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Care Opinion

Uncontrolled anxiety and depression

Posted By Willliam Walllace

"Uncontrolled anxiety and depression"

About: General Practices in Grampian NHS Grampian

(as the patient),


I've suffered major depression on and off for 15 years and over the past 5 years developed anxiety & panic disorder. This was badly affecting my work as a senior manager and my private life.

My Inverurie GP was great. Calming, compassionate and caring. She helped me find the right medication and listened to my wish to get help exploring some of my inner demons. I was surprised to reasonably quickly get an appointment with a clinical psychologist Natalie. I was sceptical she could do anything much to help me. Previous counselling and CBT with a CPN had not helped me at all.

Natalie was excellent and I'm so grateful to have been referred to a psychologist. She helped me discover an entirely new conception about aspects of my history and how my mind worked to which I was previously oblivious. 

Natalie displayed all the values you'd hope from such a professional. Appointments were on time and she took into consideration my needs for future scheduling. Her expertise skillfully unlocked deeply buried and previously intangible aspects of my cognition that gave me new insights and hopefully ongoing freedom from the things that caused me so much pain. She made me feel safe, not ashamed and my privacy respected.

I now feel calm, happy and I'm flourishing in my job (despite continuing huge pressures). My wife and family say the old happy me has returned. I'm no longer frightened of a relapse and have acceptance that if I do suffer a relapse in the future I'll be able to deal with it.

I am so grateful to everyone involved from my GP to Natalie. Thank you NHS. You saved my life, the wellbeing of my family and my job. I honestly feel I could not have received better care.

Staff skills

Staff skills


Seeing the whole me

Seeing the whole me


Staff attitude

Staff attitude


Treatment

Treatment


Being listened to

Being listened to


Being given time

Being given time


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Responses

Response from Kirsten Dickson, Quality Improvement and Assurance Facilitator, Quality Improvement and Assurance Team, NHS Grampian 6 years ago
Kirsten Dickson
Quality Improvement and Assurance Facilitator, Quality Improvement and Assurance Team,
NHS Grampian

Submitted on 21/12/2017 at 12:05
Published on Care Opinion at 16:03

picture of Kirsten Dickson

Dear William Wallace,

It’s sad to read that you have suffered from major depression for such a long time without being able to find the right help – coping with this and the anxiety & panic disorder that followed must have been extremely tough for you and your family. But your story is heartwarming also, it feels calm and I can tell it’s written from a good place.

It is lovely to hear how supportive your GP has been in listening to you and providing care that is compassionate and calm, and that you didn’t have too much of a delay in being referred to see Natalie, who has made such a positive difference in your journey.

I will make sure that your story is passed to Inverurie Medical Practice and also to Natalie. Stories like yours are rewarding for staff to read and I’m sure they will be grateful that you have taken the time to write. I also hope that your positive story will help others who may be in a similar situation to see that although recovery isn’t always quick or easy – there is help there and it’s worth the hard work.

I’m also really glad to hear that you now have the confidence to deal with your future and wish you every success.

Take care,

Kirsten

(Thanks for using the picture cards feature on the site – they really help show what was most important to you).

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