Users’ stories

Thanks so much to the courageous service users who have emailed us their stories (saveleedscrisiscentre@gmail.com):

Post natal depression drove me close to suicide

I had unusually severe post-natal depression after the birth of my second child, ending up spending two months in a psychiatric mother and baby unit. In the months leading up to my hospitalization as I was finding it increasingly difficult to cope, the Leeds Crisis Centre’s staff members were extremely supportive, and the fact that I was able to access counselling within twenty-four hours of making an initial phone-call was particularly helpful. I will always be especially grateful to Leeds Crisis Centre for helping our family through this difficult time, and really can’t recommend this service highly enough.
 
I had never had any kind of mental illness, didn’t know much about depression and wasn’t really aware that anxiety or psychosis existed.  I never thought I was the ‘type’ to get depression, but I now realize that anyone can get ill.  I felt fine during my pregnancy and, because I had a small bump and very few physical problems, I perhaps tried to do too much when I was pregnant. 
 
When I had my second baby, I wanted to carry on being super-mum, and for a while I managed it, even though I knew I didn’t feel as happy as I had with my first.  I put that down to being more jaded and tired with the second, and thought nothing of it.  However, after a few months I was feeling quite low and, as the six months maternity leave began to near its end, I became increasingly anxious.  My insomnia went to extreme lengths at this stage where, without any exaggeration, I wouldn’t get more than a couple of hours’ sleep for a two week period, and this meant I was hallucinating and hearing things.  I hadn’t enjoyed my maternity leave and was desperate to go back to a job that I love, but I knew I couldn’t function.  To cut a long story short, after (briefly) trying anti-depressants, I planned suicide one sleepless night by jumping up on the roof of my house, but the police found me and I decided to come down….

….around this time, I was fortunate enough to have counselling sessions at the Leeds Crisis Centre, where the excellent counsellor Read more….

I didn’t have a year to wait for help: I needed it then:

“the waiting list to see a councillor or psychiatrist can be up to a year and with hand on heart without the intervention of the crisis centre i dont think i would be here to tell my story. the fact is mental health can affect people from all walks of life. i was a hard working business woman when my life did a somersault and turned upside down and i didnt have a year to wait for help i needed it then and there so it absolutely terrifies me that maybe a few months down the line there maybe somebody like me but then who do they have to turn to. “

“i shudder to think how the suicide rate will be affected because if this was a year down the line i most certainly dont think i would now be sat here typing this. thankyou leeds crisis centre and my daughter thanks you too”

To my counsellor: “you have pure gift for turning my negative feelings into more positive ones it would be a great shame for this gift of yours to go wasted.. thankyou and i really do hope you will be councilling people for the long distant future.”

It was a situation I just couldn’t face on my own:

I am appalled at the news that Leeds City Council is threatening to close the Leeds Crisis Centre, because I have first hand experience of just what a lifeline the service provides.

I had been struggling with dark feelings for a while and indulging in inappropriate drug taking that was really threatening to tear my family life apart. I was terrified of what I felt I’d become and I was completely lost as to what to do and who to turn to.

Thank god I went to the Leeds Crisis Centre first. I was astonished by the swiftness and effectiveness of their assistance. I had an initial phone call that was followed up within less than a day by another phone call, offering me counselling at the Leeds Counselling centre. Within one week of me making that call, I was seeing a brilliant and amazing counsellor who helped me very quickly take control of the crisis I felt I was in.  Read more….

My only option was Leeds Crisis Centre

Two years ago I needed emergency counselling to help me deal with events that were occurring in my family life.  My mother has had psychological problems for the last 24 years since I was 8 years old.  Over the years my mother has stopped talking to other members of our family.  During the years I have become the person who has been there to support her in times of need.  This also includes being verbally abused myself and being sent abuse directed at other members of my family.  Two years ago a series of these events occurred that left me emotionally unable to cope.  This meant that I struggled but I was also not able to provide the level of support my mother needed.   

I first of all went to see my GP who provided me with a list of counselling services.  Most services in Leeds are targeted at specific groups and I did not fit into any of those categories.  The generic options were Leeds Mind and the NHS.  Both were over subscribed with waiting lists of over 6 weeks.  I was told at the time that this was the norm.  Therefore, unless there has been a major shift in the last two years the council statement reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post is potentially untrue.  This claimed ‘it is difficult to justify continuing to run the crisis centre when significant provision from the NHS and the voluntary sector exists in the city.’ 

Therefore, my only option was Leeds Crisis Centre…..The counselling I received from the Crisis Centre was superb.  My life at that point was in turmoil and without an immediate intervention I’m not sure where I would be now.  Without the intervention at that point I am in no doubt my physical as well as mental health would have deteriorated further.  This downward spiral could have led me to lose my job and require more long term help from the mental and physical health services the NHS offers.   Read more…