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Has anyone been or knows an autistic individual who has been to the Autism Inpatient Unit - Mitford in Northumberland?

Green-Pens

Hello everyone,

I won't tell you my name, but I am 21-years old and come from Essex, and I'm a female. 

I suffer from mental health issues and autism (Asperger's to be exact). In terms of mental health issues, I have OCD, anxiety (GAD and social anxiety) and I reckon I have depression as well. I am under my local mental health team and they are absolutely dreadful. I've been under them for 2-years and only ever had one lot of therapy - which was a 6-week group that had to stop because of COVID-19. I have had enduring mental health issues since I was about 8-years old. In terms of enjoying my life whilst experiencing mental health issues, I have only ever really had 3 to 4 years of enjoyment of my life. 

My care coordinator at my mental health team said I am "complex," I do agree with her, but the thing is is that they don't deal with autism. I've also had my fair share of bad psychiatrists. I'm seeing a new psychiatrist next Wednesday - I'm absolutely dreading it.

I was wondering if anyone has been to the Autism Inpatient Unit - Mitford in Northumberland? I'm hoping to get referred there by the psychiatrist because this mental health team isn't helping me at all. The mental health team I'm under doesn't specialise in autism and I'm going around and around and around in circles with them.

https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/services/autism-inpatient-unit-mitford-adult-autism-inpatient-unit/ This link takes you to the unit I'd like to be referred to. 

If anyone knows someone who has been there, I have a few questions.

1. What kind of conditions do they treat?

2. Can I go in as a voluntary patient?

3. Why is the stay there so long?

Thanks all. 

  • I have had the similar experience from my local mental health trust. They don't seem to understand Autism, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or specific learning conditions. The problem is that my challenging behavior caused by my Autism, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or specific learning conditions is causing the anxiety, depression and the dysfunction. The worst thing is they don't consider that the antidepressant they keep general prescribing don't have a positive affect on me the individual.

    I don't understand process of mental health professionals choice on choosing medication as i can easily access the National Heath Service where it state that most  Serotonin selective re uptake inhibitors have not been tested in controlled trials, but they cause inconsistent changes, often aggravate Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and those with negative Behaviors in individuals with Autism spectrum disorder.

    My closest autism in patients unit seems to be reserved for individuals with autism that also have intellectual disabilities. Your kinda fortunate because you not being bounced between social services, local authorize and mental health trust in an unending cycle of its not our problem.   

  • Hi, this is from the link you posted:

    “The autism inpatient service is for adults who are on the autism spectrum, who have extremely complex needs and display challenging behaviours to the extent that their needs cannot be met by local assessment and treatment services. The service also provides diversion for individuals who have been inappropriately placed within secure services.”

    This is for people with extremely severe autism, often people who display violent or threatening behaviour, or people who are a real a constant risk to themselves or other people. 

    “The service accepts referrals on a national basis for individuals aged 18 years and over with a confirmed diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder and whose presentation significantly challenges mainstream mental health or learning disability services.”

    Regardless of how well suited you feel you’d be to this type of treatment (my feeling based on your brief description is that it’s not suitable at all), you would have to convince the NHS to fund the treatment, which as residential treatment is obviously extremely expensive. If you’ve never been hospitalised, sectioned, been in trouble with the police, been excluded from mainstream education etc, then I can’t imagine you meet the criteria for referral.