Feeling frustrated with the Perinatal Mental Health Team

[Littleloulou]

I'm feeling very frustrated and I don't even know where to begin. I don't want to go into every detail but basically the mental health team I am currently attending who are apparently supposed to be supporting me are doing quite the opposite and actually causing me a lot of stress right now.

I feel I can't say anything or complain because because it will be noted down that I seem irritable ......even though I have good reason to feel like that. Plus I am not one to complain anyway because that's just not the way I am. I just want my right to privacy to be respected(which it hasn't). I feel like I am not being listened to and that my voice is completely lost in my current situation. My mental health is thankfully good and I would like it to stay that way but I am upset and angry about how I have been dealt with so far and rather than getting reassurance I am now feeling stressed and upset.

[Jocelyn_at_APP Partner APP]

Hi Littleloulou,

Thank you for reaching out to us, it sounds like a really frustrating situation and that you are not receiving the support you want or need.

It sounds like it might start to affect your mental health, so it is really important that you communicate how you are feeling while you feel well.

Is there a family member or friend who can support you speaking to them? Another option could be a Mental Health Advocate? You can find out some more information here - mind.org.uk/information-sup...

You have the right for your voice to be heard and your concerns to be acknowledged and I'm so sorry that they aren't.

I hope you manage to get some rest and relax a bit.

Jocelyn

[Littleloulou in reply to Jocelyn_at_APP]

Hi Jocelyn

Thank you for your reply. Thankfully my husband is a great support but he too is annoyed at the disruption and stress that the mental health team are causing.

You make a good point about the situation affecting my mental health which I absolutely agree with. I know this is true because I usually sleep well but haven't for the past two nights and it has been on my mind. I got upset and cried twice yesterday while sharing the issue with my family and later again when talking to my husband. Its made me feel pathetic because I know I've been through so much in the past and I have actually dealt well with a lot of stressful things well in the years following but because of the recent issues with the mental health team and feeling like I'm in a situation where they are ignoring my privacy and feelings I feel really upset and helpless. I feel angry for myself because I'm doing everything I can in my power to remain well and through no fault of my own being stressed out by the mental health team that is supposed to be supporting me.

I regret going to my gp for a referral. If I knew what I know now I wouldn't bother. They have not respected my privacy on more than one occasion and I feel like if they have ignored everything I have said so far....there is no point in even trying to tell them how I feel because if I'm constantly not being listened too what's the point? It's like banging your head against a brick wall.

Thanks for that link and thanks for listening x

[Jenny_at_APP Partner]

Hi Littleloulou,

I'm sorry to read this - it's really not nice to be made to feel this way.

I can understand you not wanting to complain or voice your concerns but if you're feeling like your privacy isn't being respected and that you're not being listened to, I think it's important this is addressed.

Getting support from a family member, friend or advocate is a really good idea. It also might be helpful to write down the things that are upsetting you, both to help get it out of your head (I tend to stew on things and get more upset) and so that it is recorded just in case you ever need to refer back to anything.

I too hope you can get some rest. Take good care and do reach out here if we can help or if it just helps to write.

Best wishes,

Jenny x

[Littleloulou in reply to Jenny_at_APP]

Hi Jenny,

Thank you for your reply. Thankfully I do have great family support and my husband is great but he too is also currently frustrated as he agrees with me about my voice being ignored and he doesn't know what he can do to help. I am really aware that the feeling of frustration of how things are being handled is affecting my mental health because I didn't sleep well the the other night and was mulling the situation over in my mind and the same thing last night. Basically I have gone from being really happy and content to being stressed out by the mental health team that is supposed to be supporting me.

I regret now even asking my gp for a referral thinking I was doing the right thing thinking ahead. I now feel like if I could go back in time I wouldn't bother....I already find it difficult to trust people so it was a big step for me to open up and trust this mental health team....which I actually did but because of the way I feel they have not respected my privacy on more than one occasion it is making me want to just shut everybody out. It took me years to get to a good place in my life and to gradually gain some confidence but this feels like a knock back.

I agree with you that writing everything down is a great way to get stuff out of your head and I am going to do that today. I've also found writing on here has helped because I am aware that it is upsetting for my husband to feel helpless when I share my frustrations about the situation.

I am trying to keep in mind that my aim from the beginning is to stay well and that I just have to get through it but unfortunately now with the added stress of having to deal with a mental health team that are causing me more issues than helping me.

Thanks for listening x