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Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Unknown userMember01 Mar 2020, 12:12 pm AEDT

Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

*POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING, BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO TRIGGER ANYONE.*

And if this isn't posted in an appropriate thread, feel free to move it.

Hi all. I have some questions please, but please note that I'm not going to do anything or go there, these are just questions.

What happens when you call 000 (I assume you would ask for Ambulance or Police?) for mental health, so say if you were going to do something or attempted or just that the thoughts were really strong, or if you couldn't get through to somewhere like Lifeline? (I've never called for this reason).
If you went to a triage, what do they do? Do they just put you on heaps of meds and admit you, or can they just support you (kind of like a group where you share your story with others, or?)

I ask this because my Psychiatrist referred me to the local triage, but when I exchanged phone calls with them, they were all extremely rude and unhelpful and refused to help me or even let me ask questions, or tell me anyone that could help me. They said that they don't even know why my Psychiatrist wasted his time because they're not going to help me and they just admit people rather than give them support or tell me who else can help. Yes I told my Psychiatrist this, and my new GP.

As mentioned above, I'm not going to do anything, I'm just curious.

Thanks. Also please note I'm not trying to trigger anyone, just questions, hence why I wrote that up the top in caps.

I'll tag everyone below that I've talked to on the forums.

@Former-Member @NNY @Bunniekins @eth @Valentine @MDT @CheerBear @TheVorticon @Shaz51 @Snowie @outlander @Faith-and-Hope @Sans911 @WriterMelb @TAB (I hope I got all of the usernames right. No one has to reply if they're unsure or don't want to)

65 replies

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In response to: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

MDTSenior Contributor01 Mar 2020, 12:39 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Not sure either @Former-Member

@Mod would know maybe

In response to: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Sans911Senior Contributor01 Mar 2020, 1:15 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

He there @Former-Member

Sounds like your triage is like a mental health triage service, a bit like ATT or CTT (acute treatment team or community treatment team) as CheerBear mentioned in her post. Not knowing the details of the conversation it's hard to comment on their response but it certainly doesn't appear to be helpful. Perhaps all they do is determine risk, and admit you if that risk is high. You should definitely feed this information back to your pyschiatrist because 1. He needs to know this, and 2. Come up with some alternative(oops, I just re-read in your post you dud this). Ive found one of the best telephone crisis or support services to be the Suicide Call Back Service. They have pyschologists and other trained professionals who really seem to validate you and listen. They won't call an ambulance or police unless you have hurt yourself.

If you present to the Emergency department of a hospital triage that is a bit different. Again they determine your risk of harm to yourself or others, and if necessary they'll admit you. You'll probably talk to a mental health nurse as well as the on call pyschiatrist. You might be offered medication to help calm you down but up to you if you take it.

If you call 000 and you are suicidal then an ambulance will be despatched to take you to hospital if that's what you want. You don't have to have harmed yoirself to call an ambulance. You just need to be at a high risk of harm. Sometimes you might also get the police who again will come out to talk with you. They might call the mental health triage service when they see you but if you told them not to call them they have to respect that. The police can also take you to the hospital. I have had both services deal with me in suicidal crises. It's never pleasant but most of the time the personnel are kind and understanding.

I hope this and other responses is helpful.

In response to: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

BlueBaySenior Contributor01 Mar 2020, 2:08 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Hi @Former-Member

Ive called lifeline before and told them I was going to sh. They stayed in the phone while he called an ambulance. He hung up when he was sure the ambulance were there. I was taken to hospital where I was seen by a mental health clinician and then stayed in short stsy overnight. Also given a med to calm down. When I left they gave me their number to call.
another few times I've been admitted but in a short stsy mentsl health unit. Agsin treated with respect.
I've rung 000 before and asked for ambulance because I wasn't well but then ended up talking to the CAT team.
I hope you can find someone who is caring and helpful.

In response to: Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Unknown userMember01 Mar 2020, 2:55 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Hi @BlueBay @Sans911 @MDT @CheerBear @WriterMelb , thanks for your replies. It's fine if you don't know the answers.

As for my Psychiatrist, I've told him that they refused to help and tell me others who can, he said "well they're a ridiculous service then." I guess he can't call because I talk to him on Skype but I don't know.

As for an on call Psychiatrist, I'd rather just have my own rather than someone else.

I don't know if I need any support, I don't know what to do. I'll ask him and my GP when I see them again. Thanks anyway for the replies. I hope I didn't upset anyone or trigger anybody, sorry

In response to: Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

MDTSenior Contributor01 Mar 2020, 3:02 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

@musicfan_x

Lifeline or Beyondblue chat are quite good too. Sometimes I use the online chat on beyondblue and also sane chat if it works.

In response to: Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Unknown userMember01 Mar 2020, 3:05 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Yeah I've used those before @MDT .

Last time I talked to BB on their web chat this lady was rude, she was like "what can I do for you" and I told her that I was upset because of being bullied on the forums and she basically said "oh well I can't help with that" so I said "sorry for being a burden and wasting your time" and she seemed to agree and hung up the chat, this was 5 mins or less, so that was upsetting

Does anyone have any coping strategies though? @BlueBay @Sans911 @CheerBear @WriterMelb and anyone else I forgot to tag

In response to: Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

MDTSenior Contributor01 Mar 2020, 3:12 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Sometimes I have found similar @Former-Member

Once I went to hospital because I was feeling horrible and also suicidal. The nurse there was sassy and gave me attitude. It was very unprofessional.

Sadly sometimes this does happen but it shouldn't be seen as a charaterisation of everyone that works in the system. Other times I have spoken to people or seen people and they've been very helpful.

It's the nature of the beast.

In response to: Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

MDTSenior Contributor01 Mar 2020, 3:13 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

In terms of coping strategies I find distraction can work quite well @Former-Member I've been doing that this whole weekend.

In response to: Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Unknown userMember01 Mar 2020, 3:14 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Sorry to hear that @MDT , that's not right.

My Psychiatrist is the only therapist who has been nice to me and taken me seriously and tried to understand my situation so the loneliness, lack of professional support, not being able to meet people and get a job, etc.

But the new GP I saw on Friday was nice too, just waiting to see if she's faxed the referral to my Psychiatrist to see if he gives her old and/or new details about me (yes I consented to that). It's on my file on the Telehealth company's website so I always read them. I'll ask them again tomorrow to pass the email onto my Psychiatrist if they haven't yet (sometimes it annoys me doing that)

In response to: Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Unknown userMember01 Mar 2020, 3:16 pm AEDT

Re: Triage questions (not sure what else to name the topic)

Yeah I've tried to do that it's just not easy for me unfortunately @MDT

These meds make my mouth and lips really dry (I think that's a common side effect for this med and any med similar, antidepressants or not).

They make me drowsy, at night time though, but that's also normal

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