NHS Counselling/CBT/Depression help in Hampshire??

[charliechaplin]

My DH has finally agreed to go seek help for longstanding depression and went to the doctor this morning. He is not a pill person and has taken ADs in the past which did not agree with him, so he was keen to look into some sort of talking therapy/CBT/counselling.

This is a HUGE step for him, but all the doctor did was offer AD's print off some web pages (which I could/have done for him) and say that they don't offer any of those sorts of services on the NHS.

I am truly shocked by this. What sort of mental health provision is it to offer drugs, but no alternative, except very expensive private counselling?? So, my question to all you lovely ladies out there is, does anyone know of anything around the Basingstoke area, preferably with easy public transport access, that dosen't cost an arm or a leg. Having got this far, I don't want him to give up at the first hurdle. We can afford some, but not much.

Thanking you all for reading this.

[klover]

hello i have gone through a very similar time with my dh. ask him to go back to the dr and ask to be referred for councelling. the nhs must provide this service if requested. It makes me so angry i could scream!!! No wonder there are so many unhappy people out there when you cant get any proper help. my dh had to go on 3 different types of ad before anyone would give him this help which caused so many problems with the terrible side-affects. If we had known what we know now, we'd have saved ourselves a lot of heartache. get dh to start taking St Johns Wort. look it up on the internet, there are no real side-affects and it has been proven to be more affective than ad. My dh is better than he has been in a long while. i hope this helps. keep in touch.

[charliechaplin]

Hi Klover - thanks for answering! Haven't been on for a while.

He has taken St John's WOrt in the past, but does not want to take any pills as he has a bad reaction to ADs and even the SJW makes him feel very edgy. That is why he has finally accepted that a talking therapy may be the only route forwards. And this is why it is so galling after plucking up the courage to go to the doctor to hear him say that they don't refer, meaning that there is no provision for this type of therapy on the NHS..... I am eling very low too, so I might take myself off and speak to a different doc and see what she says. I cannot believe that private (and expensive!!) counselling is all that is available.

[meglet]

charlie they should offer therapy for him . i suffered depression on and off for years, but pretty bad at times. I refused to take AD's and constantly pestered them about getting therapy, I would ring up and send letters and in the end they got me the help I needed, which was regular sessions at the Bridge Centre in the town centre. i'm afraid that from my experience they will palm you off with AD's ,even after 3 suicide attempts I wasn't considered ill enough for therapy. You and your DH must keep on and on at them until they get you some proper help. You have to make yourself heard, its hard work but worth it in the end! Big luck and love. x

[seb1]

Here is an online CBT site HTH

[Kaz1967]

Oh yes they do I have had them there is often a long waiting list I had group and individual CBT and counselling through my GP. I was on meds too or I would never have got out the door.

Does he belong to a union? does his work have an occupational health department?

Both tacks are worth looking into for free counselling normally it will be for a limited period commonly 6 weeks

As a stopgap it may be worth looking at this sites they are free

www.livinglifetothefull.com/
www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/

I got on better with the former but it is personal preference

[BigBadMouse]

Oh it really annoys me when docs do this.

I have had CBT on the NHS in Hants, was fast tracked through - took about 10 weeks for first appointment. I was not on ADs - you don't have to be to get the list (despite what some docs seem to suggest).

I would strongly suggest your DH sees a different doctor. Some surgeries have a sort of prospectus which tells you about the docs and their particular interests. If your surgery has one of those it might be worth you seeing one who has a particular interest in depression/ CBT and arrange to see him. Sometimes it is a struggle to get seen at first but once you're in the door it is usually very much worth it.

[Kaz1967]

I meant out my own front door not the GP's I could hardly get myself up and out the house (often got no further than top of the stairs or past the holding knickers in hand stage and not being sure how to get any further than that) let alone meet someone new or a group of strangers