It sounds like you’ve had a really good experience with your psychology nurse and GP (in the end at least!), I’m glad you’ve found medication and therapy is beneficial for you! I’m definitely open to trying medication if it will help, I just feel a bit deflated with it all at the moment. It took me months and months to call my GP and I just found he wasn’t overly helpful/was a bit quick to dismiss me. I suppose it’s difficult for them over the phone, I might give it a few weeks and see how I feel. Thank you for your response anyway, it’s great to hear how others are managing x
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I honestly don’t think GP’s are ever very responsive on their own. Usually what happens is they will refer you for an assessment for counselling or CBT. I had this about 5 times before I convinced them that what I needed was actual psychotherapy. I knew it was more serious than just the standard ‘tick boxes’, but I had to be very persistent and persuasive (I note I work in medicine, so I know what to ask for and how to get it). Once I finally got into secondary care they were awesome. If you feel your GP isn’t helping, I recommend, you either speak to another GP within the surgery (if you can) and ask them to refer you. Or you can refer yourself via your local IPCT. I don’t know what area you are in, but either look online at the NHS ‘find a service’ website or ask the receptionist at your GP service who you should contact. If you have online services through your GP, there will be a self-referral section there too. There is nothing a person with MH issues needs less than an unsympathetic ear from the medical community!
Thank you again for your response! The GP did very briefly mention talking therapies but wasn’t overly helpful, I have found out more myself though as you suggested! I think I will do a self referral and see what comes out of that. I don’t expect my GP to be a mind reader, perhaps I should’ve pushed a bit more but it took so much for me to call up in the first placeI honestly don’t think GP’s are ever very responsive on their own. Usually what happens is they will refer you for an assessment for counselling or CBT. I had this about 5 times before I convinced them that what I needed was actual psychotherapy. I knew it was more serious than just the standard ‘tick boxes’, but I had to be very persistent and persuasive (I note I work in medicine, so I know what to ask for and how to get it). Once I finally got into secondary care they were awesome. If you feel your GP isn’t helping, I recommend, you either speak to another GP within the surgery (if you can) and ask them to refer you. Or you can refer yourself via your local IPCT. I don’t know what area you are in, but either look online at the NHS ‘find a service’ website or ask the receptionist at your GP service who you should contact. If you have online services through your GP, there will be a self-referral section there too. There is nothing a person with MH issues needs less than an unsympathetic ear from the medical community!
. I feel like as soon as he asked if I was suicidal and I said no, it was basically end of conversation. Anyway I’ll do a self referral and see how I get on for now. Thank you so much again 
to be honest it’s nice to even have people to talk to about it!
There's also a lot of other mental health forums out there too, if you ever need to chat. I'm also a member on this one:Thank you again for your response! The GP did very briefly mention talking therapies but wasn’t overly helpful, I have found out more myself though as you suggested! I think I will do a self referral and see what comes out of that. I don’t expect my GP to be a mind reader, perhaps I should’ve pushed a bit more but it took so much for me to call up in the first place
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Ah yea the generic ‘are you an immediate danger to yourself or others’ question. I suppose the people I've maimed in my head don’t count and if I’d got that far, trust me I wouldn’t be calling my GP! I find it useful to talk to anonymous people because no one in my actual life knows how far I fell and how much I still have to do!Thank you again for your response! The GP did very briefly mention talking therapies but wasn’t overly helpful, I have found out more myself though as you suggested! I think I will do a self referral and see what comes out of that. I don’t expect my GP to be a mind reader, perhaps I should’ve pushed a bit more but it took so much for me to call up in the first place
According to NICE guidelines, antidepressants should only be used as first line treatment for moderate to severe depression. They may have assumed (perhaps wrongly!) from your (very brief) conversation that your depression was mild - so that may be the reason.
Where does it say this? NICE guidelines state that they advocates a stepwise approach to managing common mental health disorders. It recommends offering, or referring people for, the least intrusive and most effective intervention first. Therefore, non-drug interventions (such as cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT]) should be the mainstay of treatment for many people with depression or GAD, with drugs generally reserved for more severe illness or when symptoms have failed to respond to non-drug interventions.
Also mild-moderate depression cannot be assessed by simply assessing suicide intention or risk, other factors such as self-harm, behavioural issues like alcohol, drugs, indulging in high risk behaviours, family history, onset of symptoms, other risk factors such as bereavement, trauma etc. None of this is ever properly assessed by a GP alone. Their job is to advise on medication options if appropriate and referral for assessment for CBT and/or talking therapy.
