r/MentalHealthUK

So I ended up getting a 136 and now it’s been like 2 days since. I was assessed yesterday and they basically said that the options are informal or formal. I honestly don’t understand the distinction. They’re identical. My vape has basically ran out and I can’t get another. I’ve been wearing the same clothes for 2 days too. This is ridiculous

I still can’t appeal their incorrect decision cause I’m still sitting in a 136 suite 😂

So what is the actual differences between the two and how do I appeal it?

Edit: idk why this is getting so many downvotes. Maybe i said something stupid. If that’s the case, they should’ve stopped giving me so many benzos

Going through some work issues at the minute based on my employer implementing a 3 day in office policy when I have only ever done 1 day in office since starting there 3 years ago.

I have always had migraines with aura (15+ years), was under a neurologist for this at one stage as I started getting stroke symptoms with some of my migraines.
I was diagnosed with OCD by an NHS Psychotherapist. I also this year was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism via NHS Right to Choose. So all of these are fully established diagnosis by specialist professionals.

My employer has put me through 3 occupational health assessments in the past 14 months. The first two with the same company were great, the OH assessor was brilliant, focused on how to help and said allowing me to continue only working 1 day per week would be a reasonable adjustment.

However, my employer did not like that outcome so they have referred me for a THIRD OH assessment with a different company.
This company is made up of psychologists who also offer private therapy.
This assessment sent me spiralling into a mental health breakdown because of the approach and how egotistical and misogynistic the doctor was. I complained immediately to HR following the assessment so they would be aware I had concerns off the bat. The doctor also asked me if I was sexually active which is so inappropriate and irrelevant. He also criticised my approach when I mentioned I was hit on by a much older, senior employee and told my manager who then told HR without me knowing. It was so painfully obvious the type of egotistical, sexist person this doctor was.

The report came through to me after 4 weeks of painful waiting, and it is the most insane thing I have ever read. This guy has literally said he doesn’t believe a single one of my established diagnosis despite him having all the letters and evidence directly from my GP. He has questioned the validity of every single one, including my migraines which is astounding to me, I don’t know how he can question a neurologist, I’m genuinely in shock. He also questioned the specialists themselves stating the right to choose practitioners were “just nurses”.
He then goes on to say I have a personality disorder, from a 2 hour video call he has said all of my existing diagnosis are nonsense and instead HIS opinion of a personality disorder is the only possible answer.

I am genuinely so furious and upset, and downright confused because this goes so far beyond what occupational health is supposed to be. He discussed nothing about what support my employer could give me aside from “a course of psychotherapy, which we can advise on suitable psychotherapists” as they obviously just want more money for their own company.

I’m looking for advice on this because surely this is not acceptable process and conduct for an occupational health assessment? I raised a huge complaint to the company, and told HR I will not be consenting to the report being released to them. Also thinking of complaining to the GMC.

Hi all,

I have been diagnosed with CPTSD since I was a teenager, I am now 24F. I had an appointment back in July and getting an appointment with my CMHT is v rare and difficult, I’ve only had max one a year, the rest are continuously cancelled and rearranged.

Anyway after my appointment I checked my nhs app and there was a diagnosis of EUPD on my letter to the gp. I have never had a formal assessment or conversation about this at all? I called up back then and asked about it and the clinician said it was added in 2024 but has no explanation or notes on it over the last 2 years. He said he would remove it but I had a call the other day and it still hasn’t been removed.

I raised a PALS complaint as to my understanding you can’t be diagnosed without an assessment or fulfilling a formal criteria. On my call the other day, the duty nurse said she’s seen this happen before and that it’s normal practice for clinicians to diagnose as they see fit and the patient doesn’t even need to know about it?

Has anyone else experienced this or knows more?
Thank you in advance :)

Not sure if there was anyone else in this situation but I got a criminal record when I was severely mentally ill (minor charge, not comfortable saying what it was, but no one was hurt!) and I feel like people like me now with lifelong criminal records due to their mental health are forgotten about in the awareness?

I have an amazing care team, I really couldn’t be asking for better care! It is hard coming to terms with it, especially as I have history of anorexia, it hard not to internalise this. I find it hard hearing the people who have put a positive spin on their story. How do I put a positive spin on this? Where are people like me?

Hi all,

My mum's mental health has been on a gradual decline for quite a while now. We've had multiple interventions with her for her to seek proper help but to little avail. She did go to the GP who only upped her medication but that's not had much of an impact.

A bit of history. She was with her partner, my step-dad, for a god 20 years. Around 5 years ago, she had an addiction to codeine and it came to the point where she was hospitalised with Encephalitis and nearly died. She continued with this addiction for quite a bit afterwards, drinking alcohol as well, just completely neglecting her needs or seeking help. As you can imagine, during this time, she has fractured a lot of her relationships with her kids, her brother and her mum.

Late last year, it came about that my mum was talking to other men. My step-dad tried to make it work, but I don't think my mum stopped, and ultimately he moved out and they split up. All of her kids don't live with her either, and she is living completely alone. She's racked up lots of debt, where a couple of months ago, she missed a rent payment. She is on the brink of losing her job which she worked hard for because she has been sent on sick and is being assessed whether she is fit for work.

I'm worried as well that there might be some form of psychosis in play too. The past few weeks, she has been off work, has not seen anyone, has not been out of the house. All she does is talk to her 'boyfriend' who lives in Nigeria (that's another long story which I won't go into, but essentially he is no good for her). She spoke about having hallucinations when she wakes up, saying that one time she physically saw people by her window and it took her a minute to realise they weren't actually there. She's been sleep walking and bumped her head quite hard, and just generally been having really bad nightmares to the point she is afraid to sleep.

