A storyteller speaks about the difficulties they faced when seeking mental health support following on from having children

What's your experience of mental health care? And in Wakefield, Um, I've had support saints to 2000 and eight. Um, population, mental health. I have experienced difficulties and mental before that, but I actually got help from the G pay. I chose the GP

I wanted to see because I knew that person Listen to me because I had an experience after having a baby where I was told I was being silly for praying. And so I thought, OK, I'm being silly. Sorry, I don't get any help then

Um So I waited two days, seven nights, child. But then I had a really good health visitor. He persuaded me I should see GP and she was really good

And I got help from as a carry trade, the crisis team. The only problem, I'd say it was looking in between the crisis team on nothing. I don't know if that makes sense

I don't know. It's like you only live so long. That was difficult

And it's all well, nothing, just yeah, and I've been until the the health of the tip was the best person I think that I had in that situation and also my GP because they really did care. And yeah, and how have services changed if they have? And I do know now that through if you want to wait for council, you can access some counselling sessions. The only reason I know that is because friends can work with needed them, and managers have offer that to them

However, when I needed to be off where I was told, I needed to sort it out myself, turning point and wait and I was not offered what my friends had been a good. So I don't know if that's because it wasn't available when I was off for mental health struggles because they just didn't offer at me. I don't know what

It makes me feel quite sad that I didn't get that offered because I've never seen someone quicker and maybe not enough work for as long and medication as well, um, I had to continue different ones. I mean, I'm just one of them now because you feel like three years or so. I had to change sometimes, and but I was given one, and it just makes me feel awful

When I asked to change it, they told me to keep on with it for longer and it wasn't any good. So again, it was that thing of wasted so many weeks. But then I guess you don't know, do you? Don't know voice

I think sometimes you, which was the professionals so much when you're struggling that you don't trust yourself to know. But so you still need to be listened to because you still do have some capacity to know what have feel as those. So that's a constant

And that's a hard that people were still going to your parents. I had a report that out to me and say, You know, they said that comments don't let my hair was washed and I looked and what was there and and so obviously because I looked okay, I must have been buying because I looked like I was coping. It wouldn't really help me because it wasn't a bad date, but I couldn't have a professional persona which happened if I'm OK and I'll just be describing how to be

But they wouldn't necessarily then take that or nothing. I was also being told by a psychiatrist of CVT won't help me and but my GPS they disagreed with that, such that out for me. So it seems there's all sorts of strange things, and I think it's unfortunate if you've had years and years of having to help support your mental health

But then it does, if you will, knowledge to know what is good support. So I didn't have a situation wrestle someone. A turning point

He was not the right person for me, and I didn't have to make a complaint about this person, and they did respond straight away and still today. But the problem was, he could he could have pushed me too far, and I was just glad that we spend at home. And then when I got back to my treatment, so at least I knew how it should have been

So I need to complain. Can I ask what that was? They did, and he talked about being suicidal and he said, because I had Children, he knew I wouldn't do anything and that the problem with that was that he had such a lack of understanding and it worried me. The other people I was thinking I was worried about other people

Luckily, I've been through a lot of that and I had some insight and new my token strategies with that. But my concern was if there was someone else who saw and he's gonna be fine, you're not gonna listen to properly. And he talked to me for the whole appointment as well

I just told me I needed to get back to work. And so he was not helpful book. But I didn't see him again

And I'm sure that they talked to him. Um, yeah, it's just that concern for all this. I have as well

How do you protect your own mental health Now? I work part time, and I have a Chelsea friends on my days off. I need to I know I need to do some painting because that helps me. I guess it's like your mind Pharmacy

I know I need to pay today. Could you exercise? And when it I know that I have two breaks in my working day, so I have to really manage the times. I teach music, not speak with schools, so it can be quite a rush

And I've had really good managers. You probably the timetable to put in those brakes. Um and I'll come with flexible in that

You know, I wanted to teach everybody, you know, by the end of the day, but needing those grapes and just being careful with even socialising, it's just like no interest in that instant where you think that's gonna be too much for me. So I will say no. Um, yeah

I suppose that kind of having a really early night on a Friday. Thank you.