A poor upsetting experience
My diagnosis is severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) with episodes of Depression and Suicide ideation. I have suffered greatly with this condition for many years and periodically the symptoms cause me to become overwhelmed, desperate and despairing. It was these symptoms that recently resulted in me being referred to the Mental Health Team in order to discover any help that they could offer. I attended the assessment with the support of a Mental Health Nurse that works for a Charity in the community. It was this Nurse that recently became concerned about my welfare and set me on the path to IDT. It was as a result of visiting a Doctor at the Grove Medical Centre that I was referred on to the Mental Health Team. After being assessed over a lengthy phone call a date and time was then agreed in order for me to attend Walker Close. This appointment was made over a phone call. When we arrived for the assessment I was shocked to discover that there wasn’t a room available for this to take place. We then had to wait for approximately 30 minutes until one became free. This news only exacerbated my anxiety. I can’t remember there being a formal introduction from the two Assessors. Indeed, I only discovered their full names when asking the Receptionist at the end of the meeting. They appeared hostile from the moment we met. The lady in particular was passive aggressive throughout the assessment. When discussing my disorder I found her to be arrogant, disrespectful and insensitive. I am at the mercy of this debilitating disorder all day every day and from the lady's constant and blunt questioning was made to feel that having this illness was somehow my fault and that I wasn’t trying hard enough to deal with it. She was indeed patronising, insulting and condescending with no empathy. I naturally thought that so much depended on this important assessment because if the Mental Health Team couldn’t help me with my disorder then who could? I so much wanted help but when I discovered that none would be forthcoming I suddenly became incredibly anxious, distressed and desperate. As a consequence of what I believe to have been the lady's rude and unprofessional approach I felt hopeless, humiliated and embarrassed. I found the whole process very upsetting. Adding insult to injury, I later found a message on my phone that had been left approximately ten minutes before the assessment was due to begin. It was from the same lady assessor, cancelling the appointment with no explanation as to why. From having to find a suitable date and time in which my Mental Health Nurse could attend and take me to the assessment to the expense from travelling from Felixstowe to Ipswich; this cancellation wasn’t just an inconvenience it was disgraceful.