Has anyone in this sub been for green social prescribing before? If so what did you do? walks? allotment activities?

What kind of green social prescribing would people be interested in the most? I have an idea of integrating local citizen science in green social prescribing, e.g. counting butterflies, birdwatching, finding slow worms etc. Does this sound more or less appealing than the green social prescribing anyone has done before? I'm not a mental health professional, but i'm a nature lover and someone that gets a 'jolt of joy' from seeing animals in nature that gives my mental health a big boost, just wondered if it might be beneficial for others too.

I don't know if I'm just overly sensitive or maybe too soft for this world. I just feel constantly overwhelmed and stressed and I have done for as long as I can remember.

I have worked since I was 16 (now 36) but jobs always end up being too overwhelming and I get stressed which eventually leads to burnout. When that happens it usually results is some sort of breakdown and crisis then I reset and either continue as I am or look for a new opportunity.

I have tried different jobs, and even tried taking a break from full time work to study something I enjoyed but even that ended up feeling too much and I couldn't complete the course.

There are periods where things seem to be ok and I think maybe I've found something where I can settle but it's always short-lived and I explode again. This constant cycle of stress, burnout, breakdown and reset is exhausting and I don't know how much longer I can keep going like this.

Is this just the way life is? If it is, then I'd just rather not be here if I need to go through this for the rest of my working life. I wouldn't do anything to harm myself but if I could snap my fingers and disappear like I never existed then I absolutely would do it without hesitation.

Does anyone go through the same cycle? How do people cope with life and make it look so easy when I struggle to even leave the house some days.

Sorry for the long post. I just had to put my thoughts into the universe.

I have been seeing a psychotherapist under the NHS for a few months now for 1 hour weekly sessions. I understand that this may come across as me being paranoid, but I have this feeling the sessions are being recorded (something I never got asked for permission for at all). The only reason I feel this is happening is because the therapist has a laptop in the room we have the sessions in and the lid is slightly open but never shut. Every single session it has been like this and I can not think of a single reason why else he would keep it slightly open. It makes me think that he is recording the sessions.

What should I do or am I just being completely paranoid?

I used to feel sad a lot with my depression but since doing CBT and having some meds I don’t feel sad at all anymore, I feel pretty numb. which is good in a sense because I can function day to day but I also don’t really have any desire to live.

I can’t remember the last time I left happy and frankly I don’t even remember what it feels like to be happy. I don’t see the point in going my daily activities if I have no vested interest in being alive.

I’m supposed to be choosing what I want to do at uni but I can’t really decide because nothing interests me anymore.

all interventions seem to be on addressing the sadness element of depression but I don’t know how to deal with this feeling. any resources or links or anything would be really helpful thanks in advance :)

I've been struggling with getting enough sleep my whole life. I understand some people find it a contentious point but I find it naturally gravitate towards sleeping later. My sleep is usually disrupted unless I only sleep when I am absolutely exhausted at say 4am and sleep through until like 1pm (I naturally sleep 9 hours since I was a child and am female), but that doesn't usually work for obvious reasons since I need to get up to go to work.

I have both ASD and ADHD, thrive in a silent environment such as when everyone else is in bed, and struggle with sunny days. Unfortunately I cannot change my work schedule or do remote work due to the industry I'm in, cannot change areas for visa restrictions either.

I try to set myself up for success:

Environment is cool

Lights - Sleep mask, no lights source, UV curtains

Noise - Ear plugs, fan/white noise on, luckily my housemates are now quiet at night

Routine - try to wake closer to the same time, set work space that's not my bed, exercise no later than 8pm (I work full time and cannot do this in the mornings, no way!), shower before bed, not eat too late, no devices a few hours before bed (or try to)

Meds - I was prescribed anti-histamines, Xanax, and low dozage Mirtazapine at different points. I use a pill no more than 2 a week, usually less.

I cannot do: scented sprays (due to my autism & allergies)

I definitely struggle with anxiety and overthinking at times but this got better with CBT, breathing exercises, and somatic release which I sometimes do when I cannot fall asleep. The don't always help though.