I had cbt and counselling over the years. I just asked to go on antidepressants. I even told the GP i wasnt at my absolute lowest point but just fed up of fighting my mood and anxiety every day. Just felt like i need a bit of peace... tbh 50mg sertraline and im sort of feeling it. Not sure if i should go up or what? Finding it a lot easier to stay calm about things which im loving but i think ppl can tell somethings changed coz i am less on the ball. 1 week left off work so will see how they cope when i am back to the daily grind
How long have you been on the sertraline? They do cause drowsiness, but that’s a very low dose. Are they working otherwise?
This is my 2nd week on them. Ive had pretty much ALL the side effects though so Im not gonna rule out things changing just yet. I think 50 is just what they start you on? I have a follow up next week but i dunno what to expect from a higher dose.
i work for a GP - first thing they want to do as soon as some calls with mental health is to pass them on to MH servicesI honestly don’t think GP’s are ever very responsive on their own. Usually what happens is they will refer you for an assessment for counselling or CBT. I had this about 5 times before I convinced them that what I needed was actual psychotherapy. I knew it was more serious than just the standard ‘tick boxes’, but I had to be very persistent and persuasive (I note I work in medicine, so I know what to ask for and how to get it). Once I finally got into secondary care they were awesome. If you feel your GP isn’t helping, I recommend, you either speak to another GP within the surgery (if you can) and ask them to refer you. Or you can refer yourself via your local IPCT. I don’t know what area you are in, but either look online at the NHS ‘find a service’ website or ask the receptionist at your GP service who you should contact. If you have online services through your GP, there will be a self-referral section there too. There is nothing a person with MH issues needs less than an unsympathetic ear from the medical community!
Most of the patients insist on speaking to a GP first though.That’s what I said. They aren’t responsive on their own because they aren’t really qualified to deal with MH on their own. They absolutely should refer on.i work for a GP - first thing they want to do as soon as some calls with mental health is to pass them on to MH services
Here you go: https://bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-summary/antidepressant-drugs.html
Part of my work is in antidepressant prescribing and it's cited a lot.
I completely agree with you! I think sometimes in primary care there is a tendency to focus too much on suicide risk. Of course it's incredibly important, but it doesn't alone determine illness severity.
I am so tired of me
Early 20s me wouldn't be scared to try and commit suicide like 35 year old me is. In fact I "died" twice but was brought back
Hey, maybe we become scared for a reason though we’re not sure what it is. I hear things are hard for you. My thoughts are with you.
As we get older we understand the ramifications of things, whereas when we’re younger we’re a lot more resilient and carefree. I notice things like heights and wading put too far into be sea terrify me now, despite being a strong swimmer and never fearing height before! Fear is good, it means you are less likely to do things on a whim.
Can we help? Not trying to sound flippant but I sometimes get so fed up and overwhelmed, I just go for a nap. It’s the only way to switch off and forget for a few hours!
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Actually right at this moment I know exactly how you feel!As we get older we understand the ramifications of things, whereas when we’re younger we’re a lot more resilient and carefree. I notice things like heights and wading put too far into be sea terrify me now, despite being a strong swimmer and never fearing height before! Fear is good, it means you are less likely to do things on a whim.
Can we help? Not trying to sound flippant but I sometimes get so fed up and overwhelmed, I just go for a nap. It’s the only way to switch off and forget for a few hours!
I'm just broken atm.As we get older we understand the ramifications of things, whereas when we’re younger we’re a lot more resilient and carefree. I notice things like heights and wading put too far into be sea terrify me now, despite being a strong swimmer and never fearing height before! Fear is good, it means you are less likely to do things on a whim.
Can we help? Not trying to sound flippant but I sometimes get so fed up and overwhelmed, I just go for a nap. It’s the only way to switch off and forget for a few hours!
Put my pjs on at 6pm and been having a snotty, weird cry since in bed
Oh bless you. I’ll be in the same boat by 9, I have no doubt. I often feel a lot better after a good cry even if my eyes don’t!
God i dont even cry anymore. I just sit 
I feel like now the sertraline is starting to work on my anxiety i have nothing else. I existed on anxiety, rushing around from 1 panic to the next.
I feel like now the sertraline is starting to work on my anxiety i have nothing else. I existed on anxiety, rushing around from 1 panic to the next.
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