    Hi Lynn

    I don't underestimate how life with depression is. As someone with a diagnosis of BPD & Bi-polar, life is a yoyo of major depression with suicidal thoughts, voices and paranoia, or manic periods where I effectively undo any progress I might have made.

    I am not undermining your situation, but feel that Nathan has clearly never actually been suicidal, it is no easy option, and to suggest lying is outrageous and likely to increase the difficulties in accessing psychiatric services.

    The scarcity of psychiatric services is criminal and woefully underrepresented within the NHS, it's not a sexy subject, those of us who hear voices are meant to be running rampage with machetes, and depression is often seen in the same light as a sprained ankle......not serious regardless of the long term impact. But lying about symptoms can only increase the problems not reduce them. It's only by being truthful that you  can get help anyway!

    Nathan is irresponsible in his statements and I just hope he NEVER has the real symptoms!

    With regards to your problems, you can ask for a second opinion, and if your GP isnt being supportive you can request to be seen by another GP, who perhaps has a particular interest in mental health. If you are being seen by a psychologist, they will refer you to a psychiatrist if they have any question about your diagnosis.

     

    • lynne05476
      lynne05476 sally104

      Posted

      Thankyou for giving me a lot to think about and I thank goodness I do have good times and appreciate that on a scale of need the fact that I am articulate , strong and determined to get well will be what gets me through. Best wishes 
    • nathanpj
      nathanpj sally104

      Posted

      Hi Sally

      It's amazing how you make assumptions about me.  But jumping to conclusions without looking into things is foolhardy.

      I question your ability to assess situations; it appears flawed.

      After many years of mindfulness, structuring my life around my depression and working tirelessly to combat it, I finally developed the skills to control the negative, critical voices inside my head.

      Alas, the depression always returns.  Especially around winter time.  This winter I found myself ignoring my peripheral vision and walking out suddenly into busy roads, hoping I would get hit by a car.  I caused, sadly, and regrettably, a road traffic accident as a car swerved to avoid me.

      I knew it was time to get help again.

      This time the help I was offered was varied, intensive and very helpful.  I kept asking people why.  Had mental health services suddenly improved?  No.  It was because, as I was told repeatedly, I had confessed to suicidal thoughts/behaviours.

      After years of suffering I only wished I'd told a porky-pie earlier, to access the level of treatment I receive now.

      To suggest lying may be judged outrageous, Sally, it all depends on your moral viewpoint.  Is it better to continue to spiral through depression, year after year, until you are actually risking your life, or is it better to employ a white lie to get intensive help earlier?  That moral decision isn't yours to make, Sally.  I suggest being more mindful about your own life and less judgemental about others’.  It's a choice that everyone should make individually.  All I want is for people to have the facts so that they know the decision exists.

      Thank you for hoping that I never have the "real symptoms", but, alas, you are far, far too late.  And thank you for calling me irresponsible.  I hope your approach to life gives you every success, Sally, but, as I said at the beginning, I feel your approach is flawed.  Conclusions should be sought, through questions and knowledge, not jumped to.

      N. 

  • richard89308
    richard89308 lynne05476

    Posted

    Have you asked for a referral? What happened?

    Richard

    • lynne05476
      lynne05476 richard89308

      Posted

      Hi Richard, well ,here goes and do bare with cos this is what u/me/us up against !!!! Having reduced my sertraline to 50mgs and armed with my diazepam (big deal for me cos my dad got addicted to ativan/vallium) got off it which really affected our family dynamics @ the time) replaced it with alcohol died aged 56yrs.I get a phone call just before i'm due to leave  for w/e with the best mates u could wish for telling me that my occupational health dr appt is being put back to 13th May due to personal problems, how i held it together i don't know but i did (sort of)I absolutely rose to the character of Talcy Malcy for our murder mystery dinner and stayed off alcohol (Meryl Streep has nothing on me !!!) Woke up at 5am next day and that was it ready to roll only by 1ish ran out of steam.Dilemma do i rest or do i go for walk and my 5 mates are completely supportive of whatever i decide to do.I'm relaxed,having fun so plump for walk only we get lost and it gets longer and longer and now i'm trying to stop turning evil cos i'm knackered soooo i say how i'm feeling and we manage to find a busstop and bus into winchester with a load of uni guys on top deck to banter with ,result i'd say!!!! all this gives me the euphoria feeling that i want to have all the time.My husband and i then went to wales ( pre-planned thank goodness) last week and apart from 2 instances where i could have punched a womans lights out while away (i didn't) i am going for my occy health appt on tuesday armed with my own multi-disaplinary team of statements that i hope will reflect the seriousness of my request to see a psychiatrist !!!! and a friend/work colleague cos husband can't go with me . I sincerely hope you are ok at present Best Wishes Lynne

  • lynne05476
    lynne05476

    Posted

    Just to say occupational health dr has referred me for psychiatric assessment , soooo relived !!
  • lynne05476
    lynne05476

    Posted

    To all whose posts have been invaluable in keeping me strong while waiting until today for my psychiactric assessment the diagnosis of which is Borderline personality disorder and manic depression/bipolar.Apparently the first one likely to have been caused by childhood trauma and second probably genetic.I am absolutely knackered and need to attend another appt next week to discuss treatment options !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just want to say i had to motivate myself to jump through hoops ,try and concisly explain my symptoms within time constraits at gp surgeries,occupational health,put up with behaviours from supposed caring professionals in a way that if i'd had the energy would have addressed.Today i have crossed a small bridge ,long way to go but crossed it all the same.Top tip, keep going at it with all the strength you can muster be honest ,take friends/advocates with you to appts if you can,write a covering letter to gp if you don't feel you can go in all guns blazing so to speak and change gp if you don't connect cos thats ok too, don't give up if you think you are being short changed .I have been living a life that i feel now can start to improve.Best Wishes to you all xx

     

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