Nhs And Mental Health

[GreenDayGirl]

My family deals with mental health issues (depression, anxiety etc.) and I feel the NHS doesn't treat us good enough. Last year my mum had a break down yes we have an amazing GP who has helped her so much but its the bigger authorities that's the problem. They continuously changed my mums prescription for her depression tablets every time saying they have to do it or they won't give her the ones they know that only work for her because there more expensive. She was on 8 different tablet on a matter of months and all where cheap copycat ones they know don't work. How is this acceptable? I know its cost cutting and stuff but we where left with my mum basically the same as she would be without her tablets (that means constantly crying, unable to look after the family etc.) that meant my dad was left to care for my sister and I alone. Luckily she has got better and is on the right drugs now but we lost a year of our lives to depression and that's something I will never forgive.
I also suffer from depression, anxiety, OCD and I have several panic attacks. In 2012 they flared up real bad and my head teacher didn't understand (in her eyes I was a cry baby who must be treated badly so I snap out of it). To cut a long story short I would have panic attacks daily sometimes even more, almost always crying and scared. How can this be allowed for a child? Even thinking about it makes me sweat and shake. This caused me to be home educated until this January. I know attend and amazing high school and my head of year understands my issues and fights my case. But the council is pressing my phased return to end in 5 weeks. I have dealt with the council and I know how cold they are. All that matters is statistics and everyone doing what there told. Look I'm 12 almost 13 I know what mental health is. I fight it constantly and people think I can do everything because that kid who has never even had a panic attack or dealt with depression has already done it million times before.
Plus last year I went to my GP for help. I was referred to a consultant who basic told me everyone's scared of stuff, everyone doesn't like stuff your like every other kid you don't need help. So I'm a normal kid? A normal kid has countless number of panic attacks a week? A normal kid finds it hard even to even leave her bedroom because the world scares her? A normal kid gets so anxious she gags? And what makes it worse no health professional will say yes you have depression, anxiety, OCD and explain it to you. How they can help, that you have a future beyond it. No they say they don't label children. I need to be labeled so I get the help I need. So when your 18 you can stroll up to the doctor say I'm really low and they say that's depression let me explain and help you. I want this to stop, they won't give me tablets because its wrong to prescribe drugs to kids but my best friend gets them because she has a problem with her hip. Oh wait you get treated for physical illness because it hurts you but depression doesn't hurt children. So children crying their self to sleep doesn't hurt them? And they wonder why teen suicide rates are up? My parents are trying to help me and get them to listen but they don't label kids. So that kid has a heart problem they name it and explain it. Set up treatment and drugs. But mental health they send you to phsyc, tell you your no different and to go away.
This is our National Health Service our national treasure.

[lcg]

you do realise that generic drugs (cheaper ones) and brand name drugs (like prozac) are exactly the same chemical compounds? they are not different in any way - except for saving the nhs hundreds of pounds per year in costs.

and unless you sat in on your parent's sessions with her shrink, how do you know why exactly her medication was changed? as a psych nurse (and lecturer in mental health), i have never, EVER come across the situation you describe (8 meds in 3 months) - chiefly because antidepressants take at least 2 weeks to start working, and several more to have any kind of decent effect. no psychiatrist would change drugs like this (unless a patient refused to take the meds), as they just would not work or have the chance to take effect.

if you think you have been misdiagnosed or ignored, i suggest that you need to be going back to your gp for another referral to children's services - you are entitled to a second opinion by a different doctor (at the gp and in psych services) and the more you go back and state why you feel unnwell, the more likely you are to be re-referred. and i would also suggest describing your mental state and situation in a more realistic manner if you want to be taken seriously, or you may be seen as attention seeking and manipulative (rightly or wrongly - i do not know you)......but to me your story sounds a little over dramatic and will be viewed as untrue if you are approaching your assessments in the same manner/with the same attitude.

the nhs is what it is - long waiting lists and limited treatment yes - but remember there are other places in the world where you would get absolutely nothing, so don't dismiss your blessings here. you cannot really change the system, but can learn to navigate it better. i am also a service user and have always accessed adequate care.......it could always be better, but if you cannot afford private health care, you will have to learn how to get what you want from the system that is there. start by being calm, honest and make a list of things you wish to discuss. tears, tantrums and being overly-dramatic may actually be blocking the care that you actually need and be masking the true nature of your mental health and current presentation.

[boxtops]

Hood luck GDG - let us know how you get on - lcg's post and the advice from the others is really sensible.