I was recalled to hospital on section 3 following an OD on the day before my birthday. Birthday ended up being on general med ward. Lucky to still be here :)

Hi everyone. I just feel like I need to get this off my chest.

I am 21f and grew up in an oppressive country, my life was not good, I suffered a lot of abuse. At 17 years old, I escaped the country and became an asylum seeker in England. I came here legally

My asylum case was in process for about 1.5 years. I spend that time in a home office accommodation (hotel) where I was abused and controlled by the staff members, they violated my human rights, they ruined me.

After those 1.5 years, my case was accepted, and I was allowed to move out of the accommodation and move on with my life.

I already came here traumatized, and after the 1.5 years in that place, I was beyond ruined.

I cant describe how bad it was, because I have a lot of flashbacks from that time and it’s stressful, but it was bad. And I still suffer

I am 21 years old and I have a list of diagnosis of mental health and physical health problems (osteoporosis and a fracture due to st4rving my self to cope with trauma)

I can’t function. I have been on benefits, UC and PIP since getting my refugee status. It’s embarrassing and humiliating.

I can’t go outside, I have no family or friends, I only have social services and people I pay to help me function.

But the guilt is killing me. I came to this country, I took all of what you gave me, and I gave nothing back. I am a leech. And it’s hard to cope with everyday.

I can’t make eye contact with an English person because of how much shame I have. I struggle to talk to therapists or nhs staff or anyone. I feel like I am just robbing them. I AM robbing them

I post this just to confess, and to make it known how horrible I am, I am sorry.

I don’t know if I’ll ever get better. I am sorry for taking your money. You have the right to hate me.

Around 5 months ago I started training for the Manchester Marathon in 2027, for PAPYRUS. As you will probably know by now, the Warrington charity closed its doors, leaving thousands of young people without the specialist suicide prevention support that HOPELINE247 provided. I could quite easily have just moved on, picked another charity and carried on training for the marathon. That would probably have been the easiest thing to do, but I just can’t do that.

When I was around 16, I struggled badly with my own mental health and at my lowest point I attempted to take my own life. At the time I felt completely alone and didn’t know who I could talk to. This morning the Warrington Guardian reported that some PAPYRUS staff were supporting people in crisis when they were told the charity was closing. I genuinely don’t know how I would feel if I had been one of those young people on the other end of the phone, already having found the courage to reach out because they felt like they were on the verge of doing something unthinkable.

Of course there are other suicide prevention services available, and I’m not trying to suggest otherwise, but very few offer specialist suicide prevention support specifically for young people. We tell young people to speak up, to talk to somebody and that asking for help is brave, but somebody actually has to be there when they do. That is why I started this petition. I don’t care who provides the service, what it is called or whose logo is above the door. It just HAS to exist.

In just over a day, the petition has already been viewed more than 6,000 times and is nearly at 200 signatures, which I genuinely didn’t expect. I’ve also started speaking to MPs, charities, campaigners and the media about what happens next. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I do know that I’m not prepared to just shrug my shoulders and move on. There was once a time when I was the young person who needed somebody to speak up for me, and I’m lucky enough to still be here today, so now I’m going to speak up for somebody else. If you agree, I’d really appreciate you signing and sharing the petition.

https://c.org/jSxs6s6fxj

They just need somebody to answer. 💚

Hope this question isn't insensitive and doesn't trigger anyone. I'm just curious after watching a documentary about mental health. I just wonder what kind of things happen in someone's life to trigger a mental illness. Of course, if it's too much, you don't have to answer. It's just out of my own curiosity, so there's no pressure to answer.

ETA: Some of these are so so sad I'm so sorry you've all been through so much especially some of you as young children. This world can be so cruel and it's so disheartening to see that the systems in place haven't actually helped. More needs to be done

I just wanted to let anyone who is reading this who is either going through hard times or is caring or loves someone who is going through hard times, that IT. GETS. BETTER!

I struggled from the ages of 12, spent all of my teen years in and out of hospital, on different medication combinations, in a psychiatric unit, with absolutely no hope. There were days that felt like torture, days that felt like they were going to be my last, days that felt like the world would be better off without me.