She has resulted in self-harm too, as she said that she bit her arm really hard and left a bruise. She posted a tiktok love where she allowed people on the internet to basically insult her, laugh at her and make fun of her. She continues to drink regularly. She's swimming in debt. She's pushed all of us away, and when we do meet her, she's quite self-deprecating and doesn't really acknowledge how it affects us (though I know this would be hard with the struggle she has right now).

We're at a bit of a loss on what to do to support her. Is this to the extreme that she needs a mental health assessment? She would absolutely refuse this I believe and say she is okay, when really she's not. She's just so low, making lots of bad decisions, and seems to be spiralling further. Please can anyone offer any advice on what we can do to help her in this situation?

I’m under the CMHT and have had two crisis referrals (from ambulance and GP) in the last week, but they won’t even agree to assess. I’m actively planning and both the CMHT and crisis know it, but they won’t do anything. Everyone keeps asking the CMHT to follow up with me too and they won’t. Everyone’s excuse is that I have attempted before, and it didn’t work. Crisis are also saying they had a meeting about me in August, so they don’t need to assess. I also keep getting 136ed but when they assess me, they don’t even consider inpatient.

I don’t know what to do. I can’t manage. I’m having one appt a fortnight which is an assessment for DID and no actual support. I have never even met or spoken to my psychiatrist even though my GP has asked for advice on my meds.

Mostly venting but any advice very welcome please!!

I can only describe the way im feeling right now as drowning - I've been under my local cmht now for around 5 years, and i feel like im no closer to getting better- they aren't acknowledging my severity at all - there's something deeply wrong with me and its absolutely ruined my life

when i was first put under cmht, i was diagnosed with "mild" generalized anxiety and depression

since then, I have cut contact with nearly all my close friends and family, im losing interest in all the things that used to give me joy

Im basically developed agrophobia, I no longer have any ambitions or aspirations for my future, no motivation, I see no colour in life anymore, I genuinely don't see myself getting better, i don't clean or wash myself, I barely leave my bed and I spend all my days ruminating about the worst possible future scenarios where everyone hates me/negative intrusive thoughts

I feel like a disgusting waste of space

this has impacted my physical health too, and the meds they've prescribed me on top of my already high dose of ssris have only worsened the lethargy and obesity worse (15mg mirtazapine)

I have an occupational therapist who sees me once a week, but I find it hard to engage when I don't even have the motivation or energy to live - ive done CBT in the past but that hasn't helped me at all and im scared that OT won't work on me either , like im just wasting resources or my mental illness is too severe to be helped by these types of therapy

I bring this up to cmht during my 6 month check up and tell them I've gotten worse and have low quality of life but its like they refuse to acknowledge it & don't want to dig any deeper into why i don't seem to be improving- so far nothing has changed and I feel like im not being listened too

am I a lost cause? I feel like they are just gonna discharge me one day seeing as they "can't help me" and im a liability to the service

I don't know why I am like this, I thought reaching out to cmht would help me understand my mind and I'd get to live a somewhat normal life

but nothing like that has happened. I've only gotten worse.

I'm honestly at a loss for words as to how any sort of medical professional would think that CBT is a good choice for people with obsessive compulsive disorder

not only are you reinforcing the idea that "thoughts = behavior," which is extremely upsetting to those who deal with intrusive ego-dystonic thoughts, but you are also feeding into the ocd cycle of reassurance-checking, teaching patients to analyze and rationalize the intrusive thoughts

all in all, i feel like cbt traumatized me and made my ocd worse.

I am in a bipolar depressive episode and having suicidal thoughts. I am on the list for a crisis house and might get a bed next week. I dont feel i can wait this long, i feel like i cannot keep myself safe anymore. It gets worse every hour. Should i go to a&e? Call 111? What options do i have?

Disclaimer - not in imminent risk of harm

I am currently on 20mg vortioxetine (and it’s ’ok’)

A few questions!

How did you go about asking for the Aripiprazole augmentation through your GP? What was the process like?

What dose are you on? For what purpose?

Any general experiences would be massively appreciated.

I lost my job 7 months ago after disability discrimination and bullying by my manager. After that life spiralled out of control. I wasn't able to find a new job with employment tribunal hanging over me. I claimed PIP towards the end when it was looking like I was going to be fired, and I was scored 0 points. Mandatory reconsideration also got 0 points. Now going to tribunal so two tribunals at the same time but they are taking months and months and just ghosting me.

I am up to my eyeballs in debt. I am going to be homeless. The council only changed my banding after two complaints and threats to go to the ombudsman was I finally given homelessness prevention duty. But my housing officer tells me to just apply for rented properties even with no guarantor, bad credit history and no money. Landlords are rude to me or outright ban me from applying even tho that's now against the law, it's humiliating telling my story over and over that yes I lost my job, I'm on benefits and about to be homeless. I few friends and I am estranged from my abusive family.

I feel like crying every day. I genuinely don't know what I'm living for. I was abused my family my entire life, bullied in almost every job I ever had, I have autism and fibromyalgia as well as depression and anxiety so it's extremely hard. I failed a care assessment at the local council because I was articulate and had "washing on the airer" when the social worker came for an assessment.

I feel like such a failure. I can't cope. I feel like I'm being crushed. I am having panic attacks and meltdowns every day. I don't want to be homeless. I don't know what I'm living for anymore. I can't get a job but I can't get PIP, I can't find anywhere to live. I've always wanted just a cat or a pet to live for but that's completely out of the equation now.

People keep telling me it will get better but in my experience it doesn't everything gets worse. I am now going to lose most of my possession even the little things I have fought for other the years. I have no faith life is going to improve, that I am going to find a stable home, job, someone who cares about me. I am in so much physical and emotional pain every day it reduces me to tears. I would rather just die now than become the disabled people who are forced to live in squalor in council estates getting sick and bitter.