OCD Action

lookingforsupport
Member

Hi everyone,

I used to be under the care of the local Community Mental Health Team and saw a Psychiatrist while under their care. I decided to stop seeing the team for many different reasons.

I am now wondering whether my GP can refer me to a Psychiatrist. I do not want to see members of the mental health team, I just want to see a psychiatrist as they are the best trained to discuss my medication with.

I am wondering whether other members from the UK see a psychiatrist other than a psychiatrist through their CMHT (I know that mental health services differ widely between different locations)

I have looked into seeing a Psychiatrist privately as I was lucky if I saw the NHS Psychiatrist for 15 minutes, so that I can discuss things in depth....the cost was on average £250 for initial assessment, followed by £120 - £150 follow up consultations...there is no way that I can afford to pay that.

I am also wondering what being admitted into a psychiatric hospital is like...do the staff just leave you to lie in bed all day etc.

Wed Jan 18 2012 20:36:52 #
wannabefree
Member

Hi there... The last question first... If you have a stay as an inpatient in hospital, you wouldn't be on your own, you'd be on a ward with people you don't know. It could be more scary than being at home, that is the impression I've got of it anyway... I don't know if you can be referred directly to a psychiatrist by your GP, that would be one to ask them in an ordinary appointment... That is the way I would try and approach it. I don't know if you can self refer through channels, I've heard of it a little while on the forums but have forgotten the details, anyone else refresh my memory please?
Wannabe

Wed Jan 18 2012 21:47:49 #
Truddles
Member

Hi

Welcome to the forum

Your GP would refer you to the CMHT to see a psychiatrist there. The CMHTs are multidisciplinary teams to give the best possible care for patients.

Appointments with psychiatrists are brief, it's the appointments with psychologists that are longer as they are the people that you would discuss things in depth with. 15 minutes should be long enough to discuss medication.

You cannot self refer to see a psychiatrist on the NHS. Wannabe you're thinking of IAPT (improving Access to Psychological Therapies) for CBT.

Psychiatric hospitals do not allow you to stay in bed all day, unless of course you are seriously ill and unable to get up.

Wed Jan 18 2012 23:01:37 #
lookingforsupport
Member

Hi,

Thank you both for your replies.

When I was under the care of the CMHT I wasn't happy at all with the care which I received. They didn't understand my OCD at all, or my social anxiety. They caused me more anxiety which was why I decided to stop seeing them.

I want to just see a psychiatrist, if that has to be at the local CMHT then so be it - however as i didn't engage with the CMHT's service before if i get a GP to refer me to see a psychiatrist then the team who assess me will say that i don't fit their criteria for help so i therefore wont be able to see the psychiatrist.

So really there isn't any point in asking to be referred.

15 minute appointments are not sufficient for a first appointment. Without explaining your past treatent etc then how does the psychiatrist know what medication you have had/treatment you have had - the psychiatrist whom i saw clearly didnt read my notes before they saw me as i am well aware how busy they are.

I just want to be sedated - to rest my mind - for a few days, a week.

Thu Jan 19 2012 10:16:34 #
wannabefree
Member

Hi there, yes this can be a quandary when we cannot see the people we want to see. We hve a crisis team which is helpful in a crisis. It might be worth going through the CMHT if that is the only route.
Hi Trudy, thank you for that, I knew I'd heard about Self referring somewhere, I just couldn't remember where! My Brain is frazzled a bit at the moment, I'm stressing out about the CBT, and I still dont have a start date yet.
Wannabe

Thu Jan 19 2012 20:10:17 #
Truddles
Member

lookingforsupport,

It's still worth going to speak to your GP to ask for a referral. Explain to them what happened last time and see what they suggest.
Just because you weren't able to engage with them last time doesn't mean to say that it will be the same this time. Have a look in the Resource Centre to find out as much as you can about OCD especially the treatment options. The more that you know the better equipped you will be to present your case to the GP.
With the CMHTs you usually see a member of the team who takes your history etc and then you see the psychiatrist. You can make better use of the limited time available with the Consultant by writing using bullet points anything that you want to say that includes writing a list of previous medication / treatments etc and if they did or didn't work.

But don't give up just because things didn't work out the first time around.

Thu Jan 19 2012 21:21:41 #
lookingforsupport
Member

Thank you, both of you, for taking the time to reply to me, I really do appreciate it.

I wont engage with the CMHT as they do not have any understanding of OCD. I knew more than they did because of my own reading.

I have telephoned my local MIND to ask about their support services. Theit website stated that they provide one to one support sessions. When I asked the lady this on the telephone she said "we only run those groups twice a year" to which I replied "your website states that you offer one to one sessions" she changed the subject to whether I was a member of MIND or not. If someone doesnt know the answer to something then they shouln't say that they dont offer a service they should say that they will find out about the service and then actually get bck to the person who asked the question.

I have to get a referral form when I am next in town to fill in and then get my gp to fill in and then send it back to MIND to see whether I fit their criteria to use their services. This seems like a very long winded thing to do. I have emailed MIND asking them what their criteria is as I dont see the point in doing all what I have jsut mentioned only to be told that I dont meet the criteria. I haven't got a reply and I am not holding my breath for one either.

I dont actually go to town as I dont go out other than to take my daughter to school. so MIND isn't really a place where I would actually get that much support from.

I ask for help from different services and it is always a fight. A fight which I dont have the energy to fit.

As well as OCD, I also suffer from depression and socal phobia. Because of my depression I do find it so much harder to work on my OCD. Sometimes I use my depresion as an excuse as not to work on my OCD. I feel like I am struggling to keep my head above water, I have these heavy weights pulling me down (OCD, Depression, social phobia) and it would be such a relief to just give in, to stop struggling, stop fighting.

I am on 60mg seroxat and 200mg trazodone. I have been on 60 mg of seroxat for about a year now. I know that there is only so much that tablets can do and realise that only I can change myself, I just dont have the energy to - I dont care enough about myself to change.

I have made an appointment to see a GP at my doctors surgery. I had one GP whom I saw regularly and who knew my past medical history well. She has left the practice and now I see one of the lady doctors, all of whom I do not feel 100% comfortable with. I am tired of having to keep explaining my history. I am going to ask to be referred back to see the psychiatrist. I already know the answer will be no, or either a yes and then the team whom i didn't engage with will say that i dont fit their criteria to be seen.

I have had a lot of CBT for my depression, social phobia and low self esteem. Yet I still dont follow any of the techniques that I have learnt. I am very overweight which doesn't help, my comfort and firend who is always there is junk food.

Sorry for the long rant.

Vicky

Mon Jan 23 2012 12:18:22 #
wannabefree
Member

Hi Vicky... It isn't easy is it? I really wish it was, cos I'm tired too... It doesn't help that is is dark most of the time here in England. It is difficult when you feel so low about yourself... We are all wonderful in our own way if we could only but see it... You are wonderful in your own way if you could only but see it. Just being a person, a mother to your daughter, who probably idolises you without necessarily saying it... Do you have a supportive partner? That can help, though my partner is about had enough of me and my OCD. Especially in the mornings...
Have you got any books on this? There are books about rainig self esteem, sounds good coming from me when mine is at rock bottom too...
Let's hope you feel better soon...
Wannabe

Mon Jan 23 2012 20:02:53 #