"A "Resource" Centre with no resources"

To put it simply, even the good psychiatrists have few options.

I advise caution as the one I had was very detached and dismissive for the 5 years I saw them. After an initial prescription of mood stabilisers succeeded, they offered a course of CBT.  I believe nonspecific CBT should not have been prescribed due to my disclosed experience of emotional abuse. They then referred me for (I believe) psychoanalytic therapy, but I found I was not suitable for this treatment as my physical illness interfered with regular appointments and travel was too expensive.

After expressing visible frustration with me over these facts, they simply said there was nothing they could do and left me to yearly medication reviews. The final straw was what I felt was their complete ableism and ignorance when I suggested looking into autism, to the point where I felt they were lying to me about observations they had previously made. The hostility I found infuriating and - even if I was wrong - both dehumanising and ignorant of autistic people and their experiences.

I contacted my GP - one way NHS Scotland identifies as a way to change psychiatrist. The Resource Centre insisted I write them a letter as to why. I did - a short and terse one at that, specifying that I couldn't pursue treatment for my issues as I wasn't being treated with respect or professionalism.

I was transferred to another psychiatrist who is much more cooperative, and offered ADHD treatment based on my reported symptoms. I was enthusiastic about this route, and not being put through through a drawn-out diagnosis process after the success of medication. On the advice of my therapist, and after fearing that I may be treated worse because of a diagnosis, I did not mention autism this time.

I appreciated the honesty that there weren't any further resources for my ADHD besides therapy, which I was already in. I specifically asked about support groups or a website to help with managing my medicine and symptoms. I was advised that ADHD had only really existed for the past 5 years, presumably, meaning in adult NHS mental health, and that it was being worked on, but that was it. I am not being given annual medication reviews due to short staffing, though on my request I was not discharged from the service.

Unbelievably, I found out they have no admin staff right now. That explains the uncharacteristically incompetent reception response when I called earlier.

As you can see, the underlying issue is not a bad centre; it's the NHS failing to keep their medical staff informed, to provide basic and even inexpensive support options, and a result of the cost-cutting that leads to low staff numbers and poor quality.

This is not new from COVID. It has only worsened problems that were already unacceptable. I have little hope the staff who do care will be given anything better to work with soon. Nevertheless, they've never been bad at giving me pharmaceutical options, and that saved my life. For that it was far better than no treatment whatsoever.