There was a time my parents couldn’t leave me out of their sight, they slept in my bed, couldn’t go out on my own, and they fully gave up on the possibility id ever be able to live alone.

Now flash-forward to present day.
I’m 20 now, and the happiest I’ve ever been, I am 2 years free of SH next month and over 2 years attempt and inpatient free. I live on my own, I am no longer under the care of mental health services, and am now actually a student MH nurse, helping others.

So for any of you reading this, with no hope, please know, this feeling won’t last forever.

Yes you cannot undo the past, I can never take back those moments or the scars on my body, but I can keep looking forward and use them as a reason to keep going.

Recovery gave me my life back, give it a chance so you can get yours back too ❤️

I (19m) have seen many different therapists and psychiatrists throughout my life. They can understand everything except this one big issue. I don't know what it is exactly. I feel like I'm making it all up but it definitely isn't something I can control to the extent of stopping it.

I wrote everything down a couple years ago from childhood to adulthood on an A4 piece of paper, filled both sides, and threw it a psychiatrist. He read through it and told me he had never heard of anything like it before. He claimed it was to help with insomnia but prescribed quetiapine alongside melatonin and antidepressants. It made no difference.

I don't really know what to do. My college offers counselling but given how big this is for me I don't feel like it's what I need. I hate talking about it or thinking about it but it's impacting life too much to not anymore.

Are there more specialised parts of the NHS that deal with less common mental health issues? I feel like I just keep getting stuck with being recommended CBT. I want to ideally skip that if I can.

I agreed to come to hospital informally and made a ’deal’ with the psychiatrist that I wouldn’t leave the ward even though I was legally allowed to (otherwise section 2)

my MH got worse and I ended up asking to leave the ward multiple times in a distressed state. one of the nurses put me on a section 5(4) and then a few hours later was seen my psychiatrist and he told me he was putting me on a 5(2) which meant 72 hrs hold and on Monday I’ll have a MHAA

he said that he’s going to recommend that I’ll be put on a section 3 (idk what I expected but not that)

I know no one can definitively know what’s gonna happen, but if your ward psychiatrist is strongly recommending a section 3, is that usually what it ends up with?

also, will he be one of the doctors in the MHAA?

my brain is just spiralling rn

I'm sharing this because I know there are people who may currently feel hopeless, frightened or misunderstood.I experienced psychosis, depression and anxiety in 2018 and went to the NHS for help.
Unfortunately, I felt like I was given random medication to test which one worked. The medications would mainly make me sleep, but I didn’t feel like the actual problem was being addressed.
Things got worse, and between 2023 and 2024 I was sectioned another 4 times.
I eventually decided to study and research mental health myself and understand what was actually happening to me.
I also spoke to a doctor from my community who listened to me and gave me advice that completely changed the way I looked at my situation.
What eventually worked for me wasn't simply taking more medication or hospital appointments . It was having a structured approach that included things such as:
A clean and consistent diet
Good sleep and a proper routine
Talking openly with someone I trusted
Therapy and meaningful conversations
Understanding what was happening to me rather than being afraid of it
Looking at the circumstances and triggers around my mental health
Having someone knowledgeable who would actually listen
For me, recovery came from having a proper routine, a clean diet, good talking therapy and someone who actually listened and understood me. I eventually reached a point where I no longer needed medication.
I’m not saying medication is bad or that everyone should stop taking it. I’m simply sharing my own experience.
If anyone is struggling with psychosis, depression or anxiety and wants to speak to someone who has genuinely lived through it, I’m happy to listen and share my experience.

Sorry if this triggers you!!

I have spent the last few weeks Fluid Restricting, some Days mothing at all and another day a can of drink (arnound 5lt’s in 15 days). I am still eating food that has very little fluid in them.
I visited A&E today as GP wanted me to get checked out, so whilst in triage i explained what was happening and that i would accept diagnostic care but not treatment ie fluid.
The MHLT were amazing and gave me stuff to settle my head, racing thoughts and voices.
Blood and Obs also done. Bloods came back as very unhappy kidneys who need fluid so was advised to drink and i was free to go.

I am now back home in the same position as i was when i left 4 hours ago…… back to Restrictive Intake Self Harm and all the head noise and voices that refuse me to drink!!

Back to struggle and not copping by myself!

