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| Teenagers' struggle for mental health care: 'I needed help quite badly' | Teenagers' struggle for mental health care: 'I needed help quite badly' |
| (17 days later) | |
| India knows all about the importance of getting timely help for mental health problems. “I have had issues since late primary school although I only recognised it in myself about four years ago,” said the 16-year-old from south-west London. “I had body image issues and and general anxiety about odd things like talking to strangers. I had issues of not eating and binge eating, purging, stuff like that.” | India knows all about the importance of getting timely help for mental health problems. “I have had issues since late primary school although I only recognised it in myself about four years ago,” said the 16-year-old from south-west London. “I had body image issues and and general anxiety about odd things like talking to strangers. I had issues of not eating and binge eating, purging, stuff like that.” |
| She says that when she first confided in her mother about three years ago and sought help, her mother took her straight to the GP. India was referred to NHS child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs), and she estimates that it took her a couple of weeks to be seen. She believes that if she had been forced to wait longer, it could have had dire consequences for her. | She says that when she first confided in her mother about three years ago and sought help, her mother took her straight to the GP. India was referred to NHS child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs), and she estimates that it took her a couple of weeks to be seen. She believes that if she had been forced to wait longer, it could have had dire consequences for her. |
| Online CBT is not a therapy substitute, but a step to help manage anxiety | Online CBT is not a therapy substitute, but a step to help manage anxiety |
| “At that stage it was very important that I was seen quickly,” she says. “I was not great and I needed help quite badly.” | “At that stage it was very important that I was seen quickly,” she says. “I was not great and I needed help quite badly.” |
| The 12 sessions she had helped her but her problems did not go away and a couple of months ago India, in her own words, relapsed. | The 12 sessions she had helped her but her problems did not go away and a couple of months ago India, in her own words, relapsed. |
| She went back to the GP and was referred to Camhs again. After an assessment, the eating disorders team decided not to take her case but the psychotherapy team said they would see her. She was told she would have to wait more than a month to be seen by the psychotherapy team, which, she says politely, “did seem like a while”. | She went back to the GP and was referred to Camhs again. After an assessment, the eating disorders team decided not to take her case but the psychotherapy team said they would see her. She was told she would have to wait more than a month to be seen by the psychotherapy team, which, she says politely, “did seem like a while”. |
| An interim measure was put in place, although she stresses that it was not a substitute for receiving proper professional help. “The psychologist who assessed me got in touch with my school and within 12 hours they arranged counselling within the school,” she says. “It’s more just a place to talk about feelings. It’s nice to have some space to talk about it but it’s not necessarily benefiting my recovery, it’s not helping with the eating disorder stuff. It’s just a good place to let things out, it’s probably helping it to not get worse.” | An interim measure was put in place, although she stresses that it was not a substitute for receiving proper professional help. “The psychologist who assessed me got in touch with my school and within 12 hours they arranged counselling within the school,” she says. “It’s more just a place to talk about feelings. It’s nice to have some space to talk about it but it’s not necessarily benefiting my recovery, it’s not helping with the eating disorder stuff. It’s just a good place to let things out, it’s probably helping it to not get worse.” |
| Asked if she thinks it would have been difficult to cope in that month had the school counselling not been there to plug the gap, she answers straight away: “100%.” | Asked if she thinks it would have been difficult to cope in that month had the school counselling not been there to plug the gap, she answers straight away: “100%.” |
| India’s experience illustrates the importance of being seen quickly, yet she has been relatively lucky. GPs say delays can be as long as 18 months because Camhs services are overwhelmed. | India’s experience illustrates the importance of being seen quickly, yet she has been relatively lucky. GPs say delays can be as long as 18 months because Camhs services are overwhelmed. |
| While India’s wait was relatively short, that does not mean she has been immune to the fallout from the pressure put on Camhs. She believes that the 12 sessions she was entitled to when she first went to her GP two years ago were not enough for her needs. | While India’s wait was relatively short, that does not mean she has been immune to the fallout from the pressure put on Camhs. She believes that the 12 sessions she was entitled to when she first went to her GP two years ago were not enough for her needs. |
| “At the end of the counselling sessions I felt like I have just broken through the barrier, I was just getting to the breakthrough,” she says. “I wish I had got more [sessions] at that point. It may well have helped things not being as bad as they were a couple of months ago. You have to build on your relationship with your counsellor.” | “At the end of the counselling sessions I felt like I have just broken through the barrier, I was just getting to the breakthrough,” she says. “I wish I had got more [sessions] at that point. It may well have helped things not being as bad as they were a couple of months ago. You have to build on your relationship with your counsellor.” |
| But she is well aware that demand for CBT and other Camhs services means resources are limited. “At the same time, I do get that they have got a number of people who need help and I’d had my dose.” | But she is well aware that demand for CBT and other Camhs services means resources are limited. “At the same time, I do get that they have got a number of people who need help and I’d had my dose.” |
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