Treatment options and medication

Former Member

I'm with a personality team but not finding the work we are doing helpful. A couple of years ago I had 10 psychology sessions and I found that much more helpful. I got on really well with my psychologist (which is a bonus!) I told my worker from the personality team this and she said "it's best we carry on with our sessions". I said I want to discharge myself from them and start seeing my cpn and ask my cpn to look into psychology again as I found that much more helpful than what I am with the personality team. She just ignored what I was saying and went on to book our next appointment in. I should be the lead in what treatment I'm recieving. With the personality team we've just been looking at distraction techniques instead of self harming (I know some might find that helpful) but I don't find it helpful because I've tried them all and I'm not looking at stopping self harming. It is'nt going to happen so I'm not looking for help with that. I'm looking for someone to talk to about my people which I could with my psychologist a couple of years ago. I saw my cpn yesterday and she said I can talk to her about my people and see the personality team aswell but I just feel like I'm wasting my workers time with the personality team and there wasting theirs. 

I've also had counselling aswell and counselling who specialises in victims of rape and sexual abuse both I found unhelpful too. I guess I have found the one which I find helpful though psychology.

Has anyone else been with a personality team or in counselling and found it unhelpful too?

Former Member

hey, I haven't been with a personality team but have been under services for years, Im going through therapy and found it most helpful, but what helped me most with my trauma was woman's aid .. they can put you through counselling/psychotherapy and help more with the trauma side of things where as services just focused more on the mental health side if that makes sense? they've helped me the most and ive been with them for about 5 years now they listen more than services too and go with what you think would help the most, have you ever thought about going to womans aid or a different charity for help before?

Former Member

Hey Bubbles!

Yeah that makes sense! Someone else somewhere else mentiond womens aid to me the other day and I did ring up my local womens aid but I got anxious and put the phone down! I just tried the national number because I feel myself dipping and want to self harm and it's going to answerphone. I'll keep on trying and I have left my name and number too. I'm glad to hear womens aid has helped you the most with the trauma.

Former Member

Hey @Past User  did you get through in the end? could you speak to your CPN  for them to do a referral for you for womans aid if that's what you want? my CPN done my referral and cause It was done by someone from the CMHT it was fast tracked  

Former Member

Hey Bubbles!

I got through to the national helpline and they said I'de have to speak to my local womens aid to see if they offer psychology or counselling. So I'll ring my local womens aid up tomorrow as my local womens aid is'nt open weekends.

Former Member

*Trying to work out where to put something that I want to write down without making another thread*

@The Mix can you edit titles? If you can can you add MEDICATION into my title please like TREATMENT OPTIONS AND MEDICATION. So other's know they can talk about medication here in this thread too (if they want to).

ANTIPSYCHOTICS:
-I Saw my cpn again today and she asked me to think about trying Olanzapine (Zyprexa) is anyone taking this drug? What do you think of it? I have tried Queitiapine, Risperidone, Haloperidol and Aripiprazole now they want to try me on Olanzapine. If it's going to make me have terrible trembles or shakes like Aripiprazole did and make me feel "drugged up" like Risperidone did I don't want it😂 not 100% committed that I need an antipsychotic though as I don't have a "psychotic illness"🤔

I rang my local womens aid and they said they don't offer psychology or counselling.

I have been discharged from the personality team now aswell and saw my cpn today and she said there is a psychologist at my hub where I see my cpn so she is going to see if I can have an assesment with the psychologist at my hub🤞

Former Member

Hey @Past User

How do you feel about being discharged from the personality team? It all sounds like a lot of things are up in the air at the minute for you, so it's really positive that you're reaching out for support on here. We're all here for you

With regards to medication how do you feel about potentially starting on Olanzapine? With medication it can be trial and error to find the right medication that works for you, and everyone is different.

I've come across this website that has information on medication and it seems very informative

Hope this helps, sending hugs

Former Member

Feel fine being discharged from the PT I hadent seen them for 3 weeks so I think if I can go that long without seeing them I can go the rest of my life without seeing them. They wasent making a big impact on my life so didnt see the point in seeing them (if they was making a big impact on my life I wouldnt of discharged myself).

I'm not too sure about I how feel about potentially starting Olanzapine but I'de much rather be in a head space where I can be willing to take medication than it being forced on me if I'm ever sectioned again so I might tell my cpn that I am willing to try it but also will say if I experiance side affects that I don't want like feeling drugged up or having tremors I'm coming straight back off it.

I have some friends who's on Clozapine which is the best Antipsychotic but you have to have blood tests done regularly ect but it's the last Antipsychotic that psychiatrists put people on. Olanzapine is the second bestest antispychotic, someone told me. My cpn said that I need to try Olanzapine before they think about putting me on Clozapine.

Former Member

It's totally understandable that you're worried about starting a new medication @Past User I'm sure your CPN will understand that you would want to come off it if the side effects are too much. I hope you manage to find a medication that works for you soon, be sure to keep us all up to date with how you're doing with it all.

Former Member

The scary thing is I turn 25 in April so I'll also be moving to adult mental health team in April and my cpn said they probably won't take me on until June😮 I know April is 4 months away but then that means I'm not going to have a mental health team for 2 months! I know I can still use the boards although signposting may not be relevant whilst I don't have a mental health team between April and June but I won't be able to cope without a mental health team for 2 months!😔

Former Member

Waiting to see my psychiatrist to be told by my cpn that he has 500 patients to see. I'll just wait then..until I get sectioned again when I'm very unwell and refuse medication because that's what I do when I'm unwell to be restrained and IM. That's not fair on me when I'm fairly well now and willing to try medication I havent tried yet and don't talk when I'm unwell so how am I meant to communicate this if I go inpatient again🤷‍♀️ feel like putting in a complaint to PALS😡 I'm fully aware I'm not the only person who is waiting to see psychiatrists btw!