Venting University mental health services are fucking awful

[Citruscine]

I went to the counselling office trying to see someone to talk to because I can't kill myself right now due to responsibilities, but dealing with suicidal thoughts all the time makes it really fucking hard to get through university.

The secretary couldn't book me in until several weeks out because of lack of scheduling availability, so I asked to talk to a same day counsellor tomorrow as I had class later in the day and the office would close before then. The secretary seemed to assume that I was just trying to get a sooner appointment and said rudely that those could only be booked on the day of and that they were only for crises. There were other people in line behind me and I couldn't explain myself because I was so anxious so I just said sorry and left.

How would she know whether or not I was in a crisis situation? I was seriously considering ctb-ing yesterday but had to talk myself down myself because I have no one else to talk to. If I can't access mental health resources in a timely manner, and I can't access the crisis resources (aside from helplines which have been useless in my experience or getting myself sent to a psych ward again by calling emergency services) wtf am I supposed to do?? Like fuck me, I guess I'll go k*ll myself then.

It makes me so mad how prolifers always talk about how suicidal people could just sort out their lives by "accessing mental health resources" or "talking to someone", but that doesn't change the fact that so many services are shit or inaccessible. Prolifer organizations should be more focused on improve mental health care instead of trying to shut one of the only forums for people to talk honestly about their suicidality.

Prolifers: "You're suicidal? Please talk to someone, it gets better I promise"
Suicidal people: *Make a forum to talk amongst themselves*
Prolifers: "Why are they making a community to talk about suicide?!?! We need to stop them!"

 

[FuneralCry]

Those pro lifer organisations don't even care about suicidal people in any way, nobody does, suicidal people are treat badly everywhere. Pro lifers just want to force people to exist, they couldn't care less about the quality of the persons life.

 

[TransilvanianHunger]

Sorry you've had to deal with that. I was talking to my therapist yesterday about the generalised failure of mental health care systems. I think we are essentially playing catch-up after ignoring mental health for so long. There are not enough resources, people aren't trained or educated enough to understand or provide support. It's all a bit of a mess.

Prolifers: "You're suicidal? Please talk to someone, it gets better I promise"
Suicidal people: *Make a forum to talk amongst themselves*
Prolifers: "Why are they making a community to talk about suicide?!?! We need to stop them!"

This actually made me chuckle :)

 

[Huntfish34]

Damnnt , that seriously fckn blows. Sorry the secretary was being a bitch and that you weren't able to see anyone. What a Truly sad state of affairs we live in today, kinda makes me want to puke honestly.

I hope things can change for the better, take care of yourself if possible.

 

[jodes2]

Yeah that secretary was a clueless ignorant bitch. I've found all secretaries are like that. They're fucking useless. They should actually fucking train people to be more assertive about people in crisis for a start. Not that much can help. Medication is shit, therapy is shit. Support is shit. It's all shit. We just have to fucking suffer

 

[hungry_ghost]

I swear it's like the worst people work in occupations that require empathy and compassion.

 

[Unending]

I've definitely noticed this in abundance. In my experience, it's been visible in mental health workers of all kinds more times than I think is acceptable.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

If you would have been able to tell the secretary that you were in crisis, you would have gotten a same day appointment?

 

[blackroseRM]

I've had similarly awful experiences when I was in university. This was over a decade ago now, but when I tried to get some support and talk to a therapist at my uni, after just two sessions she flat-out told me I was "above her training level" and she couldn't do anything for me. While I appreciated her honesty and her not attempting to treat a patient she clearly could not handle, I was left out in the proverbial and literal cold, in major mental crisis, with not even so much as a reference. IT was awful. I'm sorry you're experiencing much the same. I don't think university centers realize how impactful the things they say and do are.

 

[Citruscine]

If you would have been able to tell the secretary that you were in crisis, you would have gotten a same day appointment?

I mean, you're not wrong. But social anxiety is a bitch and when I'm already struggling to get help, one more barrier in the form of judgement from administration really made everything feel worse. I can barely even get myself to tell the counsellor I'm feeling suicidal after weeks of spiralling and in the moment, having to admit it in public to a secretary glaring at me and the pressure of people waiting and listening behind me was too much.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

I mean, you're not wrong. But social anxiety is a bitch and when I'm already struggling to get help, one more barrier in the form of judgement from administration really made everything feel worse. I can barely even get myself to tell the counsellor I'm feeling suicidal after weeks of spiralling and in the moment, having to admit it in public to a secretary glaring at me and the pressure of people waiting and listening behind me was too much.

I hear what you're saying, but it sounds like in your circumstances, that if you really want to get the help your university is offering, you're going to have to step outside your comfort zone a bit and be straight with them and tell them you're in crisis and need help now and not later.

 

[hellispink]

This reminds me of when I talked to the psychology service in my university. They decline me the help. I also told them of my abuser which attended the same school, even talked to the Dean, and all they said was try to avoid him in the hallways/buildings. No one gives a shit honestly. No one should waste their time going to places like those .

 

[Citruscine]

I hear what you're saying, but it sounds like in your circumstances, that if you really want to get the help your university is offering, you're going to have to step outside your comfort zone a bit and be straight with them and tell them you're in crisis and need help now and not later.

True, thanks for the advice, though this post was more of a vent and was tagged as such. Maybe I should have posted this in the "Off topic" section instead?