Member-only story
I’m Appalled By The Ways The NHS Fails Mental Health Patients
It Must Do Better!
As a citizen of the British Isles, I love the NHS. I feel tremendous gratitude for it when I hear the horrific tales of neglect due to the lack of insurance in other countries. It is free at the point of access, and all necessary procedures are covered. However, it lets us down in one key area: the NHS fails mental health patients with depressing regularity.
As a long term sufferer of depression, I have received treatment. I’m not sure if I’ve received the right treatment, though. The first port of call is always antidepressants; don’t get me wrong, they have their role to play. After that, I was offered a course of CBT. I don’t want to imply I know it all, but I had researched depression treatments thoroughly when trying to help my parents. I was aware of the principles of CBT, so it did not help much.
I suspect I may need a much longer period of psychotherapy, but it isn’t available. I feel like I need to work through the trauma from my childhood, and I have never succeeded in doing it alone. My only option is to pay for this treatment privately, but money is a factor. It is just one of the ways the NHS fails mental health patients.
