[Hoppery]

Anyone know what a mental health professional reviewing all aspects of your mental health involves? I got a 2 hour appointment tomorrow with a mental health nurse specialist and a tad nervous. If I know what it will sort of roughly involve, it will put my mind at ease. I didn't know where else to put it. This section of the forum seems the best and most friendliest place. All explanations are appreciated.

[kaliope]

its usually just a bunch of general questions reviewing your family history, your social history, educational, legal, medical, substance abuse and mental health. I don't think they would get too deeply involved in any of it, so don't stress too much. good luck and take care.

[sweepy62]

wishing you lots of luck, please let us know tomorrow, I know its a bunch of questions but you will do very well, I have been keeping up with your posts.

[Lauliza]

Hi there,

You will do just fine. Like everyone has said it is just a series questions to get to know you and learn why you are seeking treatment. They block the time but many times the session doesn't last the full 2 hours. Good luck :-)

[Hoppery]

Okay, I went. It went great. He didn't do the assessments. He actually said, after reading what you wrote for me, we don't need to do the assessment because I know how I can help you. He said, I don't do this for everyone. It's not my job. My job is to give you meds, check your blood pressure ect.. But he said, he wants to help me. Even though I told him I'll be a lot of hard work. He is doing a bit of therapy too with me as he has done it once before with another patient. But said, he won't go too deep into my past as he wants to deal with what is happening now with me. I was glad, I didn't want to go into my past. It's too painful to remember lol. So I'm seeing him once every 3 weeks so I can trust him and get to know him. And we'll go from there. He's kind and caring. And funny, makes you laugh. Everything you want in a mental health professional really. At the end when we walked out he said to me, you still don't believe that I want to help you because I care do you? I just smirked. Dunno how he knew that!

He also said that did he know it'd be a lot of work for me to get where he and I want me to be. And that I will have to put in a lot of work as well as him.

[Perna]

I'm glad it went well for you and was what you were hoping for!

[Lauliza]

I'm very glad it went well for you. It sounds like you found someone who's going to be great!

[Hoppery]

Yeah... I just feel like he's going to abandon me at some point though :/

Like he'll realise that I'm not going anywhere fast and get tired of dealing with me always questioning my trust in him. Or that I'm not a quick fix. I don't even want to feel or think this way, but I just can't help it. Every time I've had something good, it's always ended up going. And since this sort of doing therapy with me isn't his job really, he could say he thought it wasn't helping me even if I thought it was! And then I'd be back to square one.

[Lauliza]

Originally Posted by Hoppery

Yeah... I just feel like he's going to abandon me at some point though :/

Like he'll realise that I'm not going anywhere fast and get tired of dealing with me always questioning my trust in him. Or that I'm not a quick fix. I don't even want to feel or think this way, but I just can't help it. Every time I've had something good, it's always ended up going. And since this sort of doing therapy with me isn't his job really, he could say he thought it wasn't helping me even if I thought it was! And then I'd be back to square one.

That's always a fear in therapy since it's true at some point it does end. I'll point out that since I notice you say you have Asperger's, and your doctor is aware of this, then he knows you're not there for a "quick fix". Aspergers improves but it's not a mental illness, so it's not going to be cured.

If you don't mind my asking, do you belong to any support or social groups specifically for people with Asperger's? That might be an avenue to look at for making connections. That way you don't have all your focus on one person? That would make anyone anxious.

[Hoppery]

No, I have no one. Except A who is a (Mental Health Nurse Specialist).

I have a hard time maintaining friendships. I'm waiting for a support worker at the moment. Although A talked about how I had to imagine myself when this was finished and where would I be. I told him vaguely what I thought and when I came home, I've wrote down in more details what I want to gain from him helping me.

[Lauliza]

That's good that you can envision where you might like to see yourself. A lot of what's involved in maintaining relationships are skills. They're innate in many people but they can be learned if you need to. So if you have a desire to connect with people, help with social relationship skills will be hugely helpful. Even things that seem basic like conversational skills can be learned if you find you're lacking in them.

[Hoppery]

Okay. A. said that when he read my poems and notes, they really brought out his emotions. He actually seemed to be struggling to read them at some points. He kept taking deep breaths and to me it seemed to be hard for him to finish reading them. It also took a good while and after reading each one he asked me questions and about what experiences were they based on. Does that mean he felt sad when he read them?

He also said near the end of the 2 hour long get to know each other sort of session, that even after everything that I've been through, that I still care about the world and that now is the time to care about myself. I felt sad after he said that. Because I had finally found someone that got me. After all of these years. In some places I was near tears because he was being so kind to me but thankfully he didn't seem to notice.. Or if he did, he didn't tell me.

He said aswell that I have to be prepared to take risks and it's going to be a lot of work and was I ready for the challenge.

Sounds like you have found a good one!

[Hoppery]

He's just gave me his email and said he is happy for me to contact him if I need too.

[Lauliza]

That is really wonderful to hear, he sounds very sincere. He really cares.

[Hoppery]

Originally Posted by amee200

That is really wonderful to hear, he sounds very sincere. He really cares.

Yes, that's what I think atm. I don't know if its an act yet or not, but I will see in time. Wait and see. He knows trust has to be earned and vice versa. He already 'gets' me in most parts of what he has said so far. He knows I have secrets. He probably has guessed one of them as he has seen the scars when he checked my blood pressure. He seems to almost be able to read my mind. He knows I don't believe he cares. He seems to see what others have ignored or blanked out.