camhs
itsquietuptown
Posts: 25 Boards Initiate
i recently made a camhs referral because i’ve reached the point where i need more help than i’ve been getting. i know that it will probably be a while before i actually see someone, but has anyone on here had experience with camhs? i’ve seen a lot of mixed opinions online and i’d appreciate some real genuine information about what it’s like, if people are okay to share that. i know that everyone’s story and experience will be different but i’d just like to know as much as possible before seeing them. particularly if there’s anyone who’s had experience of hampshire camhs, that’s my nearest one so it’d be good to know what they’re like. also when you turn 18 and you’re too old for camhs, what happens and where do you get moved to if you still need support, and what is that like? thank you to anyone who shares their experience
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I got referred by my GP and got seen fairly quickly considering, in like 3 weeks or something. Had a meeting with the person who would be my counselor and a psychiatrist as well. The counselor was friendly and clearly experienced with their job and I was surprised how understanding and non judgemental both of them were. We talked medication options, what the counselor would do and fitting it around me, that sort of thing. It really put me at ease. For the first meeting I went in with my mum as I needed that support at the time but with the rest I felt I could go alone.
I was put on medication after which had side effects that made me tired- that's all I can complain about. I weaned myself of them after about a year (they weren't addictive or anything so it was easy) and updated my GP who was fine with it and updated my medical history. By this point I'd finished counseling anyway.
I would say that I don't think counseling alone could have helped me, but it definitely put me back on my feet and I used books and videos to learn to recover the rest of the way myself. If recovery is like a flight of stairs, the first few steps are where I needed that extra support and guidance and the rest I had to learn to make myself.
They were friendly and wanted to help and I was always in the loop with decisions being made about any of my treatment- though I was frustrated I spend the entire time (maybe half a year?) during counseling being on a waiting list for CBT that I never got to the end of before I turned 18.
When I turned 18 they told me I could go to the GP and refer myself to adults services whenever I felt like I needed it, that was it really. It was okay though because at that point I was mostly recovered, and I've never used adults services.
I hope this helps and good luck with your experience with CAMHS
i had a good experience with CAMHS. Saw them in the first week i was referred and they was very kind and supportive. But would tell my family EVERYTHING. Nothing felt confidenalital and was always speaking to my family or the NSPCC thats only bad thing id say from them. I only saw a care co ordinator for about a year cause was too late to start counselling cause was getting too old for servicd but adults took ages so stay with them for longer than meant and had to leave at 17 with them. I know most places is like 18 though.
I wasn't referred to adults, I was just kinda dumped in? I ended up in hospital and the first time I met the psychiatrist he sectioned me, adults is nothing like Camhs, cause you're an adult they often just expect you to take responsibility for your actions, there's not really much help there, so get the most out of Camhs!
Also adults don't accept everyone from Camhs, there's a lot of people who are dropped when they move unfortunately 🙄