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Do they want me to die?

Posted By Desperateconfused

"Do they want me to die?"

About: Cheshire And Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Wirral PCT / Emergency GP out of hours service

(as the patient),

There's much more to my story but too much to tell. I'm told...everyone is told that if they feel like harming themselves or committing suicide to tell a G.P or contact G.P out of hours or A&E.

I stopped making attempts and went to A&E and they wouldn't let me see a psychiatrist, I was passed onto Psychological Services for months waiting for therapy that I've already have. This isn't a crisis solution, I harm myself but don't tell anyone after opening up about it more recently. I'm asked if I still harm myself and then looked at in disgust, so why ask? I'm more desperate than ever now.

I've come to the end of the road with getting help, I'm not given psychiatric care or anywhere to call or go in a crisis.

Am I being told to kill myself?

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Responses

Response from 14 years ago

Submitted on 26/02/2010 at 14:16

How very disappointing that you had this experience. In liaison psychiatry in Arrowe Park, we pride ourselves on offering a thorough assessment to all people who present with self-harm and we try to help people to feel they have been understood and listened to: we offer all our apologies that this wasn't your experience.

On average each assessment involves an hour of face to face contact with a further hour to ensure that a clear written assessment and management plan is shared with the relevant professionals (GP, therapist etc). Most of our staff are highly qualified mental health nurses. We also have some doctors (psychiatrists) on the team and they would be involved if there are particular medical or legal issues.

We are keen to help people make sense of their self-harm, and this usually involves understanding how it relates to their previous lifetime experience and their current situations. Most of the people we see with self harm we consider to be overwhelmingly distressed rather than having a serious mental illness. Thus although antidepressants can be helpful in some situations, we most often encourage people to seek greater understanding of themselves and their self-harm through psychological interventions.

I know you have tried therapy in the past and have not found it useful - have you considered that perhaps a different therapy approach or with a different therapist might help you understand the problems that face you in a different way? I would urge you to pursue this route as you mention that you are still self-harming. If you have already been referred for therapy and are currently waiting , please do not hesitate to contact Helen Chadwick, our Patient Advice and Liaison Officer, on 01244 364217 as she will be able to find out where your referal is up to . You are also welcome to contact Helen if you would like us to look further into your concerns about Liaison Psychiatry so we can give you a more detailed response.

Please be assured that people want you to live and want you to find a way of managing your self-harm.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Desperateconfused (the patient)

I fully appreciate and agree with treating the most severe cases, it goes with out saying on a humane level.

I think it would help future patients to specify who is entitled to see the crisis team and/or a psychiatrist when they arrive at the hospital in this distress. GPs and other organisations being made aware of it to advice patients would also be helpful.

Desperateconfused

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