"A real help"

I would like to say thank you for a wonderful service that has been such a help in my long journey towards recovery. A big thank you to my Mental Health and Well-Being Practitioner especially, who has seen me through from a crying wreck to a strong person able to tackle life's bombshells.

My journey started in July last year when I had a day case procedure. The day was traumatic for me and I had a major panic attack, the like of which I had not known before. The nursing staff were kind but didn't have the resource to help and my husband hadn't been allowed to stay with me. I felt frightened and very alone.

Thereafter, I experienced panic attacks in stressful circumstances and life became very difficult. I never knew when they would occur and I felt out of control. I didn't feel that I was coping, my confidence was diminishing and I was aware that my mental health was deteriorating dramatically. I sought help from my doctor and accepted that I may need a course of anti-depressants. However, I was very reluctant to take this path, particularly as I was told that medication would take some time to work and that initially I may feel worse.

My doctor was extremely reassuring and discussed alternatives to medication. She recommended your service and suggested I try a mental health support App to use daily on my phone. This does help.

Enter my Practitioner who was calm and understanding, accepting my crying on the phone as normal and giving me ways of coping. I don't think I was an easy person to deal with but my practitioner was reassuring and gradually it became easier to talk. I needed to make an important decision about treating my condition. This was to repeat the procedure which had triggered my panic attacks or take the path of a fairly major operation with significant risks.

I felt that I just couldn't deal with it all. However, I was given strategies to cope, weekly exercises to do and suggestions for building my confidence. A part of this process was to try things that might bring inclination to panic, alongside strategies to cope.

With support, I decided to go ahead with the operation, the biggest thing I have ever done. I didn't feel that I would be able to get through the hospital doors, but was given the support I needed. We envisaged a ladder which I needed to climb. Week by week we talked about the next rungs of the ladder and how far I had progressed. I found this process very helpful. My journey to full health is on-going but I am doing well. I am so grateful for the help I received. Of course I still need to cope with anxiety but no more big panic attacks.

I am so grateful for your service and can't thank you enough. My journey has been a long and painful but I've made it through. Not once did our talks leave me feeling that I was odd, unusual or needing to pull myself together. Being listened to was so important to me. I have been assured that I can ask for a referral back to your services if necessary. Thank you again.