Support Laura in her journey to get proper mental healthcare

Dear friends, family, and kind-hearted strangers,

I am reaching out to you on behalf of my lovely friend Laura, who has been struggling with extreme mood episodes for the past 14 years. Despite her ongoing battle with her mental health, and the significant disruptions it has caused in her life and her family's, Laura has not yet received the proper assessment and care she desperately needs.

Since 2010, Laura has fought tirelessly for an assessment to understand her symptoms, which include severe manic and depressive episodes. Unfortunately, after fourteen years, she is still being denied a thorough evaluation from the community mental health team.

When she ased for a second opinion she was wrongly discharged from psychiatry services and we now feel we have no option but to go private, independent from the NHS.

This ongoing struggle has led to multiple suicide attempts, hospital admissions and devastating personal effects, including the temporary removal of her teenage daughter into foster care during a severe manic episode which has had a lasting effect on her daughters mental health. This could have been prevented if a diagnosis and support plan was in place but Laura was once again denied mental health support during this period causing another traumatic event for her and her family.

In 2021, Laura faced another heartbreaking loss when she lost one of her closest friends—someone she met in hospital—who also battled bipolar disorder. This profound loss has further highlighted the urgency and importance of receiving proper care and diagnosis.

Laura's mental health challenges were previously misdiagnosed as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder in 2011. However, after further assessments, she was diagnosed with ADHD, complex PTSD, and autism and the personality disorder diagnosis was removed ten years later. Laura's experiences of mania persist, yet the connection to her diagnoses has not been adequately recognized by her NHS psychiatrist. Laura meets all the criteria for Bipolar Type One, and it is imperative that she receives the appropriate assessment to understand her condition fully, access appropriate support and prevent her mental health deteriorating potentially to a fatal point.

In addition to these struggles, Laura also suffers from Functional Neurological Disorder, which causes seizures triggered by stress and severe trauma. Its believed that if she had the correct help and support previously, and had not suffered the vast amount of trauma she has, (mainly medical trauma), its very unlikely she would have developed FND. This disability has deeply impacted her ability to work and live independently.

To finally obtain a thorough evaluation with a psychiatrist, Laura has identified The Edinburgh Practice, a reliable private mental health service where she has previously received support for her autism diagnosis. The breakdown of the costs for her comprehensive assessment is as follows:

- Initial 1-hour consultation: £360

- Follow-up 30-minute appointments: £200 each

Laura has been advised she'll need around 5-7 appointments for a thorough assessment plus the initial consultation appointment, so we are looking to raise £1350 which covers 75% of the costs.

We are kindly asking for your support in raising the necessary funds to ensure that Laura has access to the quality care she deserves. Any amount you can contribute will make a significant difference in helping Laura and her family reclaim their lives and receive the support they need.

Thank you for taking the time to read Laura’s story and for considering a donation to help her on this crucial path to healing.

With gratitude,

Grace