Author Topic: Working in mental health  (Read 7340 times)

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Offline justine

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Working in mental health
« on: March 30, 2012, 08:40:50 PM »
Hi,

I really want to work in mental health, but i'm not sure where to work. I figured as a lot of people on this site have contact with people working in mental health. I have done research, but I can't find much information. I really want to help people, I like the idea of diagnosing mental illnesses, and working with people with mental health issues in general.

I've looked into being a mental health nurse, and that would be perfect, except for the nursing part. I don't think I could be that hands on, taking blood and doing stitches.

I want to help. I work in an office at the moment, and am happy to do so but i'd really like to be working with mental health.

Any ideas?
If you feel like life is a dark, worthless place, please know that you have just fallen down a hole and that impossible as it seems, you can climb out again, and see that life is really a beautiful place to be

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Offline hidden tears

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2012, 12:09:07 AM »
Most mh nurses dont do hands on really its more the talky stuff, especially if you work in the community, but it also applies to all the mh nurses ive come across as an ip too. Though giving injections would probably be necessary eg anti-psychotic depot. What about social work? my cc at the cmht is a sw and she does essentially the same role as a cpn.
There is also the counsellor/therapist/psychologist side of things to look at.

To do diagnosing, im pretty sure you'd have to be a dr and that would involve more hands on as you have to general training before you specialise in psychiatry.

From the advice and encouragement you give on here I think you'd make a good mh worker  :)
Hope that helps, even just a little bit.
*I lock away the pain and put away my fears, show you only my smiles and not my hidden tears *

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Offline justine

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2012, 08:10:04 AM »
Thanks for the reply, and yes I think I would be good at itm it's mostly the nursing bit that puts me off. It's the talky stuff that I'm interested in, injections Iguess I could do, as long as my job is mainly talking with the occasional injection. I don't want to do too much study work for it either, as in I need a job. The mental health nursing is an option though, as I know a bit about it already, even though it's 4 years, it involves working too so that would be ok. Hmm, social worker may be something to look into. a counsellor would be good, but it seems that if I don't train much, i will never get a well enough paid job, else I have to do 6 years of uni to get a masters in it, which is too much for me.

Thanks though, it helps give me something to think about
If you feel like life is a dark, worthless place, please know that you have just fallen down a hole and that impossible as it seems, you can climb out again, and see that life is really a beautiful place to be

http://www.nshn.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=74073.msg1702918#new

Offline greenday

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2012, 09:10:20 AM »
ya try your best dont give up be happy good day  :hug1:

Offline justine

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2012, 09:13:31 AM »
thanks x
If you feel like life is a dark, worthless place, please know that you have just fallen down a hole and that impossible as it seems, you can climb out again, and see that life is really a beautiful place to be

http://www.nshn.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=74073.msg1702918#new

Offline diamondwithaflaw

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2012, 09:29:30 AM »
Perhaps a quick chat with something like 'Mind' would help? Think they can help point in the right directions career wise, training wise, worth a call?

Offline justine

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2012, 09:48:50 AM »
ooh that sounds good, I'll give it a go :) thanks x
If you feel like life is a dark, worthless place, please know that you have just fallen down a hole and that impossible as it seems, you can climb out again, and see that life is really a beautiful place to be

http://www.nshn.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=74073.msg1702918#new

Offline Nightowl

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2012, 09:53:08 AM »
I volunteer with Mind and work 1 : 1 with people experiencing distress.  There's a lot of volunteering you could do to get some experience and a foot in the door.
When you feel like letting go, hold on.

Courage does not always roar.
Sometimes, it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,
"I will try again tomorrow".

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Offline bernie

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2012, 10:56:17 AM »
hope you don't mind me butting in. But I am interested to hear you volunteer for Mind. I would be interested in volunteering in some sort of capacity that would help people who have experienced mental health problems but at the moment find the m/h tag as putting would be employers off. Would such org's such as Mind be more helpful in giving work to s.o who is still having m/h problems?
Hubby is moaning about being on here now saying it will make me worse instead of trying to get better !!

Offline justine

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Re: Working in mental health
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2012, 11:05:22 AM »
It's ok, of course you can talk about mind her :).

What do you actually do when you volunteer? what does it involve? I had thought about just getting a normal office job, but in a mental health hospital or something, and volunteering to work closer with people
If you feel like life is a dark, worthless place, please know that you have just fallen down a hole and that impossible as it seems, you can climb out again, and see that life is really a beautiful place to be

http://www.nshn.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=74073.msg1702918#new