| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision 08:40 - Jul 4 with 3362 views | PlumsteadQPR |
Morning all, sorry to get all serious on a Friday but I was wondering if anyone amongst the broad church of knowledgable LFW posters can help me with a delicate matter?
My little brother (aged 30) who has a history of depression and substance abuse (although has never had any engagement with any agencies other than the Police!) has been living out in Prague for the last year following a drunken assault on my Dad that saw him spend a night in the cells at Wembley nick. Earlier in the week I received a message from a friend of his out there saying that he's basically had some sort of nervous breakdown (presumably exacerbated by the drink) and was in a terrible state. His landlord had kicked him out because of his behaviour, he hadn't been going to work so he had no money etc... luckily she took him in and has looked after him for the last few days. She's even bringing him back on a flight today.
That's where the problems start. He can't go home due to the history with dad so he's coming to stay with me. This is only tenable in the very short term.
Does anyone have any knowledge of/advice regarding potential next steps for him regarding treatment? What sort of stuff is available on the NHS? Should I bring him to A&E? Take him to a GP and hope for a referral? Try and get him sectioned? I certainly don't have the money needed to pay for private treatment or residential care... Also, what sort of benefits - if any - is he likely to have access to? He's pretty much always been employed since leaving school so should a good ten years or so worth of NI contributions etc... My impression is that there is next to nothing in terms of accommodation/residential care available via the NHS.
At my wits end!
Thanks all in advance for any info or advice - it'll be gratefully received.
Gaz
PS if it matters, he's always lived in LB Brent (Wembley) but will be living in LB Greenwich if he stays with me... |  | | |  |
| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 09:35 - Jul 4 with 3316 views | DWQPR |
Sorry to hear about your situation. I think that the best advice that can be given at this moment is to contact your GP surgery and ask for guidance on where you should contact with regards to his immediate health care. |  |
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| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 09:39 - Jul 4 with 3310 views | Brightonhoop |
Got some experience with this through previous work with homeless people. I know he's not street homeless, but sounds well on the way.
I would go and speak to your local Mind charity and explain the situation, they are excellent at sourcing the various support he will need, such as housing and basic needs, followed by addressing his mental health and drug use in the longer term.
Good luck. |  | | |
| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 09:40 - Jul 4 with 3303 views | A40Bosh |
Gaz
Just sent you a PM.
Best of luck |  |
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| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 09:54 - Jul 4 with 3272 views | paulparker |
Hi GAZ
Horrible situation this and its going to be a road where your going to need as much help as possible, its important to establish first off if his substance or Alcohol abuse causes his depression or if he is taking drugs to help ease it, (this is important as future medication may not work if he is combining all mater of substances)
My Advice would be to get him to a GP double quick , your GP should be able to make the necessary Referrals, if he is seeing a councillor try and make sure its the one person who can cover substance abuse & Depression( they normally go hand in hand, so it shouldn't be a problem)
what's important is that he is honest in what he takes, Denial is the worst thing, it will make him more & more dependent on alcohol & Drugs and could cause more anxiety
especially if he has mental health issues,
there is help on the NHS re treatments , but go with him to the GP and be forceful in the help that your brother needs , as far as benefits go I wouldn't have a clue, again maybe your GP can help with this
Hope this helps a little |  |
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| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 10:00 - Jul 4 with 3264 views | A40Bosh |
| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 09:54 - Jul 4 by paulparker |
Hi GAZ
Horrible situation this and its going to be a road where your going to need as much help as possible, its important to establish first off if his substance or Alcohol abuse causes his depression or if he is taking drugs to help ease it, (this is important as future medication may not work if he is combining all mater of substances)
My Advice would be to get him to a GP double quick , your GP should be able to make the necessary Referrals, if he is seeing a councillor try and make sure its the one person who can cover substance abuse & Depression( they normally go hand in hand, so it shouldn't be a problem)
what's important is that he is honest in what he takes, Denial is the worst thing, it will make him more & more dependent on alcohol & Drugs and could cause more anxiety
especially if he has mental health issues,
there is help on the NHS re treatments , but go with him to the GP and be forceful in the help that your brother needs , as far as benefits go I wouldn't have a clue, again maybe your GP can help with this
Hope this helps a little |
Gaz,
Let me know if you want the name of the guy my brother was referred to up in Marylebone - depression and alcohol dependency counselor - he found him really helpful. | |
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| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 10:17 - Jul 4 with 3232 views | 18StoneOfHoop |
Some bang on the money very good advice on here so far,Gaz.
