| Comment | I had a bad experience with a counsellor/psychologist (?) at Riverside about 6 years ago. I was crying and just having the roughest time of my life tbh (anxiety, depression, hallucinations), and she just said I had an attitude problem and she knew I wasn't going to kill myself.
I mean, I didn't, obviously, but I was damn close to acting on a plan for a few days after that first appointment. I asked to have future appointments with someone else and I got a letter a week or so later saying I had a block of appointments with her as the clinical staff anyway. I wasn't listened to at all.
The next NHS psychiatrist I saw actually listened, thankfully. I'm doing so much better now I have the right medication and talking therapies every so often. Pretty much feeling normal these days.
I don't remember much about that week but the staff member I saw had a first name starting with M. Can't say more than that publicly, but hopefully she moved elsewhere in the previous 6 years. It's luck of the draw who you see as a patient unfortunately - my best and worst experiences with mental health have both been in NHS facilities.
Good on you for keeping an eye out for your pal, it means a lot having someone on your side after a bad appointment. Best of luck, I hope they get seen by one of the good folk. |
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