But I seem to develop a tolerance way too quickly. I'm in the UK and have already contacted the GP multiple times and they also give the same solution: sleep hygiene advice, meditation, the same anti-histamines. Most of them barely take a glance at the log/journal on my sleep or let me speak more than a few minutes before interrupting.

Out of my wits end on what else to do! Any one has suggestions??

Hi all,

I recently moved back from Germany to UK. While I was in Germany, I had gone into depression and was put on SSRI.

I later became stable and moved back to UK.

Before moving, I brought enough number of medicine to continue my dosage.

I am still dependent on them to manage my symptoms and function properly.

I have registered myself with GP. What should I do next when I run our of medicine?

Do I need to find alternative available here in UK and ask GP to write new prescriptions?

Do they usually give prescription like that or need some diagnosis considering I am stable when taking regular dosage?
Thanks in advance!

i want to tell the doctors (UK) about my drug addiction (cocaine, mdma and ketamine) will they tell my mum? as im only 14, what will they do for me? im also planning to tell the doctors about some other mentall health issues but im afraid of being sectioned or something because ive been having suicidal thoughts and im actively self harming. just looking for advice and too ease my overthinking because i really need too tell someome thank you

I’m 21F and been living in homeless accommodation since February, I’ve been waiting for council flat to come up for a while but the demand is so high and there’s not a lot of properties available. Recently it’s really getting me down, I feel hopeless and suicidal. My room which I’m currently living in has lots of maintenance issues like food coming up the bath tub drain and a constant smell from the toilet. There are lots of drug problems here and anti social behaviour. I’ve been trying really hard since I was sectioned earlier this year and have managed to get a job and start learning to drive but none of this makes me happy because I have to live here. I don’t know if anyone has any advice on how to speed up the process of finding somewhere to live or how to stay mentally well whilst living here, or a subreddit I can ask for advice on. I wondered if it would be beneficial for my mental health keyworker to write a letter explaining how much living here is affecting my mental health?

Any advice would be appreciated I am desperate :(

I started college recently. I'd been working on myself over summer after the break up of a 2 year relationship, trying to look good and take better care of myself so I'd look more approachable and/or attractive. I just wanted to make friends because I know I have very few, maybe even talk to some girls. But the effort was for nothing, I'm so lonley, no one wants to talk to me. People I try to talk to treat me like some weirdo and those that I have gotten along with just ignore me now. Girls couldn't be less interested, I don't even care about relationships anymore I just want to make friends. I'm an afterthought. I was sat in my psychology today and I was the only person sat alone in a classroom that on paper shouldn't be able to fit everyone. A guy I thought I made friends with pulled the chair next to me out then pushed it back on when he saw someone else, the girl who I had spoken to abit ignored me and went to sit next to some other guy and as I sat there feeling so incredibly sad all the suicidal thoughts rushed in. And the terrifying thing is that they made me feel better. No one cares that I'm here, so why would anyone care when I'm gone. All I want is someone to be friends with, someone who likes me for me. Everywhere I look I see groups of friends laughing or happy couples and it kills me. Everyone else has those things, yet here I am so horribly alone. No one wants to chat to me, let alone love me. I just want someone I can talk to when everything gets too much, someone who genuinely cares about me, not because I'm related to them or because they're a teacher or a student counsellor, someone who likes me because of who I am. And no one does. I guess I just don't deserve that. I don't see any other option.

I have two lots of experience with NHS initially for clinical depression and acute anxiety. More recently for OCD. The first time the therapist was a lovely person, but just not matched to what I specifically needed as it was in a hospital outpatient setting as I had a specific health anxiety. More recently my NHS therapist was almost passive aggressive, lacked any evident compassion, almost like it was a chore having to actually speak to me. This wasn’t just a poor perception on my part as I spoke to a girl who was waiting for her session also and she literally said the same thing. The experience was a complete and utter waste of time from the waiting list to the sessions themselves, I felt it actually set me back. Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course but after working for 4 sessions with my new therapist (private, via video call) I would say I am 80% healed. He has been outstanding and literally all of the things which weren’t the case with NHS. I suppose this is a cautionary tale, but also I’m interested in seeing what everyone else’s experience is?

