Today, April 3rd 2019, was the day I finally had an appointment with Secondary Care Mental Health Services; 8 months after requesting a referral, and nearly 8 years since I began having difficulties with my mental health. I have been struggling with anxiety since I was 13 years old, but this was re-diagnosed as Bipolar Type II at the age of 20. My situation became particular bad again August 2018, triggering the need for a new referral, and here we are 8 months later.
The appointment was as normal as it comes, with all the typical questions:
- “what made you come see us today?”
- “tell me about your family history”
- “what is your relationship with drugs and alcohol”
However, the outcome was less than satisfactory. I have been told to up my medication dosage and been given a review appointment in 3 months. I am due to graduate university this summer, and will be moving from my current location to London come Autumn. So the real kick in the teeth came when I was told I would have to go back through the referral (and inevitable waiting list) process again when I move.
I feel like I am constantly running in circles, banging on doors which never seem to open. Having tried both NHS and private treatment, I have failed to be provided with a form of continuous care. NHS resources are stretched incredibly thinly, and despite the push for mental health to become a priority, any additional funding it may have received has shown no visible benefit for patients such as myself. I acknowledge I am incredibly privileged to have been able to receive any private treatment, but my parents health insurance (of which I am covered by) only allowed for two appointments, and halted any helped received by the NHS.
So here I am, fed up and exhausted. I wanted to create this website as a way to share my experience of being a young “millennial” with mental health issues. To document my journey, to hold myself accountable for my own well being, and to give an insight into what it is like to struggle with mental health.
Mental et Moi 