Those of you who follow this blog will know that I was on the NHS therapy list (still on it) for almost 2 years with no therapeutic support. In that time, I worked with an excellent NHS Care Coordinator and a support worker when I came out of hospital but I didn’t have in depth psychotherapy because the NHS list is so long in the area that I live.
This comes down to chronic under funding of a badly needed service. At the moment, finances are strained for me due to anxiety/ panic attacks disrupting my work. So, I was on the list waiting and waiting.
But no help was coming. I was told to speak to charities who did excellent work. But I didn’t feel I wanted group support as I had done group therapy before. My family very kindly agreed to fund a few therapy sessions for me privately because if I had waited and waited for talking therapy- it wouldn’t have arrived. I was seriously unwell a few years ago so I feel for anyone else in my position who has been through a trauma and still can’t get follow up help, in terms of psychological therapy.
Its part of a bigger funding problem here in the UK. Across the board, children, adolescents and adults with mental health issues don’t get enough support in community and sometimes there are waits for hospital beds. I have been lucky enough not to have to wait for hospital treatment when needed or have to go to the other end of the country for it. Yet I know people who have had to, and their mental health inevitably declines.
Back to me for a second. I can’t bash the NHS fully because I had excellent CAMHS care as an adolescent and in the previous borough I lived in. It is only when I have moved borough that I have noticed the strain on the system- more people trying to access it, less staff and less funding, more cuts leading to waiting lists and lack of support. My psychiatry team have generally been excellent, but the psychology service isn’t running fully. As an adult in an NHS hospital in 2014, I had excellent care which was not far from my home.
So this week, I met my counsellor for the first time, who seems lovely, genuine and supportive. I hope that talking through issues and past traumas will help with the emotional undercurrent of my anxiety disorder. It is worth a try.
(Oh and Aladdin the musical this week was completely magical!)
I am also job applying and reaching for my dreams. I just hope and pray that life turns around again and positivity will remain 🙂
beurownlight.com 
Hey Eleanor I am so glad that you are now able to speak with a counselor I think that will do a lot for you in your journey. I suffer from anxiety as well through a traumatic brain injury from a car accident, and for myself just talking about it even on my blog and with you all on wordpress it helps me a ton. I recently got into different mental therapies and I trust in the process, so I too hope your positivity remains. I will be following along and wish you all the best!!
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Thank you so much, i hope so! I really appreciate your kind words and you following my blog. I hope your anxiety eases, I too find wordpress to be a really helpful and supportive outlet. Wishing you all the best too and welcome x
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I’m in Canada and we also have very limited public coverage for psychology services. It seems so short-sighted on the government’s part. Good luck with your new counsellor!
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Its so bad that this is a world wide issue! Thank you for your kind wishes xx
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I just started reading your blog to see what else was out there… because I am starting a Mental Health blog myself! But I have to say you have a strong heart and strong will to keep your stuff together as long as you did without receiving proper therapy! You didn’t mention anything about proper medication (that’s if you are taking any)! But what I am trying to say you post touched me and you just came to be my new inspiration! Thank you for staying strong!
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Thank you so so much for your kind words. I do take meds but not for anxiety. Welcome to Be Ur Own Light and good luck with your blog, I really look forward to reading your posts. 🙂 Much love
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It is so true that the NHS funding for mental health services is very low, which is such a shame. I also have been on a waiting list for a very long time, and also funded counselling privately for myself, as I was going through a very bad time and really felt I needed help more quickly than the NHS were able to offer me. What I will say, is that the counsellor I worked with was absolutely fantastic, and helped me more than I could ever put into words. A good counsellor can really have such a huge impact on the well being of others, and if the first one isn’t quite right then it is always worth trying another one to find a better match. I am really glad you have started therapy now, and really hope it helps you to move forward and reach your goals. Wishing you lots of luck on your journey!
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Thanks so much for sharing your story with me. I hope my therapy really helps and am pleased its helped you. Stay in touch! X
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Hey;) I’m so glad your writing about this and put a light on how much suffer ppl can go trough while they are waiting for treatment. And it’s so expensive to pay for it yourself. I have suffered all my life and can’t work and now I’m living in another country. I pay for my own treatment and I can’t afford more than once in a while. Happy that you got some help and good luck on your job search … xxx
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Hi Tina. Thank you so much for your really lovely, kind message. It is so so hard.. the only way I could get private help was due to my family helping me out. Totally understand how difficult it can be and to hold down a job with mental ill health is hard and at times impossible. Thank you for your lovely words and welcome to the blog. Look forward to reading your posts too x
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Ty for following me and I can see you have a lot of good reading for me to do❤️ Family is good to have and cherish them good:)
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Thanks xx hope you enjoy reading
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A great and very relevant post. I just decided to fund my own therapy after several months on the waiting list. Citalopram has done wonders for my depression but I am now dealing with a lot of reawoken emotions without therapeutic backup yet, and this last weekend has made me seriously consider stopping the medication because being depressed was almost better than being mentally all over the place. I am too stubborn to actually do so but the temptation has been there. There are positives in that I now feel truly alive for perhaps the first time, but I am also struggling to deal with it,
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Hi. Thanks for sharing your story. Dont stop the meds suddenly….it can make you ill. Its there to get you better. Speak to your dr before doing anything. When are you starting therapy? I think it will help with all the emotions. In mean time, journal and talk to someone you trust. I hope you feel better soon!
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I know. Thankfully I have made a lot of friends thanks to my blog so I am not alone with this. Need to find a therapist but am working away from home until tonight.
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Thats good! Hope you find someone and feel better soon.
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It’s an indictment on the western health systems that they can’t get their act together to provide decent support for people! i hope and pray that it changes – sooner rather than later !
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Me too!
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