"Depression, anxiety, where is the help?"

I have suffered from depression and related symptoms like anxiety, difficulty sleeping etc. for around 15 years. I agreed to go to New Craigs on a voluntary basis and was there for two weeks. These were, without a doubt, the two worst weeks of my life so far.

I was shown my room, had blood taken (I was told to roll up my sleeve, this did not seem voluntary), my bag was searched and then I was basically left in this room...

I felt too anxious most of the time to leave said room, this fact was ignored; I even got a snort of derision from a psychiatrist when I mentioned this.

I have difficulty sleeping. Loud alarms go off in this place regularly, nurses open your door every hour and cleaning crews come in most days. When you can't sleep this is like torture.

Because I couldn't really come out of my room, I survived on packet food for two weeks, these were brought to me by a friend.

A lot of the time I was just sitting there shaking with anxiety and trying to concentrate on books. I feel this was ignored by the psychiatrist.

At the end of the two weeks I was told by the psychiatrist that I was basically a liar and wanted attention. If I wanted attention then why did I want them to just stay out of my room or actually provide some help!

I came out worse than I went in and immediately started drinking myself to sleep.

Never again. I will not step foot in that place.

What I have typed here is my experience and truthful.