The Struggles of Waiting: Andy Horner’s Fight for Mental Health Support
Andy Horner, known online as ‘Anxious Andy,’ is a 48-year-old man from Shepley, Huddersfield, who has been grappling with mental health challenges for years. Despite his long-term treatment at Folly Hall Mills, Andy has faced significant obstacles in accessing the specific therapy he needs for his Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD). For the past 12 months, Andy has been waiting for Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), essential for his condition, without any clear indication of when his treatment will begin.
A Crisis with No Immediate Help
During his wait for therapy, Andy’s mental health has severely deteriorated. He has experienced multiple overdoses and suicide attempts, frequently ending up in the emergency room. Each time, the crisis team directs him to A&E, a challenging prospect when he’s battling suicidal thoughts. Andy explains the dire situation: “I’m literally left to have overdoses. They’ll bring me in and they’ll just tell me that there’s a therapy that you need to be on but, as you know, because of the mental health cuts and things like that, I can’t get that therapy.”
The Uncertainty of Accessing Therapy
The uncertainty surrounding when and if Andy will receive the necessary therapy adds to his distress. The process involves numerous considerations, such as whether a spot becomes available and if Andy is deemed ready for the therapy. “It just depends when a place comes up,” Andy notes. “There are so many loopholes in whether you can have the therapy, whether you’re ready for it, whether you can commit to it.”
Impact on Livelihood and Everyday Life
The requirement to attend therapy sessions twice a week poses additional challenges for Andy, as it could interfere with his job and impact his earnings. This precarious balance between health and livelihood is a common issue for many individuals in similar situations, leading Andy to empathize with those who avoid seeking help due to these constraints.
A Call for Government Action
Andy believes that more substantial support from the government is necessary to address these issues. He urges the authorities to implement measures that would enable employers to better support individuals like him. “They [the government] need to put something in place for employers to give to people like me, because I’m costing the ambulance, I’m costing the police service.”
The Vicious Cycle of Crisis Management
Andy’s experiences highlight the inefficiencies within the current mental health support system. When he feels suicidal and contacts the crisis team, an ambulance is dispatched, leading to a cycle of emergency services utilization that ultimately brings him back to square one. “Now, I’ll take an ambulance up, the ambulance will come out to me, they’ll then send me to A&E, the mental health team will see me and say go home and rest or see your GP because there’s nothing we can do because you need therapy.”
A Traumatic Experience with Being Sectioned
At one point, Andy’s condition led to him being sectioned, an experience he describes as “horrendous.” The police forcibly entered his home, initially placing him in a police cell instead of a mental health suite. The suite he was eventually moved to was in poor condition, exacerbating his mental health struggles. “It was absolutely horrendous. It was a long night, over 24 hours. I was in there for a long time, just sat there, there’s no compassion.”
Finding Solace in Social Media
Despite the challenges, Andy has found some solace in social media. His Anxious Andy Facebook page, with 1.2 million followers, has become a lifeline. “I’m lucky to be here and I mean, what saved me, if you like and this might sound really cheesy, is actually my social media. I find that strangers, because I can’t talk about it to my family, I can’t keep going over it and over it, so I find that talking to my followers online actually gives me more support.”
A Need for Better Support Systems
The South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has stated they cannot comment on individual cases but are committed to supporting people with their mental health needs. However, Andy’s story underscores the urgent need for more effective mental health support systems and the critical role that timely and accessible therapy can play in the lives of those struggling with severe mental health conditions.
