Support group success - Mental illness

greeneyedlad wrote:

michael

as i said with my me/cfs sometimes the fog descends & i may have reverted back to text speak especially if i was typing fast.

yes i have previously read bro58's reminder with all the faqs & rules. as i say, it was a misshap.

sorry again

martin

Martin

Quite understand you didn't intend it, Don't worry, these things happen.

Regards

Michael

mel

i checked & the cpn was under the focus intervention team. is this what you meant by first access team?

he did send a letter but it said i was unwilling to engage in services which looks like i did not want their services. i really think he should have worded it as "unable" to engage.

oh well just shows what i was meaning about an unhelpfull psychiatric service

martin

Hi Catherine and Martin, not been on site as been struggling a bit with depression, but back on...............

Martin - I used to visit my GP with depression and they put me on antidepressants, then I had to visit after an overdose - eventually the GP decided to refer me to the first access team which basically was the community mental health team who assessed me to see if they could refer me to a psychiatrist, CPN or whatever. At some point, your GP must have been concerned about your illness enough to refer you on to the psychiatrist/CPN - can you visit your GP again and explain your difficulties and try to get on the CPN list again? I basically (this sounds like manipulation, but more desperation) made sure that I was seeing my psychiatrist and keeping them up to date knowing that my ESA would be up for renewal. I know how the system works, and unless you have the paperwork, they don't seem the DWP dont seem to believe you.

Catherine - Although I have been put in the support group and diagnosed with social phgobia, I still can talk and appear fine with a few people - some days if you saw me, you would think I was brimming with confidence. The thing to remember is that mental illness fluctuates and although you may be able to socialise to an extent, obviously, not enough to hold down a job at the moment. In my last job, after being off sick for a while, my manager came to my house to discuss my return. She left thinking I was absolutely fine and set a date for my return, and the day before I was due to return, I was so stressed I attempted suicide and was hospitalised. Don't wish to shock or offend anyone with that, but that is what mental illness is - one day you are fine, and the next you may be in complete despair.

thanks for the reply mel, glad you are feeling better.
totally agree with you re mental health-oned day fine, the next day despair.
even my friends & family cant understand me, i think they think im an expert manipulator.
oh well the fight continues, at least well im still strong enough. thats the thing i find really funny, if i was as ill as i was at my worst i would not be able to get out of bed never mind fight, fill in forms, write letters & go to WFIs. so they would stop my benefit for not co-operating & id be homeless.
take care everyone

martin