"Useful, friendly but insufficient"

I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety by my GP, who recommended iCope, as I prefer to avoid medication as much as possible. I self-referred online which was an easy process. I waited a reasonable time (a couple of weeks) before I saw my appointed counsellor face-to-face at the clinic. I was treated with respect and attentiveness. CBT was used for my treatment, which consisted of an online app called Silver Cloud and a phone-call every two weeks to assess my progress and provide advice. Silver Cloud contains useful tools applicable in daily life that helped me a bit to see my problems from different perspectives. This led to fewer mood swings, slightly better energy levels, and a more pragmatic self-assertiveness. The phone calls were also of great help as I tend to feel loneliness and at the same time a reluctance to communicate with other people, which sends me spiralling into depression. My biggest problem, however, is linked to the type of work I do and the impact it has had on my mental health. Having a person to talk to who is qualified and has empathy is uplifting. I always felt more hopeful after the calls. I was able to get further help from iCope with advice on job hunting, CV writing, interview techniques and loads of motivation and encouragement. It might not be effective for everyone but it has helped me to manage my stress better. I can keep the app for a year, although all the principles are easy to learn and remember. You can also refer again later if necessary. I have to say, however, that this is not a miracle cure, just a way of combating stress without depending on pharmaceutical remedies and potential side-effects. It would be nice if there was a follow-up service, like a call every couple of months or an email to see how you’re doing. D&A is not something that we can just package away and store in a dark corner of the attic. Unfortunately we are stuck with it and apparently it’s almost an epidemic in large metropolitan areas. It is very easy to slip back into notions of abandonment and hopelessness, so I would highly recommend to iCope, even by reading some of the other feedback on these pages, to consider post-treatment enquiries for their discharged patients to assess how they are coping.