Police and ambulance times getting to my house

[Hash]

 Unfortunately because what I use to self harm is seen as a weapon and I cut very deep when I cut the police always attend before the Ambulance crew. Normally I have put my sharps in a sharps box before they come but I am concerned because my self harming is risky that one day I will bleed to death before they get here. Is anyone else in the same boat.

The ambulance crew will always now wait for the police before they come near me, most of the time the police treat my injuries but even when they have said to the ambulance crew that the bleeding is serious the ambulance crew are so slow. I am in the capital which doesn't help.

Hash

[Je7]

Thats rubbish when an ambulance has been called for me (prob about 10-15 times) they have been really quick. When I had chest pain they arrived pretty much immediately. I guess it's probably just the time and traffic hugs

[Hash]

Problem is now forever the police will come for me before the ambulance so it means I am at risk of loosing my life.

Never mind.

Hash

[unknown_member]

Is there any way of writing to the local police /ambulance service and asking if there is another solution .. Say that you are really worried of the consequences of not receiving treatment straight away...? It seems very harsh that you should not receive prompt treatment because of the tool you SH with if you have never used it or threatened to use it on another person...

[inmythirties]

Is there any way that you can raise this with the Police through their complaints process?
Could you practise harm minimisation so that the consequences of your self harm were not immediately life threatening? My own self harm used to be dangerous and result in anaemia but since then I have learned to be more in control and careful. I know I don't want to die and wouldn't risk that through deep self harm.
There is work on harm minimisation/safer self harm out there.
I can't imagine that the police would have become involved unless you were at serious risk to yourself, so if you could see this it may help you to see how self harm can get out of control and extremely serious. I hope you an get counselling and help to preserve your own life as hard as this is at this stage. I found this http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/limiting%20the%20damage.pdf

Hope that things go better for you.

[inmythirties]

PS It may also help to take what precautions you can before you self harm like keeping windows open or even the door, calling someone to be with you for when the police arrive. But do try to limit blood loss and apply your own first aid/pressure if possible, knowing you will be on your way to hospital later on. Have regular blood tests too.
Do talk to your GP as well, you need help from local NHS, services and therapy whether NHS or private, though I know that secondary care services can let many down.
I think the NHS is so cash strapped and poor in places, that we don't have the option or permission to rely on it anymore ie fast ambulance and treatment times, it is a great shame.

[Hash]

 I have never threatened anyone or threatened myself in front of a policeman.

I do need to somehow ease my self harm so that it is not life threatening but its hard.

I have a therapist who is private, the NHS have given me so much support in the form of inpatient therapy and outpatient therapy for years and years. Maybe with my therapist I should look at harm minimisation.

Hash

[inmythirties]

It would seem strange that the police are involved then - I guess it is the threat to you and not to others always. I once had police visiting when conducting a welfare check as I had walked out of a hospital, I was scared by this experience, seemed so heavy although the policeman was very reassuring.
I also see a private therapist having exhausted the NHS options, I dislike the way they treat BPD, My own therapist has said that he will terminate therapy if I self harm. It is hard to have that in place.
Doing harm minimisation would be a step towards looking after yourself and avoiding situations involving these different authorities. I hope that you have a trusting relationship with that therapist.