Mental rehabilitation

[Braininjurysurvivor]

Has anyone ever been to a mental rehabilitation place I’m in so a bad way my so called family feel this would help I’ve never heard of anything like this before

[Marnie22]

I don't understand what your family mean by a 'mental rehabilitation place.' Can you explain any further?

[Braininjurysurvivor in reply to Marnie22]

Apparently there’s a place that can monitor u 24/7 with counsellors and constant watch as my mood is extremely low it’s called a traumatic brain rehabilitation centre I’ve never heard of one

[Marnie22 in reply to Braininjurysurvivor]

I have never heard of anything like this either, sorry. I do know if a place that helps people who are suicidal, but it's not aimed at brain injury survivors.

[Broken_Doll in reply to Braininjurysurvivor]

There are specialist brain injury rehabilitation centres across the UK but they are pretty few and far between. They are also usually for people being discharged from hospital (following their brain injury), so they are usually in the acute stage of injury. Although some would have had extremely lengthy stays in hospital.

There might be provision if you were to pay privately for your rehabilitation, but I’d say it’s unlikely that you would receive NHS funding at this point.

If it were mental health rehabilitation, that’s more of a psychiatric need for monitoring, rather than the brain injury. I don’t know too much about this but I found a link to some information from the Royal College Of Psychiatrists:

rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health...

[Marnie22 in reply to Broken_Doll]

According to my local Headway staff, if you haven't had rehabilitation but need it, you can request it on the NHS, but if course you have to deal with the waiting list.

I don't need inpatient rehabilitation but I am nearly four years post injury and have never had any kind of rehabilitation assessment. My GP referred me about three months ago and I have an appointment but it isn't until next July. My GP has now asked the local CCG about referring me somewhere else. I would much rather go somewhere else , even if it is much further away, as the hospital that I have the appointment for is where I suffered the brain injury in the first place. Kinda not keen to go back there.

[pinkvision]

Hi, you have been having a bad time of it lately. I don't know how it works in your health service but at our local hospital if someone has mental health issues and they go to casualty they are seen by the duty psychologist. If the patient is experiencing conditions severe enough then they can voluntarily go into the mental health unit on site. A person in my village often has melt downs and this is what happens when she goes to casualty. She usually spends a couple of weeks there for a break and gets treatment and counselling.

[Braininjurysurvivor in reply to pinkvision]

Well to put it bluntly if I had the guts I’d kill myself that’s how low I’m feeling I’ve had enough of everything I can’t cope with it all I want it all to go away 😢

[Marnie22 in reply to Braininjurysurvivor]

I would say please ring the organisation Maytree on 020 726 7070. They are specifically for people who are suicidal and they are open 24 hours a day. They also have a good website.

They helped me when I couldn't find help anywhere else.

They are a suicide respite centre. You can refer yourself.

I went to stay with them for five days and it changed my life.

I was very unsure about calling them but they are amazing, so caring and accepting.

Please try them.

Sending you a hug.

[Braininjurysurvivor in reply to Marnie22]

I’m in Portsmouth it looks like there in London do you know if they do other areas I’m sorry for being a nuisance thank u for your help

[Marnie22 in reply to Braininjurysurvivor]

You are not being a nuisance. You can still ring Maytree, I live further away from them than you do. They can still help you. They did all my early support and assessments on the phone (they can call you back so it's not expensive for you.) They can help you at very short notice. After my assessment calls I travelled to London and stayed there for five days. It was completely life changing and I think about it every single day. The compassion and understanding they offer is outstanding. Please give them a call

[Braininjurysurvivor in reply to Marnie22]

Do they know about traumatic brain injury thou I have a Phsycologist and she said she can see that I am truly traumatised my Phsycologist is lovely but I don’t think it’s helping I’m on my 12th session and things are getting worse.

[Marnie22 in reply to Braininjurysurvivor]

Hi. I would think that the best thing would be to call them and discuss it all with them. They will know who is and isn't suitable for their type of support.

[Marnie22 in reply to Braininjurysurvivor]

Something else just occurred to me. I was diagnosed with PTSD after I had been to Maytree, so I wasn't aware that I had that when I went to stay with them. Despite that, I can definitely say that everything I experienced concerning Maytree was good and positive.

[pinkvision in reply to Braininjurysurvivor]

Phone the Samaritans, they are trained for this and will be able to talk to you and give you some advice and ideas on how to deal with your situation.

[Kirk5w7]

Hi

Im on the greater manchester patient and carer network group and attended a meeting today finalising a conference at Salford Royal Hospital to try to help bridge the gap between acute, rehab and the community.

It was recognised that more had to be done for the mental health of brain injury survivors.

It is slowly moving forward, we will have representatives from MIND at the conference.

And i would say it is worth investigating as a step that may need to be taken.

Janet

[Marnie22 in reply to Kirk5w7]

I hope something like this spreads nationwide. I asked for mental health support after my brain injury (I was seeing a psychiatrist immediately before it happened,) and they refused to help me. In fact they discharged me - without informing me - after I had informed them and my GP that I was having suicidal thoughts. How's that for support? If I hadn't have found Maytree (see my earlier posts in this thread,) I honestly don't know what would have happened.

Services definitely need to be integrated. I am now nearly four years post injury and I am now having to wait until next July to see someone at neurological rehabilitation.

[pinkvision in reply to Kirk5w7]

Hi Janet, can you write a separate post about the patient and carer network group please.

[Kirk5w7 in reply to pinkvision]

Will do x

[Angostura]

Hi, I’m so sorry to hear of your anguish, I do hope that all the messages of support are scaffolding you a bit. It’s so hard to find oneself on a different brain planet, particularly one that is so hard for others to comprehend. But we understand, we really do.

The way I get through is by looking for small yet significant sources of joy and solace. It may sound bonkers but I try to walk to see ‘my’ oak tree on a nearby heath and (when Nobody is looking) I give it a great hug. That tree has withstood Terrible storms but it just carries on in its beautiful, resilient treeness and that somehow gives me great support. Life at its most basic and tenacious.

RE Maytree - It’s a wonderful place, it saved a dear friend’s life and I have two friends who have worked there who have talked about the difference it has made to their lives as well - it’s a place where one can just be yourself however aweful you are feeling. My neuropsychologist said something that really helped me too “Keep coming back for comfort“.

Will you keep us in touch with how you are getting on?

In the meantime take good care of yourself.

X

[Marnie22 in reply to Angostura]

Your post was lovely to read. I really get what you were saying about tree hugging.

It was so great to read that someone else knows about how amazing Maytree is. It was the most mind-blowing (in a good way,) experience I have ever had and it restored my faith in humanity. I keep that precious experience in my heart every day.