My Experiences in the MH System - Part 1

I have decided to write a series of posts about some of my experiences within the MH system. I will discuss my experiences of inpatient and outpatient care, NHS and private, and people who have been important to me during this time. To start with I am going to do a timeline, outlining the major events, both MH, and what I was doing life wise at the time. This will probably be fairly dull, but will help to form the basis of future posts.

2003 - Aged 16/17
- Was at 6th Form College - took my AS levels in the Summer of '03
- First spoke to someone about the difficulties I was having with my mood and eating
- Had first experience of counselling, at college
- First saw my GP regarding my MH problems
- First started anti depressants
- Was referred to the CMHT by my GP

2004 - Aged 17/18
- 6th Form College - took my A levels in the Summer of '04
- Was assessed by the CMHT
- Was diagnosed with Bulimia and Depression
- Began seeing a Clinical Psychologist at the CMHT
- Saw the first in a line of Psychiatrists
- Started anti depressant number 2

2005 - Aged 18/19
- Still at college - had stayed on an extra year
- Started anti depressant number 3
- Bulimia diagnosis changed to EDNOS
- First serious suicide attempt - was in hospital for medical purposes, but did not go into a psychiatric hospital
- Went to university
- First psychiatric admission, to NHS Acute Psychiatric Ward number 1
- Started anti depressant number 4
- Returned to university
- Second psychiatric admission, to NHS Acute Psych Ward number 2, then transferred to Posh Private Hospital
- Was discharged from Posh Private Hospital, deemed too ill to return to Uni, so came home

2006 - Aged 19/20
- Registered with a new GP, which meant I was now under a different CMHT to the one I had been prior to Uni
- New care coordinator was an OT
- New GP went off sick
- Was first under the Crisis Team in terms of daily visits
- Was referred to day hospital
- Was out of area for day hospital
- Started Art Therapy group
- Started seeing a support worker
- Started attending local MIND drop in centre
- Care Coordinator went off sick
- GP returned

2007 - Aged 20/21
- Had informal family therapy
- GP went off sick
- Had 3 session assessment appointment with a Clinical Psychologist
- Received a new Care Coordinator as the other was still off sick
- Started anti depressant number 5

2008 - Aged 21/22
- GP returned
- Stopped Art Therapy group
- Care Coordinator was promoted to manager, so stopped seeing me
- Support Worker left
- Stopped attending MIND centre
- Started seeing the Psychologist I had been assessed by the year before
- Was diagnosed as having Narcissistic Personality Disorder
- Started an evening course in London, and was planning to move there
- Second serious suicide attempt - again was on medical ward, but not psychiatric
- Started anti depressant number 6 (which was number 1 again, but a higher dose, and with Tryptophan alongside)
- GP went off sick
- Switched GPs (to my current GP - Dr O). This meant I was now under the original CMHT again
- Under Crisis Team again
- New Care Coordinator was an incompetant Social Worker

2009 - Aged 22/23
- Started seeing my current Psychiatrist - Dr E
- Had formal family therapy
- Started seeing my current Support Worker, N
- Attended an Anxiety Management course run by MIND
- Multiple visits to A&E
- The Narcissistic Personality Disorder diagnosis was scrapped, and replaced with Borderline Personality Disorder
- After much fighting, got a new Care Coordinator - my fantastic CPN, L

And that brings us up to date! Sorry that was so boring, and far longer than I expected. I have missed out some minor overdoses that weren't proper suicide attempts, and am unsure of all the dates of my GP going off sick and returning, so I guessed some of them. I am unsure whether to continue the rest of the series by talking about things in chronological order, or in themes. Chronological order may be a bit dull, but themes might get confusing if I start talking about things that haven't happened yet! I am leaning towards chronological, perhaps with some old diary excerpts, and them a separate post on the important people in all of this (ie those I have been quite attached to). I might start with that, as it is the simplest. This is probably all quite dull to people reading, but if there is anything in particular that you would like me to write about then please say.