After waiting months and months for high intensity CBT for anxiety I was just discharged back to my GP after 3 sessions as my mental health is currently too bad and it’s ’not the right time’.

Not sure what the next steps are now and I’m really struggling. I’ve tried 2 antidepressants in the past few months both with bad side effects + propranolol which barely helps.

I had a CMHT referral a couple of months ago which was refused after a 10 min phone call as I was already on the waiting list for talking therapies. Hopefully I can get an appointment with my GP to discuss but I’m not really sure what options I have now.

I have been going to GP with anxiety and depression since I was 15, now 26. I was on sertraline for 8 years and finally after online silvercloud sessions for anxiety made me so much worse I demanded to see a psychiatrist to really diagnose me. I was diagnosed in Jan with PTSD which is actually CPTSD but that isn’t recognised yet in the UK and told by phone and in writing I would be contacted in 6 months and then in person CBT therapy would start in 8-10 months. I called to follow up today after I had a collapsed lung recently and I am feeling worse and worse mentally to be told this has changed and the waiting list is now 11-12 months. What a joke! I am lucky I have good family around me I feel so bad for people that have to wait who are really struggling and alone. A whole year?! I have tried better help which wasn’t great as it was cheaper otherwise it costs around £70 hr for a therapist near me, at this point am considering taking out a loan to get help. What a shitty system we have here NHS is falling apart.

I'm 18M i will soon be starting uni , which btw I don't want to attend but I come from a strict tradition family and they basically forced me , I wanted to get a job save money and then leave but they refused so I decided to go along with University, however I don't want to go the issue is I don't have any money or job to be able to move out alone if I decide to drop in addition I don't know anything about taxes and bills , I planed to see a therapist but the ones local to me are very expensive and I don't know where to start

Hello all, I’m looking for some help.

I (20F) live at home with my mum and my brother (33). He has been a heavy drinker for all my life. He has always had problems with his anger whilst drinking. He definitely has some other mental health issues however the alcoholism is so bad right now.

He has recently had some sort of a scare which he refuses to disclose but I’m sure is something relating to his drinking and his liver.

His behaviour at home is beyond normal. He comes home, he shouts, screams, bangs on all the furniture, slams doors. He has no control.

He refuses to take any help, I need him to be sectioned so he doesn’t drink himself to death but also because I’m scared.

When he’s really mad, I can’t even get through to him. I worry one day he’ll just blackout and do something stupid to me or my mum. He has attempted to do so with a hammer before.

Can anyone share some experience on alcoholism, somewhere I can find help in the UK?

The police have been called soo many times, by neighbours they only ever take him away for the night or try to calm him down. They never see it as a reason to section him.

Things have been getting better, I'm starting uni in a week, I'm finally in a relationship with the girl I've had a crush on for months now, I've got a job and although its tiring and I lowkey hate it, it pays so i won't complain, but onto the main point, I'm miserable again, i cant remember the last time i've felt so empty and dead inside, crying, texting people less, sleeping more, I hate it so much.

I haven't cried like this in over a year, I haven't self harmed which is good, but it's not like im angry at myself or anything so i doubt it wouldve happened, im tryna keep my clean streak, not that far to a year clean.

Also as context I finally have a diagnosis of BPD

I just dont understand it, is it because I feel comfort in my sorrow, is it another borderline episode? but if so why havent i felt like this in literally months?

Copied from r/bipolar because I just really need some advice and support right now, and I’ve always found this sub helpful (even if I haven’t come across that way).

I’m back at home having been discharged and I just feel very confused about everything. I’m feeling a little clearer that perhaps I haven’t been well but I’m scared to say I was manic and psychotic because it feels like self diagnosing and like I can’t have “snapped out” what feels very quickly. I’m also still having bouts of thinking/feeling that I’m being watched and followed, like my thoughts aren’t my own and are being inserted, that I’m invincible etc but also have some idea that this isn’t the case. I don’t know if this makes sense. I’m also not sure if mania is the right descriptor because, thinking back to the beginning of the year, a lot of what I was experiencing fit how negative symptoms are described - inability to communicate, slowed thoughts and movement, isolating myself, lack of spoken vocabulary, experiencing time as either slowed or overly fast (it was taking me half an hour to write two sentences but it felt like no time at all had passed) - can this happen in mania too?

