Will mental health even be taken seriously by GP’s?
There are many issues that should not be taken lightly within our NHS, but one that has remained prominent for years is GP’s approach to mental health issues. No matter where you live in the UK right now, there are countless stories of bad experiences with doctors regarding our mental well-being. While everyone’s experience is different, many of us are left feeling unheard and belittled.
I myself have struggled with anxiety for over a decade of my life. Now at 22 I can’t say I have ever had a pleasant experience when reaching out to doctors for support and have learnt that many people have undergone a similar experience.
Anyone as a young teen struggling with concerns for their mental health has faced CAMHS, a therapy given to help your mental well-being from the NHS. Not only is the waitlist often months long but many have found this form of therapy unhelpful. In a recent YoungMinds survey, 76% of young people’s mental health deteriorated while waiting for help from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Leaving many struggling who cannot afford private therapy to take care of their mental well-being. It is difficult to grasp that anyone struggling with their mental health must pay and seek private help in order to feel heard and guided.
When I first made an appointment with the doctors regarding my mental health in 2022, I was given a phone call appointment to discuss medication. I had done my research before the call looking into anxiety medication, side effects and the pros and cons but was still left feeling unsure. During my phone call, I explained I was considering medication and would like to better understand the side effects and impact of taking medication. The GP went on to ask me 10 routine questions to then immediately prescribe me the medication without ever meeting me or going through any sort of thorough process. When I tried to enquire further about side effects, she proceeded to ask me if I had googled it. Once I explained I had but was looking for a professional opinion due to my concerns, she avoided the question. I left the phone call confused, misunderstood and unheard.
The conversation around mental health has drastically changed with the rise of social media, but has it changed so much so that doctors are now willing to throw medication and therapy at everyone who instantly enquires about struggling without a diagnosis? Are no GP’s going to highlight the dangers of self-diagnosis from TikTok or online research before supplying medications? Growing up in a small town, many of my friends faced similar experiences when seeking help through the NHS, It’s easy to begin to wonder what precautions are considered.
One anonymous 22-year-old explained that their experience has been both positive and negative in many aspects. After finding CAMHS useless as a teen they explain, “the woman I had was not sympathetic at all, she would make me relive traumatic experiences in a session for her to forget them in the next, it was an endless cycle.” However, they did find medication helpful when reaching out and had an entirely positive experience with treatment.
It seems while everyone’s experiences are different within the NHS regarding mental well-being, there are many flaws and issues leaving young minds feeling unheard.
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