"I find it sad that people are left in limbo"

I was diagnosed with depression back in April 2009, and I am still to this date considered a moderate risk, but still in that time, despite being sent for several assessments and promised one to one counseling I have only had 15 weeks of group therapy, and been on a couple of different anti depressants at various dosages.

I have basically been told by my GP, Crisis Teams, Assessments Teams, and Psychological Therapists that I am stuck on a waiting list that never gets shorter than 6 months no matters how long I am on it, unless I become a risk to myself or others. This is despite mentioning that I have considered suicide and have self harmed in the past.

From speaking to other people, I can see this isn't an isolated case and I find it sad that people are left in limbo until they either give up or go private, and a lot of people cannot afford to go private. All most people want is to get better, and not give up despite feeling like there is no hope.

Most of the staff I have met have been very sympathetic, and I believe they too feel a sense of anger at the situation, so I am mainly annoyed at the people who are in charge of this system, surely they should be trying to prevent people from getting worse.

I cannot see what good being given tablets and told to wait on a waiting list that is always at least 6 months minimum does. Distraction techniques are not always good enough when you reach a very dark period, and in my experience there is little support from crisis teams, unless again you are suicidal. It has been a vicious circle.