I feel like this clarity I’m feeling and the fact it’s happened over the last day or two has happened too fast so therefore I’m faking everything, but it waxes and wanes with what I’ve been experiencing that others have said is psychosis/mania/delusions. I read things about psychosis that tally with what I’ve been experiencing but I find it hard to believe at the same time. If I have been in psychosis, how do I know when it’s truly over?

I feel like the treatment/care/support I receive from my community team and care co is very different to what others receive and this also contributes to feeling fake and fears/ideas that everyone thinks I’m just making everything up which is why everything went on for so long and got so bad - nobody believed me (even though I wasn’t exactly forthcoming or honest with professionals I saw because of the paranoia/persecutory delusions, if that’s what’s been happening). I unfortunately missed my discharge/s.117 meeting because I was asleep, but my mum informed me that PRT of the reason for continuing with discharge despite stopping meds and absconding from hospital 3-4 days prior and then re/presenting very upset scared and unsafe was because they didn’t really know what to do with me and there didn’t seem to be a consensus on what I was being treated for. I’m now under HTT and, although I’m trying my best to be honest with them and not hide anything, they’ve already decided after two days that I don’t need daily visits when I’ve been very open about not feeling at all safe and not being happy with the medication I’m currently being given. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong because it seems like when I’m disengaged because I’m scared/paranoid/whatever no one takes any notice and they decide I’m fine and when I’m trying to engage and be honest they decide I’m fine.

Sorry that this post is so rambling I’ve done my best to edit but my brain is very jumbled right now, thanks for sticking to the end, if you have!

  I’m looking to get myself discharged back to my GP because that way I will be able to access medication and won’t need to go for extended periods of time without it because of infrequent appointments.

I have been advised to wait until my appointment to do so however I don’t think I can cope waiting even more. Would it be advisable just to request to be discharged by a phone call left with either a receptionist or secretary?

If something goes to the hospital 100+ times per year can they be banned? What is the end result of going so much? The reason for the A&E trips is health anexiy rather than suicide / drug use btw.

I decided i should get some support for my anxiety but I'm unsure what to do. I feel stupid making a appointment with the doctors for anxiety even though that's normal?? It just feels stupid because it's not a physical thing

Hi all. I'll cut to the chase. I was on 100 mg of sertraline for quite some time. Decided, with guidance from my doctor to do to 50 to see if my excessive sweating stopped. During that time, myself and my girlfriend were going through a rough patch, so I decided to go back to 100, then grab to 50 again!

I know that was probably stupid as my emotions etc are probably very messed up, but long story short, I'm back to 100 after talking to my dr

However. I'm feeling awful like 4/5 days in. I'm constantly anxious, irritated and have a tight chest almost all the time. And it's hard to be 'happy'

To make matters worse I'm now obsessing and overthinking there's an issue with my relationship which is making everything 10x worse. I guess I just need some reassurance this will pass. It's horrible!

so i had a professionals meeting today which involved university, and my consultant psychiatrist who attended weirdly commented that he woke up at 2am in the morning because he was thinking about a letter that he’s got to write for occupational health regarding my return to clinical practice.

i found it somewhat inappropriate and strange that he’s thinking about something to do with my case at silly o’clock when he’s off work and disclosed to everyone in the meeting that he did🫣

as a clinician myself i know it’s impossible to shut off from work completely but given he’s such an experienced consultant i would have thought he would put more boundaries in place for himself and i found it rather disturbing to know that something about my case kept him up at 2 o’clock in the morning…

this is given a background that this consultant has known me for 4 years and has always taken a special interest in my case that i think sometimes oversteps certain boundaries as clinicians are not supposed to have favourites or be spending much more time/effort on particular patients but he’s always went above and beyond for me in a manner that sometimes feels a bit unsafe. idk if i’m making any sense.

don’t get me wrong he’s an excellent psychiatrist and he’s really helped me but i don’t want to be treated as special and sometimes idk if i love or hate his inappropriate sense of humour and sometimes his extra care feels uncomfortable.

i guess i want to know where the boundaries is cut for these kind of things. it’s good to have a psychiatrist who is caring and wants what’s best for me but when does it go too far? i fear he is knowingly investing more time in me than he does for other patients and he’s admitted this is the case as well.

recently he called me every week for two months because i have been in a bit of an episode and it’s very unusual to have that from a consultant.

ps: this is nhs btw.

