My CBT!

[swgrl09]

Honestly at this point I would say try both. Try asking the therapist and try asking your GP. Can't hurt to cover all your bases. What a mess this sounds like! Hope you get somewhere with this Bigboy!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Dave, your GP has to refer you to the CMHT. The waiting list is far longer and you are going into a service that treats the most severe sufferers along with all the mental health disorders that are more serious than ours.

When I asked a few years back it was a 12 month wait to commence treatment.

It's something to weigh up but even then they decide the treatment and could just decide it's CBT again. I would see what your GP thinks. They could perhaps ask what the CMHT may offer?

But if you want nurses out, they are the right level. Seeing psychiatrists will be hit & miss as it's med reviews with them lot.

[pulisa]

It's very hard for those of us with long term issues to access help quickly. Mild to moderate stuff and you stand more chance. I prefer to take my chances with DIY self-talk and managing my issues in my own sweet way. I've been offered long term psychotherapy in the past but as a carer it's impossible to commit to and not fair on someone who would leap at the chance.

[KK77]

It's very hard for those of us with long term issues to access help quickly. Mild to moderate stuff and you stand more chance. I prefer to take my chances with DIY self-talk and managing my issues in my own sweet way. I've been offered long term psychotherapy in the past but as a carer it's impossible to commit to and not fair on someone who would leap at the chance.

That's a big sacrifice you made Pulisa.

Long-term psychotherapy is usually the best way deep-rooted and entrenched core behaviours can be broached and addressed. The past needs to be explored for many of us to understand and come to terms with the present, especially those of us with complex mental health problems. A whole lifetime's worth of experiences can't be dealt with in a few months - it can take years. You would usually have to see a psychiatrist or psychologist through CMHT who would recommend this line of therapy. Or you can go private if you can afford to. In the meantime, CBT can be an effective way of coping.

I think you need to speak to your GP and explore all your options, Dave. We can't do that here.

---------- Post added at 19:46 ---------- Previous post was at 19:42 ----------

Hi BigBoyUK

I replied to your email - not sure if you received it or not :-)

Just the man for CBT

[pulisa]

I'm not sure that CBT is the gold standard for everyone. That's why having a comprehensive assessment by CMHT is essential..eventually.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I

I'm not sure that CBT is the gold standard for everyone. That's why having a comprehensive assessment by CMHT is essential..eventually.

Me neither, I would like to see newer forms of it reaching us like ACT which wounds better to me. IAPT have created their own version of psychodyamic, which is one therapy you can get via a CMHT, but they aligned the length of treatment with CBT...which unless one hell of a coincidence is obvoiusly just about filling service gaps (again) and it's only for depression.

Gold standard CBT is another issue too. IAPT is a stripped down service where therapists aren't trained to the higher standards of psychologists. So, we get studies telling us how great CBT can be but how does that work when rolled out across employees with less ability to achieve results?

It's a difference between private & public sector to me. Present that ^ in front of a project team (SME's, directors, service managers, etc) and they would raise that straight away. Conducting tests using the best trained people just doesn't translate when you apply it over those who are aren't as good as them.

So, what is IAPT's "standard"? It doesn't matter what a top professor can do, it matters what someone trained to deliver CBT who may have been a nurse or PWP can do. If a study can be replicated by anyone...they don't need all that training, do they?

As for the levels, I think they are useful but they aren't used as they were intended. They should be a triage so those mild get to a PWP for a short course and someone more severe gets to a higher service. In practice, services have interpreted this as a process you pass through no matter how ill you are. But IAPT say they follow NICE guidelines, yet NICE split those levels into different severity of anxiety disorder so perhaps it'a yet another difference between "managers" and medics? I think "managers" (and the NHS managers) see them as the DWP see unemployment/benefits lists - move people around and massage the lists. Even looking at the service standard for IAPT to see people tells me this since it says they have to "see you" within X weeks but make no mention of "start treatment" within that time.

Dave, I don't want to sound negative I just fear you may get told about delays and feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall. CMHT's can be problematic.

[robinhall]

Hi BigBoyUK

I replied to your email - not sure if you received it or not :-)

[Bigboyuk]

Hmm several options to explore here folks will discuss this with the therapist on Monday now Cheers

[Bigboyuk]

It does but what it's going to deliver is another thing when I first contacted the well being service I was told it would be CBT with my therapist, well she doesn't think I need CBT (I do but what do we know!) Like I said before she is a CPN but a office one so is she really is up to the job on this? But this other organisation she has contacted for me and she has made a report on me with the risk assessment which hopefully has now been sent off so more waiting required but she thinks it wont be too long before I hear something, so fingers crossed for me please everyone Thanks ATB

[KK77]

It does but what it's going to deliver is another thing when I first contacted the well being service I was told it would be CBT with my therapist, well she doesn't think I need CBT (I do but what do we know!) Like I said before she is a CPN but a office one so is she really is up to the job on this? But this other organisation she has contacted for me and she has made a report on me with the risk assessment which hopefully has now been sent off so more waiting required but she thinks it wont be too long before I hear something, so fingers crossed for me please everyone Thanks ATB

Sorry you're being messed about and made to wait. But remember, you've waited years for the "right" therapy, and you deserve to get it. So hang in there and hopefully you'll be offered professional targeted psychotherapy for your particular problem.