FireFox

FireFox

Enlightened
Apr 8, 2020
1,602
The problem with suicide prevention campaigns is the campaigns rely on the presumption everyone has caring family, friend, teachers, nurses and other people in their life. Sucide prevention campaigns rely on the presumption everyone can get help easily.

Not everyone has caring friends or family. If a person doesn't reach out to family or friends it is for a reason. When I was 21 I reached out to my close friend in my law class about my suicidal thoughts she began to distance herself from me at university and eventually avoided me. This person was one of those Christians that go to church every Sunday. I can't reach out to my immediate family because they are not good listening and my extended family relatives ( uncles, aunties and cousins love to gossip and enjoy seeing others fail in life)

I tried getting help under the NHS and struggled to get a successful referral. The last time I asked about the waiting list times I was told the waiting list was 10 months. The NHS mental health services in my local area are not very good the Google reviews have given 3 stars. People have complained about the poor treatment they have experienced from the NHS staff at these local mental health services, the struggle to get referred and others even alleging staff being unfit to look after patients. Someone in the reviews alleged a therapist she was given was banned from practicing psychology but was still allowed to work in the hospital services administering therapy patients.

After struggling to get a referral I don't want to go through the NHS again. Private therapy services are very expensive in my city 1 session a person will have to pay £60 or more, other therapists even have rates of £100 or over.

Even in online mental health support spaces I have experienced bullying from other depression sufferers.

The more you reach out for help the more people judge you and treat you like inconvenience to their normal lives.

How exactly is a person supposed to get help when help doesn't exist for ordinary people like myself?
 
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paroxysm

paroxysm

I Felt Nothing
Sep 17, 2023
105
yeah most people don't actually care about mental health especially mental illness. while i do think it's been more normalized throughout the years it's mostly just mild anxiety or "having a bad day" severe cases like severe depression or bipolar, severe anxiety, schizophrenia etc aren't taken seriously and generally aren't understood by most people.
 
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landslide2

landslide2

Arcanist
May 6, 2024
401
It is sad but true. it is a question of resources as well. When the NHS is underfunded quality of care will go down. Especially considering how many people rely on institutions like the NHS. Similar goes with education, a critical aspect of any population but always underfunded and cuts often made to their budgets. Its always do more with less and less. Then privatization tries to come along to drive a wedge and exploit for profits. The for-profit US health care system is immoral, ruled by drug and insurance companies. People get sick and end up as debt slaves.
 
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maudlinbook

New Member
Sep 4, 2024
3
I tried getting help under the NHS and struggled to get a successful referral. The last time I asked about the waiting list times I was told the waiting list was 10 months. The NHS mental health services in my local area are not very good the Google reviews have given 3 stars. People have complained about the poor treatment they have experienced from the NHS staff at these local mental health services, the struggle to get referred and others even alleging staff being unfit to look after patients. Someone in the reviews alleged a therapist she was given was banned from practicing psychology but was still allowed to work in the hospital services administering therapy patients.
It's really shitty that in a country with "universal" healthcare you can't even get help. I thought lack of access was mostly a 3rd world + US problem but I guess not.

And it's so true that all of the advice given by normal people is completely useless. The people who are depressed enough to be on this forum are significantly more likely to not have a support system!
 
ThatGuyOverThere

ThatGuyOverThere

David Benatar Enjoyer
Apr 25, 2024
134
It's really shitty that in a country with "universal" healthcare you can't even get help. I thought lack of access was mostly a 3rd world + US problem but I guess not.

And it's so true that all of the advice given by normal people is completely useless. The people who are depressed enough to be on this forum are significantly more likely to not have a support system!
Yeah There's a lot of people that believe that universal/free healthcare is perfect, it has it's many flaws just like private healthcare does. Nothing Is ever perfect or work as is expected, healthcare of any system is still subject to human flaws.

My experience with NHS was pretty terrible, and drawn out, I sat on a waiting list for about a whole year after an attempted CTB, and it took a further year and a half to finally diagnose me with ASD. It was an experience I would like to never endure ever again, but that still just my experience, there might have been others with hopefully better experiences.
 
F

Forever Sleep

Earned it we have...
May 4, 2022
8,776
Exactly this. A member recently asked what would we like people to actually focus on during suicide prevention month. I'd say- this! That 'reaching out for help' quite often doesn't work or, it actually makes things worse!

If they do actually want to help- there are people who would be glad to accept it. Rather than just do some blanket push on everyone- focus on the people who are reaching out.

The answer sadly is- I don't know though. If your family aren't interested or are of no support, then it has to fall on outsiders and then, it's just a game of luck as to how well services are funded in your area and, who you get to talk to.

I recall from some of your earlier posts that it's your Mum who doesn't want you to reveal the true state of affairs to other family members. (If I remember rightly?) The other option is- you argue against that with her. You say that you desperately need your families support. Maybe that she's trying (even if she isn't) but you think it may actually help you to talk to other people. I used to find that phrasing something in a more positive way with my Dad- eg. 'I know you don't really like the idea of therapy and medication but I think it might help me'- tended to work better than a more agressive- 'Why won't you let me do this?' It shows that you want to get better for a start. That you're thinking of ways to get better. Plus, it's an honest plea really. Kind of monstrous to turn down a reasonable plea for help. Do you think there are people in your family that would be able to understand and help?
 
sancta-simplicitas

sancta-simplicitas

Specialist
Dec 14, 2023
399
The "help is always avaliable" narrative is so fucking insulting. I lost my functioning because of said "help" and I'm certainly not alone.
 
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maudlinbook

New Member
Sep 4, 2024
3
Yeah There's a lot of people that believe that universal/free healthcare is perfect, it has it's many flaws just like private healthcare does. Nothing Is ever perfect or work as is expected, healthcare of any system is still subject to human flaws.

My experience with NHS was pretty terrible, and drawn out, I sat on a waiting list for about a whole year after an attempted CTB, and it took a further year and a half to finally diagnose me with ASD. It was an experience I would like to never endure ever again, but that still just my experience, there might have been others with hopefully better experiences.
That's really awful. I guess the experience of being encouraged to get help only to find none really exists is pretty universal then.
 
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