Hello everyone sorry I haven't posted in a while, been really busy, needing some advice :)

[AmyW95]

I was just wondering if anybody knows of any mental health charities and your experiences of receiving any help from them? I have been living with depression and anxiety for what feels like my whole life, I was diagnosed with both when I was 15 (I'm 19 now). I'm not getting any support from my GP and I'm desperate for some sort of help/direction in taking steps towards recovery and possibly a new diagnosis (I believe I'm living with undiagnosed Bipolar disorder).

Any information is greatly appreciated x

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Hello

You could ask your GP for some talking therapy from a CPN or similar that may assist in getting things into perspective

There are quite a few charities, this one gives support and advice.

Sane is good they give information and support also

Mind also is very much the same

Some Counties have local befriending charities that can be found on the internet, for example in Northumberland there is one called Contact located in Morpeth Northumberland, I was in there Information Centre and used to help those who needed help and support.

This centre had a day centre that worked on the premiss that being in similar minded people gave strength.

So I would imagine you may find something that may help you within your area.

One way you could find out is through the Council or the CAB, they may have a list of like minded centres.

Contact gave access to Centre courses and assistance and support when needed, this used to assist when help was required when waiting for treatments etc

I hope you find what you want and what would help you function

Good Luck

BOB

[Suzie40]

Can I ask why your dont feel your GP is supporting you? That must be really difficult ....

[Hidden]

Hi

If you are hoping to get a new diagnosis does that mean you have had a diagnosis from a psychiatrist, of just the GP? If you have not seen a psychiatrist then I suggest you ask your GP to refer you to one as a charity would not be qualified to diagnose.

In terms of support, once you have seen a psychiatrist and they are aware how you are feeling they could refer you to the local mental health community team who will either be able to offer you support themselves or put you in touch with sources of support in your area. Often the best possible kind of support is from other people who have had experience of living with psychological difficulties. Mind offer a befriending service although there can be a waiting time, but you could join the local branch and become involved which would offer you support and also allow you to gain some experience of working in a voluntary capacity to help others.

Suex

[ThemysciraDrive]

You should have the right to ask to see a different GP if you're not happy with the one you have.

Try googling IAPT and the area you live in. IAPT stands for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, it's a national NHS project, it may give you an idea what sorts of treatment are available in the way of therapy in your area. Then you might know better what to say to the GP and what to ask for. Don't know if you've had NHS treatment, but it will usually be a finite number of sessions rather than ongoing.

There's always private therapy if you can afford it. Some places do low cost therapy for people on low incomes, though it can still mount up to quite a lot.

Sue's right though, only a GP can diagnose you.

[AmyW95]

I've already tried talking therapies such as CBT and counselling but neither of them made a difference to be honest. I think theres a Mind in my area so I'll have to check that out and ask if they are able to help in any way. The reason I say i'm not getting support from my GP is because the last time I went to see her she told me theres nothing more she can do for me and that I've already had a course of CBT, she also tried prescribing me some more antidepressants even though I told her that they just do not work for me :/ I've seen every GP at my local doctors and they all just tell me to take my antidepressants and go home basically. When I discussed the possibility of me having bipolar with one of the doctors he just laughed and said 'It's like a fashion accessory these days, what with all of these celebrities claiming to be bipolar'. He then went on to tell me that he doesn't believe it even exists and that in his 20+years of being a GP he's never seen a genuine case of bipolar disorder. I've previously been diagnosed with depression and anxiety by a doctor, i've never seen a psychiatrist. I will definitely look into contacting Mind and looking into finding some local support groups. Thankyou for your advice everyone, it's very much appreciated x

[1darkangel in reply to AmyW95]

I found that reading the getselfhelp.co.uk website was helpful to me when I was feeling depressed it has a lot of information about depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and unhelpful thinking patterns. You could also ask an other GP if there are any support groups or self help groups in your local area.

[Stilltrying_ in reply to AmyW95]

That sounds like a very insensitive response from that particular GP. I would go back to the one you think is the best at the practice and request to be referred to a psychiatrist if you feel your condition is worsening. (Give examples, particularly if you are experiencing what they call "suicidal ideation" ie. thoughts of suicide or if you feel your mind is constantly racing and you feel "high" and unable to control spending or make grandiose plans that you are unable to carry through, lose touch with realityand stuff like that )A psychiatrist will be able to diagnose you. If it is bi-polar then its important to get the right treatment for that condition as the treatments are different from unilateral depression or anxiety. The psychiatrist will not be able to wave a magic wand of course but they can put you in touch with support groups in the area . If you have a Mind or a Rethink in your area then look out for these. Just try googling your area to see what is available. Gemmalouise

[AmyW95 in reply to Stilltrying_]

When I went to my regular GP I took a book with me that I use to record my moods throughout the day, along with any symptoms that I've been feeling during my mood swings such as unusually productive and elated, talking very fast, feeling like I have too much energy, can't concentrate because my mind is always racing, I can sometimes get very irritable/agitated and also wanting to make plans but when my mood drops I cant carry them out . My depressed moods are usually full of hopelessness, no energy or confidence, very severe anxiety, find it really hard to get through the day. I also asked to be referred to a psychiatrist but my doctor said that there aren't any psychiatrists services available in my area. It's really starting to make my life a lot more difficult and I feel that it has gotten worse since I've been on and off antidepressants. X

[Aidi in reply to AmyW95]

Hi Amy w95,I went to see a doctor when I was about 12/13 with my parents

After about 5mins pf sitting there he told my parents that I was a basket case and there was nothing he could do, *& his next patient was due. This was over "30yrs"ago now and thankfully things have changed since then. I've done all the counselling/therapy there is, lost count of different meds I've been pn,and like youi thought it was Bipolar disorder, what you may be suffering from os "Dystymia"similar symptoms. O also have severe stress and anxiety as well which just compounds things and makes it worse.

You should push for a psychiatrist to see you and give you a proper diagnosis,it helps to know what is actually wrong with you,rather than being told different things all the time, you've got this, you're that,you get my drift.

Don't worry if you can't get it done straight away? Keep at it until you get seen! It's taken me a long time to get a proper diagnosis, but I got there in the end. Im not saying it's a magic wand but ay leasy you've got something to work with.

You stay strong and don't let the B@$!@##$ get you down lol. Take care and God bless Aidi xx :-)

[Stilltrying_]

Wow! I am really shocked that there are no psychiatric services in your area. That is terrible! In that case I would go and see a different GP surgery if there is one if the one and ask for another opinion. This may sound obvious but regarding mental health charities have you tried googling your area and seeing what is available? I'm sure you know but the main ones in England are Mind, Rethink, and Sane but sometimes nowadays they are given different names, as for example Mind in my area ( near Birmingham) has now renamed itself Kalaedoscope but that is because each region has its own seperate service with Mind. In Scotland I only know of Action on Depression but I know there are more. Have you tried CAB and asking them if they have any links for you to different organizations? I really hope you get the help you need as it sounds very frustrating for you. Gemmalouise

[bethgsd]

hi amy , i too suffer with aniexty and depression , and have been on meds, it was suggested to me to try and find a group sesion to go to , but as yet havent managed to find anything , i have had one to one counselling and find that its just good to have someone on your side who u can discuss things with ! thankfully my gp has been helpful too!