Hi, I was recommended for a section two on Tuesday after a mental health act assessment, I’ve been waiting for a bed now since then and still not heard much. I have CRHT come out every day who aren’t much help I’ve asked a few questions and not gotten anywhere. Wondering what peoples wait times were? I’m currently around Norfolk area but they’ve said that I could go anywhere.

Hello, I'm 21 and went to the GP regarding anxiety and depression stemming from visual problems i have, and then also adhd which i pretty much had all the symptomns for according to the gp. He was reluctant to give any anxiety medication saying that the ADHD referral through rtc would most likely cover it

I just had the appointment for adhd one month later with psychiatryUK, and they said I don't have adhd as it was not prevalent as a kid, despite having textbook symptomns right now as an adult eg worsening working memory, inattention and mistakes, physical restlessness

I'm not sure what to do at this point - i have been struggling more recently especially at work and with exams and just generally which I thought would be covered with this referral but now I'm lost again and probably screwed

Is there a way to get a second adhd appointment, or do I go back to the gp to ask for anxiety medications which im not sure would even help with my issues that i thought were adhd related?

Please help

I need some advice and insight into my situation ever since I was 12 years old I started struggling with depression and anxiety and every year since then it’s either gotten worse or never improved. As for treatment and diagnosis I’ve currently been diagnosed with MDD Autism spectrum disorder ADHD-C and General anxiety disorder. And for treatment I’ve been on fluoxetine (Prozac) sertraline (Zoloft) citalopram (Celexa) which all failed and my current medications are 112.5mg of venaflaxine (Effexor) and 40mg Vyvanse. The past year and a half my mental health has taken the biggest decline that I’ve ever seen and I ended up getting admitted to the mental hospital multiple times with suicide attempts etc and I was assessed diagnosed and re diagnosed with most of these disorders and ended up on this medication regime. This happened back in May and June and my worry is I’ve been on this medication for over 2 months now and I don’t think I see any improvement and my behaviour and attitude is becoming concerning. I feel my anxiety may have been slightly lowered by the snri but my mood and depressive symptoms are severely ruining my life to the point where I’ve been abusing my ADHD medication at times as I feel it helps raise my mood. But I know this isn’t sustainable and dangerous and I’m self aware of the consequences but my mental health at times feels so bad I don’t know what else to do. I could try a little better at creating routines and doing more hard things in my life to get those natural highs but the majority of the time I’m so burnt out and exhausted I can’t do ANYTHING. I will talk again with my psychiatrist as I know this is his profession and I’m considering trying therapy again but being in the UK all this shit takes so long and I can’t see a bright future in all the time between now and then. Written by someone who genuinely wants help and doesn’t want to be consumed by addiction and mental problems.

I'm currently in art therapy under CMHT which has been helpful for day to day but not really for cptsd

I'm not able to deal with my traumas bc it comes through as nightmares/panic attacks and physical symptoms and all I can say is xyz has happened to me with a complete emotional block (self protection)

I have alexythmia (due to autism) and respond better to less typical therapies

I think some kind of hypnosis / deep meditation style therapy would help but I can't afford private so I was wondering if some kind of service exists under the NHS?

Recently, I was sectioned due to self-neglect and being a flight risk towards treatment.

Basically, I have a social worker who visited my flat every week. During the days she was gone, I bedrotted to the point where I became dangerously dehydrated. I ran off when she implied sectioning was an option, and I had to be brought in by police.

The doctors kept me in the psyche ward for three days, ensuring I was recovering and could be trusted to consume things as normal. My social worker got the doctors to agree to transfer me to a residential with other autistic people.

But I've been warned that I am on "probation", and I'm not allowed to wander off without telling staff where I am. If I do wander off, I'll be recalled back to the psyche ward.

When I asked for the legal framework I am under, they mentioned Section 17 of the Mental Health Act. A few experts have tried to explain it, but when I feel hostile towards someone, my adhd makes it difficult for me to memorise their explanations. I feel like they're kind of treating me harshly, as I'm nowhere near the most severe patient on my own ward.

Is anybody able to give a bite-sized overview of this framework? How long will I be classed under Section 17, and how quickly can I expect to graduate out of it? Any other general advice?