"I have serious mental health problems but no support"

I was sent to Arndale Mental Health Resource Centre, Glasgow initially in November 2021 and was a patient there till August 2022.

On that appointment a psychiatric nurse came over straight into my face, making me lower my face mask and looking down my throat, insulting me by disbelieving what I said to him and taking advantage of my fragile mental state. He broke the Covid distance rules and entered, without my consent, into my private space, where I felt threatened and intimidated. He was there to do a psychiatric assessment, not abuse me and look down my throat. For a healthcare worker to do these things to a patient is diabolical.

At that same appointment they did not listen to a word I said, made light of my problems and never took into the consideration the severity of my mental health, where I was extremely suicidal and wanted to kill myself. They asked irrelevant questions, were rude to me with judgemental outbursts, and did not allow me to talk in full about what I wanted to say.

They also left me, a very suicidal person, to leave the premises without any contact details about anyone or anywhere, in case I needed to contact someone if I needed mental health support. They said I had Asperger’s syndrome, even though only ASD professionals can diagnose that.

When I finally got to speak to a psychiatrist, they phoned me fifteen minutes late and took only twenty minutes of what was meant to be an hour-long telephone consultation. I felt they did not take into account the fragile state of my mental health and my willingness to commit suicide. They did not provide the medication required nor strongly state the need for me to be on anti-depressants. I felt the psychiatrist did absolutely nothing to help me.

In a year of dealing with them, I only got one 20-minute phone call and one half-hour webcam appointment. I felt they did not listen to a word I said, did not take into consideration the seriousness of my mental health and did not diagnose me with the problems I clearly have. I believe the professional I spoke to broke my confidentiality by putting our conversation on the NHS staff website. I have seen the records now and they are a distortion of what I said. I believe my problems were totally ignored, and I did not feel any empathy for the horrors I have endured in life. I need serious mental health support, but they did not provide this, did not help or diagnose my problems.

I have all the symptoms of schizophrenia and anyone can see that, but not them. I have no diagnosis and no treatment for this condition. I am left to suffer alone.

Then without my knowledge or consent I was removed from Arndale services and despite my doctor and myself trying to find another mental health service, I have been unable to get any necessary treatment or support for what is now over seven months because Arndale and HSCP are refusing to allow me to attend another mental health service anywhere in Glasgow or East Dunbartonshire. I therefore have been left to suffer with all my mental health problems for over seven months now without a proper diagnosis, support, treatment or any help whatsoever.

I have serious problems with my mental health and right now I have no mental health support whatsoever, from anyone or anywhere. They have all failed me for now what is over a year. I am left to suffer alone with what is probably schizophrenia, and I am left alone to suffer because of Arndale.

I have tried to kill myself on many occasions. I feel that trying to access care has made me a lot worse mentally than I was before.