Support and care from staff helped my recovery
Having access to an evening stress course to help her depression meant Josephine didn’t have to take time off work. The support and care she received helped her cope with symptoms she was unfamiliar with.
The best thing to help me in my recovery was the support and care I received
Josephine’s story
“I have a long history of episodes of depression and have experience of mental health provisions in various parts of the country. I have usually been able to cope relatively well, but I recently had a period where things became intolerable.
The best thing to help me in my recovery was the support and care I received from a number of people at the Trust. The staff were great and helped me deal with anxiety and stress, which was a new symptom I was unfamiliar with. I went on an evening stress course which meant I didn’t have to take any time off work.
The nurses and doctors I came into contact with were friendly yet professional. It’s unusual, refreshing and amazing to be talked to and dealt with as an intelligent human being.
The linked up nature of the system within the Trust was invaluable when I hit a crisis. The home-based treatment team could access my call notes to the out of hours unit and my doctor’s records. Each of the teams talked to each other! This was so helpful – I didn’t have to go over my history and present circumstances each time. It made me feel supported and cared for as an individual. It also relieved the major anxiety of getting in touch with services – I find it stressful having to rake over traumatic and disturbing feelings again and again for the benefit of each new person I’m sent to.
I cannot say this enough, the support, care and service provision was fantastic – indeed a life-saver. The home-based treatment team would call me in the morning then visit me a time I needed them in my own home. This was a revelation and exactly what I needed.
Generally, throughout these times, I have carried on working and maintained relationships, although I’m never sure of how things would be if I didn’t have this problem. This time I had to have a couple of weeks off work, but now I’m back in work, the team try to help minimise any time off I need for appointments, understanding people with mental health issues may still also be functioning and employed.
I have spoken of my experiences to people in other areas who were all amazed and impressed by the services and help I received. I hope there are many more places like yours for all the other people out there like me.
Thank you. The teams I came into contact with got me safe and back on my feet so quickly and well.”