I was admitted to my local inpatient ward yesterday after waiting weeks for a bed. This is my second admission the first was back in 2021. To sum up I’m having an extremely hard time, still in crisis. Does anyone have any advice or ideas on how to keep “busy” (nothing physical as I have no energy whatsoever) whilst I’m admitted considering the restrictions on what is allowed to be brought onto the ward. Just general kind supportive comments would also be much appreciated. As well as anyone with lived experience of being on a ward (please no triggers or anything bad) trying to keep this as positive as possible.

i'm in a big dark pit, fun times. i try every day, really really hard, to just get through. i want to succeed so badly but i'm never quite enough. i don't even know what to say, i used to pour my heart out like 3 years ago when i first started talking about my mental health lol but i feel like there's no words left only sometimes screaming.

part of why i feel so shit is because of imposter syndrome (which, ironically, i feel like i'm faking) that makes me doubt whether i actually have genuine conditions at all or am just a horrible person. i just don't know what to do like it's a struggle to get out of bed, it's a struggle to attend college, it's a struggle to talk to anyone. i have no friends that i can talk about MH with.

had a therapist but she's gone on break. had a CAMHS therapist but CAMHS didn't want to deal with me anymore. i don't have anyone right now and even if i did, i probably would feel incapable of talking to them. can't talk to my mum and dad, it's like there's a physical barrier. all i can do is snap at them, feel guilty, snap again.

i try not to wallow in my depression, i do EVERYTHING i can to get better. routines, meds, therapy, exercise, i'm losing weight, i'm socialising etc etc. this has been going on for more than 3 years. nothing works. i was too cowardly even to unalive myself to when i had the means and now i'm in a strange place where i want to but i don't. i almost never want help and when i do, no one is there. it's even worse because i have an objectively good life and situation so essentially i feel i've just brought all this on myself

i know, melodramatic much? started laughing at myself when i self harmed last time. was in hysterics when i got put on hold for the suicide hotline too. just something that always makes me laugh a bit. anyway i'm mainly just frustrated. i don't like this, i don't want it to go on, and i don't want other people to have to endure me. + more self pitying shit etc

TLDR: life sucks and so do i. if anyone wants it i'm happy to give it for free. i'm tired of writing about my feelings now. gosh if you made it this far, do get a life please

17F fyi, depression, anxiety, adhd

I asked the trust could I change Psychiatrist It went to a review then I was just told that they wouldn't allow me to change Psychiatrist as it takes time to build a connection with a psychiatrist which Is absolutely nonsense

Either the person will be open and will be prepared to discuss medications from the start or else they will never change and unfortunately she just shoots me down on anything I suggest even if there's hundreds of literature to suggest other wise for example pramiprexole being used for depression yet she said she's never heard of that only for parkinsons

I'm wondering how can I change and to one who's Maoi friendly as im already on a Maoi, the NHS service is pathetic it really is your just a number and nobody cares if you get better or not

Would anyone mind helping me out in changing psychiatrist?

So,

I was raised in the foster care system. Social services constantly referred me to CAMHS from 7-18. But I always turned it down or stopped attending after like one session. I kept turning it down back then because I was immature and felt that if I spoke to a psychiatrist, they would diagnose me with a bunch of conditions and I would be admitted to a psych ward and I would never be able to leave lol.

I'm in my early 20s now, bit wiser, and finally realize that my mental health issues are really affecting my quality of life. I have seen my GP and they referred me to talking therapies, but this is useless. I would like to be seen by CMHTs.

Hello everyone :)

My name is Katie and I am a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at Lancaster University. I am writing here as I am conducting some research looking at engagement with Early Intervention in Psychosis Services in the UK. Specifically I am looking at some of the things that might impact upon someone wanting to / felling able to engage with Early Intervention in Psychosis services. It is a short 20 minute questionnaire asking about current or previous engagement with early intervention in psychosis teams and some other factors around this. As a thank you for your time you can choose to opt in to a prize draw at the end of the questionnaire to be in with a chance of winning one of several £25 amazon vouchers.

