Elizabeth’s story
As part of our #SocialWorkMatters campaign, Elizabeth shares the life-changing support she received from her social worker
Elizabeth was a children’s nurse who worked on a children’s mental health unit. Triggered by an event, she went from being a functioning adult to someone who was hiding behind the curtains literally overnight. She suffered from severe depression and anxiety, was self-harming and had suicidal ideation.
“For about a year and half things were really black. I had a community psychiatric nurse first and then moved over to a social worker who bought so much more support in.
“She was fighting my corner and spotted things that no one else had before. She enabled me to see that I couldn’t run from the problems. I was on a cycle of hospital, home, respite, repeat – trying to run away from the problems but they always caught up. Seeing that, we were able to then start breaking the cycle.
She was fighting my corner and spotted things that no one else had before.
“Without her I’m not sure where I’d be today. She was very much my advocate. I couldn’t cope with the ward meetings when I was in hospital. It was intimidating having so many authority figures lined up in front of me. We tried putting the seats in a circle, but they just moved them back each time. Liz my social worker said ‘You don’t have to be in these meetings, I’ll do them for you – it’s that simple’. She took that whole big problem away for me.
Navigating the system
“A good social worker can fight your corner. It felt like where the system might be against you, they could advocate for you and prevent the system from causing you harm.
“I had to go into hospital for a minor operation. My GP was really great and knowing how difficult it would be for me, arranged for me to be pre-medicated before I went in. The hospital didn’t believe me when I tried explaining everything. They medicated me again and overdosed me.
Without her I’m not sure where I’d be today. She was very much my advocate.
“It was awful. I went from being a day patient which I could just about manage, to an overdose patient – with very different connotations – who was forced to stay in.
“My social worker tracked me down, took one look at me and knew I needed to get out. She called my husband checking he was okay if she pushed for a discharge – which of course he was – and then made it happen.
“She took everything in her stride, constantly protecting me and looking out for my best interests.
Being able to progress
“I had an incredibly good team. I had her, my counsellor and my GP. They were all working together but she was the glue, uniting the three of them. We worked together for about four years.
I only wish more people could have a really good mental health social worker – the work they do is lifechanging, even lifesaving.
“My social worker met with me every week to begin with. Just being able to have the security of a meeting at home where I felt safe and comfortable was so helpful. As I improved and needed less support, the meetings reduced to fortnightly and then once a month. But she was always at the end of the phone for me. She always made time for me and never made me feel like she was too busy.
“She had to move eventually, and she carefully transitioned me to a really good consultant psychiatrist at a small local hospital. That felt tricky but I needed continuity of care. My social worker felt that we couldn’t guarantee how long another social worker would be around for but we could guarantee the consultant would be there for a long time.
Lifechanging work
“There’s a lot of movement in social work unfortunately. A lack of career progression, high caseloads and burn out all take their toll. If people don’t leave altogether, they often move roles, teams or organisations.
“I’m so grateful I had her by my side. I only wish more people could have a really good mental health social worker – the work they do is lifechanging, even lifesaving.”
Elizabeth’s story is part of our #SocialWorkMatters campaign – advocating for everyone with severe mental illness to have access to a mental health social worker.