First stop I'd try a GP. At my particular surgery you get an appointment on the day here in W12 if you queue up just before 8:30am.. over the phone booking ahead not so easy.
Don't go to A&E, would no way make any sectioning move,there is - admittedly not enough - accomodation within the NHS. Once you get initial help the Richmond Fellowship are well worth speaking to about accomodation - you can get GP referral..
If you want back-up help and advice Mind are an excellent organization. I'm doing some voluntary gardening with them occasionally and they give good back-up when you can slip through the gaps of frontline NHS provision.
For further independent informed advice of what to do I have found Citizen Advices Bureau to be pretty damn useful.
Hang on in there Gaz - you'll find strength and patience you don't yet know you possess to help your troubled sibling and good luck and blessings to you and your brother.
Sincerely,18. |  |
| 'I'm 18 with a bullet.Got my finger on the trigger,I'm gonna pull it.."
Love,Peace and Fook Chelski!
More like 20StoneOfHoop now.
Let's face it I'm not getting any thinner.
Pass the cake and pies please. |
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| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 11:03 - Jul 4 with 3201 views | Discodroid |
A & E would just be a holding pen, where they would wait for you and your brother to get bored and go home.
MIND is a good starting point, i know there head office is in stratford, getting advice from citzen advice re beneifts is a must .
get to your local one as early as you can monday morning, and i mean early mate.
going to your local job centre for advice would be pointless they will just give you a number to ring and you'll be on hold for hours.
citizen advice is the way forward there.
NA and AA meetings were a god send for me, loads of good advice there , no one has an agenda or targets to meet, they just want you well.
i was lucky with my rehabs, all were paid for by my then work.
you need to get your brother registerd asap with your local gp.and then on meds and referrd for rehab.
get busy monday morning and by friday you will have some sort of framework for treatment in place.
good luck mate.
nothing bad lasts for ever. [Post edited 4 Jul 2014 11:09]
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| " I guess in four or five years, the new generation's music will be .. electronics, tapes. I can kind of envision .. maybe one person .. with a lot of machines, tapes, and electronics setups, singin or speaking .. and using machines " James Douglas Morrison | 1969 |
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| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 11:33 - Jul 4 with 3167 views | Pommyhoop |
WOW ..This forum is the f'king nuts. I sort of knew the advice was to get him on the system and see the GP but all you fellas have relayed it perfectly..Great advice LFW..
Good luck Gaz... |  |
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| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 11:40 - Jul 4 with 3147 views | robith |
As someone currently in the mental health system in the NHS, whilst going to your GP is a good starting point, you can actually refer yourself to your local mental health authority so do that straight away to get the ball rolling (I had to wait 2 weeks for an initial appointment and then after completing my initial course of therapy and being referred for in depth I had to wait another 8 weeks before a regular slot opened up. Mental health has been treated with no priority by any government in the last 50 years and is always the first thing to be cut). GP will be able to provide some short team drug based solutions like beta blockers or anti depressants
In terms of more practical help, I don't know about your local authority but in hackney we have two mental health community teams who you can go to for more practical help and other support (my missus works in the young people's team there). Google your borough council and mental health and you should find a page with all the services and support they offer. There should be an emergency assessment number you can take for if things get really bad. |  | | |
| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 07:15 - Jul 5 with 3075 views | PlumsteadQPR |
Guys, as ever. Thank you so much.
Gaz | | | |
| (Non QPR) Advice re NHS Mental health/Substance Abuse provision on 07:30 - Jul 5 with 3065 views | loftboy |
Not sure what advise I can give as I have not had to go through what you have, but one thing I would advise is don't try and do it alone, get professional help through the NHS, if your GP won't listen keep going back until he does. |  |
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