If you would like to take part you must be aged 18 years old or over and be currently OR previously (in the last 12 months) under / engaged with an Early Intervention in Psychosis Service in the UK.

The survey is anonymous however if you wish to provide an email in order to enter into the prize draw you can do but this will not be able to be linked to your survey responses to protect your anonymity.

If you would like to take part, the link to do this is here: https://lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8HboQWhvMLKSHMW

This research has been approved by NHS Health Research Authority and Research Ethics Committee.

Thank you so much for reading!

https://preview.redd.it/g9zlh54pzynd1.png?width=872&format=png&auto=webp&s=78d6c7d9a21dfee3cca13882168a348a955d953c

I went back to the doctor after years of giving up on my severe phobias. My GP and I had a chat about everything, and I was told they would need to speak with a mental health practitioner. I would then have to wait for a response via email.

The email response informed me that there would be no additional benefit in having an appointment with them. That practitioner also suggested I should go back to one of the talking therapy services that the NHS offers. They said they wondered if CBT would help, even though my GP mentioned they knew I wasn't keen on it, as I had already done it before.

The service they referred me to (which I had already done years ago) only addresses minor to moderate problems, nothing close to the level I’m dealing with. They also sent me a bunch of unnecessary links that I didn't need.

They asked me to book back in if I wanted to discuss further, but I feel like I’m just going around in circles and getting absolutely nowhere. Should I book another appointment and tell them I don’t want to do CBT again?

It’s so shit when you’re dealing with severe problems, and they just send you some useless links and leave you to figure it out. Why is it so fucking hard to get help, even though I’ve made it clear that I need it and am really struggling?

What to do?

I’ve been referred to ‘support time and recovery’ can anyone tell me what this and what it will involve?

I'm curious how talking therapies are actually structured to help patients when it seems to be the only mental health service referred to by gps for most mental issues.

What happens if you need more than just cbt and antidepressants and experience symptoms of a psychiatrist disorder that needs more help or specialist treatment? Does the patient need to in crisis at that moment for a further referral, or can severe past experiences be a good enough reason to refer them on other services?

Potential trigger warning - self harm (no details given.

Like the title. I needed Crisis help over 3 weeks ago now, phoned them up. I was discharged back in May, but I was told I could phone whoever was on duty if I needed help.

This first call, I told them what I had done to myself. It took them over 30 hours to get back to me. And the phone call went something like “I don’t want to make you cry, call us next week if you still need us.”

Last night, I reached a point where I couldn’t take it (life) anymore, and hurt myself. I phoned CMHT again, and, no word of a lie, she said “well you have a choice, you can be miserable or you can make the best out of the situation.”

Seriously. What the hell kind of answer is that?

My life has gone down the pan, the housing associe of us every month 🤬🤬🤬)

I nearly had no job at all, but thankfully my boss was unable to recruit for my position, until now- so I’m now working with the person who’s replacing me, until such time I guess she pushes me out the door (she’s already made me go onto a zero hours contract to “make it easier”)

I’m left here on my own, as a vulnerable person with EUPD (BPD), and recurrent depressive disorder, with my 5 year old autistic son. Im scared, as I know I’m not currently safe, which automatically means that my son isn’t either 😢

So I asked her how on earth I was supposed to turn this total 💩 show into a positive, (I was being genuine, as the only way out of this situation I see is in a wooden box) and she got all huffy, accused me of being difficult, and not wanting to try.

I just don’t know what to do anymore. Luckily I’m a pediatric first aider so I’m good at patching myself up, which is especially good since - CMHT don’t want to know, and whenever I try and get in at my doctors, it’s deemed not urgent and so I have to wait a minimum of a week for an appointment.

All I want is help and a way through this, but it’s so hard when your doing everything right in terms of calling cmht/gp, but you end up feeling a million times worse as you know that they don’t care about people like me, who are usually only a risk to themselves, who, obviously, just need to change their mindset /s