Terrible experience during the assesment

I had to do a face call with a psychiatrist a while back to take my history for the assessment. I still can not get my results because of the virus and that I need to meet them back a second time. I constantly felt the psychiatrist was dismissing all the symptoms I had and was not listening, it did not help that I had a bad wi-fi connection and part of the conversation kept cutting out. I self-harmed after the assessment and cry. I already have too many bad experiences with a mental health professional on the NHS. I don't know what to do if they don't diagnosis me with autism I already have a very difficult time to attend university because I would be in the bathroom self-harming because the classroom would overwhelm me. I struggle to make friends and I am constantly repeating myself on top of that I have diagnosis dyslexia and possibly undiagnosed ADHD (I looking into paying privately for that assessment). I try therapy before but nothing works as I end up getting discharged from the therapy service. I try to contact them today to ask when will there possibly be my next appointment due to lockdown being easing up. I feel my issue are (I am a woman of colour) being ignored by the NHS.

  • I'm sorry you're having such a rough time at the moment.
    It sounds like most people on this thread don't have a very high opinion of psychotherapists. And don't get me wrong, I'd agree, I've been through countless people who were useless. But earlier this year I found my current doctor who has been simply wonderful, I couldn't have asked for more from him.  He offers an initial assessment (of one hour) for free to see if it's a good fit or not, so you wouldn't be committing to anything by contacting him.

    You can add me if you'd like and I can send you his details? Up to you :) 

    Wishing you all the best either way :)

  • Exactly - they will see the autie like a similar version to themselves so will be no help whatsoever. 

  • Block them on email, on phone number, on whatever is was you would contact them on. 

  • It was the nurse at the GP who referred me, I don't think they can help me as one doctor yelled at me because I told her about scratch my skin and another doctor gave me an allergic reaction to a medicine that I did not need to be told by another doctor. 

  • Are you able to talk to your GP about it all?      I got bounced around the system until I met a psychologist who actually understood autism - so she understood my thinking patterns and how my own in-built rules had driven me into a chatch-22 situation - needing to do the right thing for people who would abuse me for doing the right thing.

    I think that the current covid rules are not helpful to people who need a proper face-to-face meeting - I'm terrible with phone calls and I've never even tried to skype.

    Your GP may be able to push a bit harder for something more appropriate for you

  • It okay I am unsure if people in this comment section are trolling me because of some of the answer but this has put me in a worse mindset then it already has. I have already lost my faith in the NHS, my mum sick of having the police (I had a wellness check on me and for running away from home ) called on me for my suicidal thoughts. I try fighting with the NHS for help but they seem to not want to help me.

  • Sorry, I'm not talking specifically about you - I'm talking generally -  I went for an assessment and I got there 1 1/2 hours early so got to see all the regular patients coming in for their 5-minute appointments - a big jab and send them on their way.    And naturally, they decided I was depressed - and needed medicating......

  • What that suppose to mean?? the last time I attempt suicide was last year. 

  • In my experience, they usually take the easy option and will class anyone as suffering from depression and anxiety - dole out some pills and then maybe see them in a year.     Their measurement of success seems to be doping people up so much that they can't think clearly enough for suicidal ideation.

  • Block who?? The psychiatrist it was a video call on this website, I don't know how I can block them??

  • I was under the impression the psychiatrist would see me for my autism only because that was what I was referred for. The reason on why I am considering going private is because of a past comment made by the mental health team they would tell me to control my suicidal thoughts or that I am an adult that needs to control themself when I turn 18. 

    I constantly struggle with my concentration at university and remembering stuff which is why I would like to be tested, I don't want to have any of these problems, I just want an answer. Therapist, teacher and counsellor have suggested to me that I might be autistic since I was 16 that why I am trying to get tested. I had my mum constantly dismiss me telling me I am not autistic since I was 16 and now that I am 21 she finally listens. My grade at university end up become bad and I got told by my tutor that I sound like I did not want to do the work. Again I just want answer, if I could vist the doctor with a mask why can't I go to see the doctor with a mask in a separate building as far as I am aware the autism centre that I am visting is not near the hosptial I like to also claify as I seen the mental health team multiple times for my mental health and thearpy just does not work for me.

  • Please don't take this the wrong way but the psychiatrist was experiencing the same issues as you, poor connection and call cutting out. They might be holding off any results until they can actually see you.

    Don't block them or disengage because you'll end up kicked out of the service and back on another waiting list (if they even accept your referral).

    Why are you going private for an ADHD diagnosis in the middle of an autism diagnosis? The psychiatrist will be assessing for everything and then give you an answer, it's not a box ticking exercise where it's autism or not. 

    I was the first in my family to be diagnosed and then my sister needed assessed. She was like you, felt like the psychiatrist wasn't listening and was being dismissive but it turns out she's not autistic at all and she's got type 2 bipolar. Two of her kids needed assessed at school, one is autistic and one has learning delays with ADHD. None of those diagnoses are better or worse than the other and everyone got the help they needed at the time.

    So it's less than ideal that you're seeking help in the middle of a pandemic but believe me, the last place you want to be right now is in a hospital. I work in one and the whole place is a ball of stress and no one is relaxed or doing their normal job. Outpatient units are full of stressed out staff members trying to get people to wear masks and gel their hands and anyone who doesn't comply is immediately sent home without being seen. It's hard keeping people apart and not seeing people who are too late or early because of physical distancing rules. It's literally like conveyor belt care right now.

  • Don’t go back, block them, ignore them and forget you were ever unfortunate enough to be in the company of morons

  • Psychiatrists are clueless drug peddlers who sell drugs for the company’s. 

    They are utterly clueless and will invalidate your experience. 

    I had a customer once who 7 years later I met by chance as a psychiatrist. He invited me to his new private practice for free so we could chat about my diagnoses. He was as knowledgable as a rock. Honestly his thinking process was on par with a child. Truly pathetic.